Light House Lunda Bazaar
By Samia Saman
Karachi is known as the city of lights and it is the place where people are very sensible and conscious about new styles and fashion trends. In the city there are various international national outlets are situated but at the same time these outlets are mostly visited by rich men but not to worry it is Karachi the heart of Pakistan here the alternative of second hand things are available for those who cannot afford the clothes of the expensive brands such as Bonanza, Oxford, Hangten and Nike they can go to lighthouse Landa bazaar, at this place you can get all types of brands: shoes, jackets, bags, jewelry, gloves, long shoes and socks many more . Whenever we see the lighthouse Landa bazaar it makes us think and realized that the growth of poverty in Pakistan has increased with a very high speed.
People are helpless to use the second-hand things because they cannot have enough money to buy new fresh seasonal clothes shoes, flats. Every day in lighthouse there is a huge crowd of shoppers and if it is Sunday then the entire market is filled up with purchaser’s even you have not got a place to stand in the market people are come here from different areas.
In the lighthouse Landa market people of various societies, mainly Pathans, set up their temporary stalls at the markets and on roadsides, they told that they had been into this business since childhood as this was the occupation of their ancestors. One of theVendor tells us usually people who belonged to the middle-class family come here. Inflation has affected in every sphere of life.
People were usually go to bazaar on the Sunday one of the major reason is that at weekends vendor has bought a large variety of materials and it was noticed that at the holidays their earning was very good and profitable therefore on the weekends they come up with high and good quality shoes, bags, caps, clutches, books, photo frames, machines, luggage, decorative art pieces, paintings, toys, socks, carpets, cutlery furthermore household stuff.
Some of the shoppers stated that in the winter season the prices on warm clothes are high in the Landa bazaar but at the same time that there is no doubt in it that these local markets proved as one of the great blessings for the poor and needy people.
It is true that the quality of warm clothes in Landa bazaar is very noble some of the buyers said that we cannot feel cold in winter if we used to wearied Landa jackets, jerseys, socks and caps because its nature is very soothing, smooth and warm and consumers even guarantee that if we buy a famous brand winter attires we definitely feel cold in it, hence it is one of the major reason people liked and preferred to used warm clothes of Lunda
While talking to the shopkeepers they said there are two types of trades person; the ones who import second-hand clothes directly, and others who purchased those imported used clothes in an auction eve some of the vendors have bought a little-defected material in the market then we categorized those clothes according to its quality such as category a,b , c formerly conferring to its looks we have decided its costs then we bring it to the market.
Shopkeeper said that we give clothes in very fair prices even with this rates clients want the discount on it sometimes we do concession so that customers may not feel miserable however at times we cannot do reduction as it’s out of our controlled. If your client has purchased an item from your shop and wanted to exchange, it so does you returned that thing?
He said. “It depended on how many days were passed to the buyer if he comes on the next day when we accepted it otherwise if he is coming after one week or more than one week then we do not refund the money of that item.
Even you can get branded caps, jackets t-shirts, mufflers at a very cheap rates, thus it is very incredible and impressive you can find the best brand Puma shoes in Landa bazaar in a very low rate just as in rupees 500 even though it was secondhand but if you do comparison between renewed piece puma shoes as its fixed price is (14000) , therefore it is very interesting if you get the same brand shoes at a feasible price, and cloth shoes, flats and high heels are found here the size of these boots are changed similarly here you may have discovered others international brand hand baggage ;Gucci hand bags, big size bags, school bags, briefcase, makeup boxes more over tie, Jeans are seen here.
It is one of the fact that the clothes of Landa market are not washed before they are sold. The salespersons do their best to persuade and influenced the customers that they clean the goods
There are many other people who purchased toys, dolls for their kids.
There are some vendors who have sold stylish trendy sunglasses as they explained to us that these shades are the rejected material of the company. He also tells us that I have mixed dark glasses diversity some of them are defected others are fine and the cost of each sunglasses are extended from rupees 50 to 100.
It is one of the fact that the clothes of Landa market are not washed before they are sold. The salespersons do their best to persuade and influenced the customers that they clean the goods before selling it. In winter season people have bought blankets from here there is the huge variety of over-blankets are available with multi colors above all the prices of these coverlets is varying as its dependence on the size but it rates are much cheaper than the new bedspreads.
Even in Lunda bazaar, you can get second-hand bed sheets, cushion and pillow cover the painting on it are very attractive which you cannot find in fresh cover. Sellers has started selling the previously owned jewelry but it is splendid that at one place you have found different styles choker, bracelet, ankle clips, rings, earrings, bangles although it was used it is different from traditional trinkets hence is interested that with some money you can get classy hand wears.
T- shirts and tops of, male and female are sold here and it looks new even in shirts a great number of fresh, vibrant and bright colors are seen as well as night trousers are also presented other traders are now selling electronic items but it is doubt full that is that equipment is worked or not as these electric items: Hair straightener, dryer,blender, grinder, sound speakerslaptop, branded hand free of Amazon, Motorola iron, on the contrary, it is risky to purchase those used electronic things.
Now a day in these local markets kitchen stuff is also available: fry pan, pizza plate, glasses, teapots, mugs and table plates the crockery of Landa bazaar are very heavy in weight and its designs are very plain as well as simple but it looks stunning, some people have bought ornamented material and paintings for their housedecoration others were purchased.Some remarkable and noteworthy novels, books, dictionary, and children art books, picture manuscript howgreat for those who are book lovers but they are unable to purchase it thus here they can find some of the finest and valuable reading materialpencils.
Shopkeepers tell us that we often have found some very unique, elegant and costly things inside some clothes and bags and the worth of those things are out of our expectation as they were very expensive and worth able.
Some of the buyers tell us that sometimes luckily they have got some precious coins from the Landa clothes as one of the consumers said “. Once he had got one American dollar from a bag.” Another customer said he had found the memory card of the camera and its storage is about 32Gb hence it is amazing.
This lighthouse Landa bazaar is offered everything to their clients. It is true that they have provided the used material but it has enormous powered to bring smiles to the faces of poor and pleased their necessities so its importance is priceless.
The lighthouse Landa market illuminates the life of poor people by fulfilling their needs with the help of second-hand things.
Samia Saman is a blogger from Karachi.
