Pune: The city has seen some drastic changes over the past few years. But amongst some of the signposts that have withstood the ravages of time are the Tibetan stalls that come up on the sides of the roads the minute the temperatures start to dip. But while the stalls are still there, changes in the city around them have certainly affected this traditional trade.
Dachung, one of the Tibetans who has been on Sassoon road for the past 27 years agrees that things have changed substantially in terms of the number of customers and their demands over the years too. “Though many customers come here because of the availability of clothes at cheap rates, our sale has reduced by about 50 per cent since last four to five years because of the malls. Also more people from other States have joined in the business giving us old timers tough competition,” he says.
Newcomer Tsering Samdup (23), however has no comparisions to make and is quite happy with the business. “Though of course our sale is much high in winter season, it’s also good during the monsoons. We have all types of sweaters and coats in the price range of Rs 100 to 250. We also have trendy jackets and stylish pullovers which are in great demand and popular among the youngsters. Being sold at cheaper rates of upto Rs 300 they prefer buying them here rather than going in big stores. We bring all the garments from Punjab. Many shopkeepers also buy goods from us due to the cheap prices and then sell them at higher rates in their shops. In summers we switch to selling T-shirts as we can’t sell anything else at that time,” he says.
Dorjee who has been selling the woolen wear since 1984 agrees that their sales have been affected adversely with the mall culture. But what is more worrisome for shop keepers like him and Chouki, who has also been there for 25 years, is the harassment meted out to them by the authorities, despite the licenses that they hold. “The PMC officers ask us to vacate every now and then, saying that they will provide another place for us. But then what do we do till then? We cannot discontinue our business and wait for a new place. Also relocation may also lessen the number of customers,” says Chouki.
And so they carry on with each day. Battling authorities along with struggling to retain their monopoly over a business that has been theirs for decades, but is now constantly under threat.“But we will survive,’’says Dorjee, determined not to be left out in the cold.
