Reinvigorating Indian market places while retaining their character to meet the pace of city transformation

Abstract

Since ages Indian market places have been deemed as city centres and not just the components of a city structure. Gradually they became an event in everyday life, where people indulge into communication, people indulge into exchanges; people indulge into the experiential aspects of space. Thus markets therewith are not only physical spaces, but also have ‘spirit of place.’ Market places in India were an outcome of economic, social and cultural phenomenon all of which had implications on the physical network of spaces and social network of human. Therefore market places within a city transforms with the growing needs of the people; several other factors like economy, sociocultural aspects, technology etc. play major role in shaping these market places. Thus they are a mirror that reflects the transformations in the city. It has been observed in many transforming market places that the approach to this change is not holistic but just skin deep, hence there is a need to foresee the future of such vulnerable places in the city to channelize the pressure of change to generate positive transformation, while reinforcing its character to enhance the glory of the Indian market precincts while satisfying the demands of a rapidly growing city.