THE VILLAGE MARKET

1. Introduction. 2 to 4. Description. 5 and 6. Advantages.

          1. A market is a place where articles are bought and sold. In towns there are permanent (T) markets, In villages there are no permanent markets. Nor are markets held daily. They are held once or twice a week. There is generally one market held for several () villages.

          2. The market is generally ( ) held in an open place, There is great activity (162-1761) in the villages on the market day. Traders (व्यापारी) from nearby (आस-पास के) towns take their articles to the market. The villagers also bring their own products ( á) for sale. Some vendors (fadi) have stalls (). But most of them sit with their articles on the open ground. There are different rows (FR) for different articles. Luxury (facer ) and fancy (HTETÊ) goods are not to be found in a village market. Only articles of bare (3T) necessity are on sale; for example, agricultural implements (औजार), utensils (रसोई बनाने के बरतन), coarse cloths, rough foot-wears (), simple stationery articles, grains, vegeta bles, manures (), seeds, etc. Snake-charmers (), magicians, and quacks (नीम-हकीम) in action are a common sight in a village market.

            3. Old and young folks (m) from distant villages flock ( ga d) to the market. They eagerly ( al ) wait for this day. They are eager (364) to have the things they need and to sell the things they have produced.

          4. A village market is full of dust and noise. Everyone talks at the top of his voice. There is a lot of higgling ( ak a a )e, Even after a lot of bargaining (HT-TA) you are not sure if you have struck a bargain (सौदा पट गया है).

           5. To the villagers the market is not meant for only buying and selling. They utilize ( a it as a meeting place also. People living in distant villages meet. They talk about family and village affairs (ara). Sometimes they get lost ( aa) in gossips (1794) Then they forget everything else. My grandfather had once gone to market to fetch ( some articles. He left home in the morning. He returned at night with empty hand (U 719). He, however, looked glad. He had been able to fix up (24 ) the marriage of my little sister. Imagine ( 4-1 sifon), he had been to the market for that!

                6. The village market is a boon ( ) for the villagers. It is here that they can have the articles they need. Otherwise they would have to go from remote (7) villages to towns. This would mean waste (RC) of time, energy and money. Also, it is in the village market that they can sell their own home-made products (