Market Scene

Market Scene
By: Kilki Pareek
A well-known street market in Jaipur is M.I road. M.I road - a public library of sights and smells brought to life by its buzzing activity, especially during the Diwali festival, a visitor coming from anywhere definitely not going to miss.

As the first soft ray of the golden yellow sun oozed across the turquoise sky. I walked down the street with the blithe gait of a young girl, awaiting the spectacular awakening of this busy hive. Soon, one by one, like the petals of a morning glory unfolding to greet the glorious morning, windows flung open as shop keepers almost simultaneously opened up their linear array of shops, exposing the colorful interiors and filling the streets with the exuberance of life.

Around the corner, I could smell the fresh aroma of coffee and the baker's sweet buttery perfume. It was so fresh, so distinct; I could almost taste the rolls and pastries and drink the toasted coffee on the morning air. My eyes grew wide with excitement as I looked through the smooth glass window of the sweet shop. Laid out in full view was a vast display of bon-bon and classic traditional candies. Just then, a rotund and rubicund man came out to greet me and I felt obliged to patronize his store. Stepping in, I was met with the exotic scent of marzipan and chocolate and the plebeian breath of gobstoppers coming from the shop assistant. There was so much variety as I was spoilt for choice! My head started to become dizzy as I glanced at my gaudy ambience shelves full to bursting with treats of every shape and size. Catching my breath, I purchased some traditional malt candies and headed for the door.
Abutting on the sweet shop was a fruit market with a pungent orchard of essential juices. The greenish grapes lay like frosted marbles in the basket while the daffodil yellow star fruits hung heavily on the silver hooks voluminous pineapples made their looming presence felt as they started imposingly at the flushing rose-red rambutans. As I walked past the fishmonger’s briny bouquets in ice and salt, plain whiffs of blood and the putrid smell of decomposed fish assaulted my nostrils. The butcher store adjoining it was no comfort either and by that time, I felt very nauseated.
Strutting alone the stone-paved sidewalk, I came across restaurants of every kind. Jaipur truly lives out its reputation as a food heaven and heaven. The building of the hotels and the restaurants looks as a castle. As I walked further in the hotel, I saw lemoniest pulses, brownish curry and creamy mashed potatoes and giblet brown gravy serving throughout the hotel.