Ravivari Market (Gujari Bazaar): Ahmedabad’s 600-Year-Old Sunday Market

Every Sunday, a stretch of the Sabarmati riverfront becomes the oldest market in Ahmedabad. Ravivari, also called the Gujari Bazaar, sells almost anything: clothes new and used, utensils, tools, books, antiques and furniture, often for a few rupees a piece.

Ravivari market history: 600 years of Sundays

The market began with the city. In 1414 Sultan Ahmad Shah started a royal market, the Khaas Bazaar, held on Fridays at Bhadra, and so for a long time it was the Shukravari, the Friday market. After riots in 1914 it moved, first near the Sidi Saiyyed Mosque, then to the old civil court. Since 1954 it has been held on the Sabarmati riverbank, and when the riverfront was rebuilt it got a permanent, paved home of its own, opened in February 2014.

Today around 1,600 vendor platforms set up each Sunday, and the Gujari Association counts about 1,200 registered traders, roughly a third of them women.

What to buy at Ravivari market

• Second-hand and new clothes, often by the piece for very little.
• Kitchen utensils, tools and hardware.
• Old books and magazines.
• Antiques, brass and curios.
• Furniture and household goods.

Ravivari market timings and tips

• Go early on Sunday for the best pick, before the heat and the crowds.
• Carry cash in small notes.
• Bargain; prices start low and still have room.
• Check clothes for stains, tears and working zips.

Fixing a find

A good second-hand piece often needs a little work. Haggler Studio in Shela takes in, lets out, shortens and repairs. For the city's other markets, see Best Clothing Markets in Ahmedabad.