Wednesday 12 August 2015

Furniture Market, Amar Colony, New Delhi

Many Delhiites have never heard of Amar Colony. It has no famous sightseeing places or famous uptown or downtown markets. 

Amar Colony Antiques Market, New Delhi

But ask anyone in Delhi who is interested in antiques, particularly furniture and he/she will direct you to the Flea Market /Antiquarian tucked away in a by-lane of Amar Colony behind the prestigious women’s college Lady Sri Ram, near Moolchand Flyover. Not a single shop is a permanent or legal structure. Yet it has been a ‘permanent’ feature since Partition of India, when millions of Punjabi refugees fled to the capital in the hope of starting a new life. Some of the enterprising Sikhs (I am told it is a single family) started the business of selling antique furniture. Last time I was there, a bureaucrat had passed orders for shutting down the market and vacating public land. Phone calls were being made frantically. However bureaucrats come and go. The market has withstood the test of time. 

One of the second generation proprietors at Amar Colony Furniture Market  

Interesting is the profile of the owners and also those who frequent this market! Sikhs, so fair that they could pass for Afghans, own these shops and they also live nearby in Amar Colony. A few of them attend to the customers wearing the traditional Sikh attire of blue robe and yellow belt. On Guru Purab (holy days for the Sikh community) the market is shut down and all owners, young and old, participate in the religious procession. The carpenters are mostly from Bihar and UP. Behind the market they make new furniture mostly with Victorian, South Indian, Kashmiri, British Shimla and Rajasthani designs. New wood, new workers, old design! The visitors are mostly the educated, slightly crazy /alternate kind of people and of course foreigners with taste and an eye for tradition and a good bargain. One has to sift through old and new artefacts. There are wooden almirahs, doors, mirrors, benches, chairs, side tables, chests, dressing tables, jharokhas, stools, wall clocks, Buddhas, masks etc. precariously perched over one another. You need to have that instinct: This is what I want!!! With time the flow of antiques to the market has decreased and new furniture is taking over. But these are not bad either. Old tiles are added to new furniture. It is the blend of the Old and the New that is interesting. 


My collection from Amar Colony Market!

I have several pieces of furniture from the market and I am happy with them. No plywood, no plastic, they are made of real wood! Some items do look kitch, but like I said, you have to sift patiently through this dusty world to find a gem of a vintage item. You may be disappointed also. After all you come with high expectations. All said and done, a surreal place in modernity, it has a charm of its own in the age of malls and online-shopping.

Optimum use of space in one of the shops in Amar Colony

After browsing through the 15 odd shops, one feels hungry. Nearby is the bazaar catering to the taste buds of the young college crowd. While your furniture is being polished, you can order steamed momos at the Tibetan restaurant or Tandoori momos at the road-side kiosks!

19 comments:

Unknown said...

http://krishnafurniture.com

Rajesh Prasad Digital Marketing said...

Best Shower Enclosures, Shower Doors Manufacturing and Suppliers – Select Range of bathroom shower enclosures, shower door, shower cubicle at cheap price. Select the many ranges of quality and top design shower cubicles, shower door, bathroom shower enclosures etc. Visit our website to Know More inquiry at export4@dabbl.de click here Bathroom Shower Enclosure, Shower Doors, Shower Cubicle, Shower Screen

dpdoor said...

Nice Door Manufacturers in Delhi blog and I will share to my friends. Also I suggest Solid Wood Doors.

Luxeinterno said...

Good information Interior Designers in Bangalore, top interior decorators,

Unknown said...

Wow ! Amazing information showing through your blog, it's a beautiful decoration things.Thanks for sharing.
Wooden Furniture Manufacturers in South Delhi
Wooden Furniture Manufacturers in Delhi NCR

ashirvadpatel said...

you have very good school furniture
Searching for the best office furniture for your office? The best Office Furniture manufacturer is here for you. Destiny Seatings - Office Furniture in Delhi | Restaurant Furniture in Delhi | Canteen Furniture in Delhi

Gurgaon Valentine said...

Your comment is very beneficial for the future, you have written in a very beautiful way, you have an inspiration for the youth who come to your comment is really very beautiful, nowadays children do not know where they are wandering, no one can make a comment like you. The post is very different.
Adult Rooms Gurugram
Gurugram Girls Numbers
Gurugram Girls Service Sector 15
Delhi Airport Area Girls Service

ARC Modular said...

Thank you for a very interesting article. I greatly appreciate the time you take to do all the research to put together your posts. I especially enjoyed this one!!

Modular Kitchen in Delhi
Modular Kitchen in Gurgaon
Modular Kitchen in Noida
Livingroom Furniture Designers in Delhi

Explore NCR said...

Thank You for sharing Such an Amazing Content!! I would Love to share Banjara Market in Gurgaon Blog!! Please check It out!!

Equinavia said...

Welcome to our Furniture Manufacturer in Noida! We provide high-quality furniture for both residential and commercial settings. Our designs are tailored to meet your individual needs, from classic timeless pieces to modern and contemporary designs. We guarantee the best quality and value for money. Experience the difference with us today!

Bacon Recipes said...

Hello mate nice blog

GS Magazine said...

Great post.Thanks for sharing this article with us.Keep posting.
Restaurant Contractors

Universal Pride Interiors said...

your article is valuable for me and for others
see this type of article now
School Furniture in Gurgaon

Online Education said...

Very happy to read this blog. Thanks for updating.
Professional Courses

Jasmin Sharma said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Aavi said...

Looking for sturdy and stylish commercial table bases? Check out AMKO Group for top-notch quality and design elevating any dining space!

https://amkogroup.com/table-bases

home decor furniture said...

great

Astral Windoors Pvt Ltd said...

Fire Rated Door manufacturers in Bangalore Good Post

Ddesignery said...

Your post proved to be very helpfull for me thank u for sharing..

Transform your cooking space—visit Delhi's top modular kitchen showroom today! Check it out here!