Unfolding the Vending Zone

Maa Bhagwati Vending Zone and Mahavir Vending Zone

The vending zone is located in unit 4 of Bhubaneswar. As no one in our group speaks or understands Oriya we had to face some difficulty in reaching the place. We were taken for a ride by the rickshaw driver the very first day, as we ended up paying hundred rupees one way and then eventually found out that it would not take more than forty rupees for a round trip per person. We reached the place after roaming around the locality for an hour or so as the driver did not know the place by its name.

When we finally reached our destination we found out that we had already passed the same place and no one noticed the place. One of the reason main reasons was that the place doesn’t have its names explicitly mentioned and even if it is mentioned it is in the regional language and tucked away at either of the ends of the vending zone. We managed to break ice with them and did have our first interactions with them. One of the vendors was very helpful as he did understand Hindi, so did translate and queries and responses. The vendors at Maa Bhagwati Vending Zone were mostly vegetable sellers with two fruit sellers, a beetle shop owner. The second vending zone has a gas stove supplies store, a barber shop and an electric peripheral store in addition to the vegetable and fruit vendors. The secretary of the vending zone Shree Sukdam Nayak was very helpful he did help us at every step, did introduce us to the various shop owners and requested them to provide the information which we were seeking. All of the vendors were reticent at first but with the encouragement and words of advice provided to them by their secretary did help in resolving the issue. They were somewhat willing to provide their personal information to complete strangers.