COTTON MARKET

The Cotton Market on the first lane of Pantheon Road has cotton shirts, T - shirts, churidhars and churidhar material (traditional wear for women), drapery, cotton trousers and pyjamas, night gowns and socks. The market is over 10 years old.

Previously, traders used to set up shop only during the handloom exhibition and in summer. Seeing the good response, traders set shop here permanently. Today, there are over 120 families earning their livelihood from this trade. The traders source material from big companies in Old Washermanpet, who have export surplus.

"Cine artistes, tele serial artistes, costume hirers are among the regular customers here. What brings them here is the quality and variety, which comes at reasonable rates, with fabric costing anything between Rs. 30 /- and Rs 90 /- per metre", says Sarangan (who has been here for more than eight years now).

The market is open from 2.00 pm to 8.00 pm, Monday to Friday. And on Saturdays and Sundays, it is open from 10.00 am to 10.00 pm. To avoid inconvenience to parents picking up school students after school closes at 1.30 pm, on weekdays, the traders have unanimously decided to open shop at 2.00 pm on those days.

Approach: The lane between Co-Optex silk saree showroom and Konica studio on Pantheon Road.

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