The marketplace is not merely a place of trade; it is a realm of labor, endurance, and negotiation: a living organism held together by the hands of women. These hands, aged and calloused or youthful and nimble, are the unsung architects of economies. On my last visit to Mysore’s iconic Devaraja Market, I was struck by the vibrancy of life unfolding within its bounds. Built in 1886 and spanning 3.67 acres, this historic market holds generations of stories within its wooden rafters and stone masonry walls. From fragrant piles of Mysuru Mallige (Mysore jasmine) to conical stacks of vibrant kumkum powder, the market is a sensory feast. Yet, beyond the obvious allure, it is the hands that move this ecosystem, the hands of women, that tell the most compelling story.
Women in the Heart of the Market
What does it mean for a woman to occupy this space? To sell, to buy, to barter? Devaraja Market, like many others, is a microcosm of the women’s existence—laden with contradictions. Here, women are both central and peripheral. Their labor, whether in stringing jasmine garlands or selling freshly ground spices, sustains the market and its visitors. Yet, this labor often goes unnoticed, absorbed into the background of bustling activity.
In the northern section of the market, where the sweet scent of Mysuru Mallige dominates the air, women deftly weave jasmine into garlands. Their fingers move with the rhythm of years of practice, tying fragile flowers into symbols of devotion, celebration, and memory. The jasmine, grown in the fields surrounding Mysore, Srirangapatna, and Mandya, carries with it a lineage of care and craft, both from the farmers who cultivate it and the women who transform it into marketable beauty.
Philosophically, their presence subverts systems that erase their contributions. Each flower sold, every garland woven, is a reclamation of agency, a quiet rebellion against being reduced to invisibility.
A Marketplace of Contrasts
Walking through Devaraja Market is to witness contrasts: the transient and the enduring, the delicate and the rugged, the local and the global. Women here inhabit these contrasts with grace and resilience.
Take, for instance, the kumkum sellers who sit amidst brilliant mounds of red, yellow, and orange powders. These pigments, used in religious rituals and festivals, are sold by women whose hands are perpetually stained with their vibrant hues. For them, each handful sold represents sustenance, a step towards meeting the needs of their families.
Further along, in the fruit and vegetable section, women vendors sit amidst their goods, skillfully negotiating with customers. Their sharp wit and keen business sense stand in stark contrast to the popular perception of women as passive participants in economic spaces. These women are the lifeblood of the market, ensuring its daily rhythm continues unabated.
The Hands That Weave the Jasmine Garlands
The Mysuru Mallige, in particular, is a narrative centerpiece of the market. Its intoxicating fragrance, distinct slender petals, and light green stems make it a favorite not only for religious rituals but also for perfume and agarbatti (incense) production. Women’s hands dominate this trade, from plucking the flowers at dawn in nearby fields to stringing them together in the market.
The process is both art and labor. It begins with delicate fingers selecting the freshest blooms. Then, using nothing more than thread and an almost meditative focus, they transform loose flowers into intricate strands. Each garland is a testament to their skill and patience, a piece of ephemeral art destined for temples, weddings, or households.
For these women, the jasmine trade is more than just a livelihood. It is a connection to the land, to tradition, and to an unspoken solidarity among the women who share this craft.
The Marketplace as a Microcosm of Society
The marketplace is a stage where social hierarchies and dynamics play out in miniature. Women here navigate a complex web of interactions, with customers, suppliers, and fellow vendors. Their labor, though undervalued, is indispensable. It challenges the false binaries of labor as masculine and nurture as feminine.
Here, the act of selling bananas or weighing guavas is no less profound than the act of care. Both sustain life. Each exchange, whether of a handful of jasmine or a kilogram of rice, is an act of creation, an evidence that the hands hold not only the marketplace but the weight of the world.
A Symphony of Hands
The hands that hold Devaraja Market are not merely tools of trade; they are instruments of survival and symbols of strength. They clutch flowers and fruits, count coins and balance scales. They are stained with turmeric, reddened by the sun, and calloused from years of labor. Yet, they move with grace and determination, weaving a life that sustains thousands.
The women of Devaraja Market are more than participants in its daily commerce; they are its pulse, shaping its rhythms and enduring its challenges. Their stories, etched in the lines of their hands and the precise movements of their labor, offer a nuanced lens through which to view the complex dynamics of survival and community. In their toil, we see not just the mechanics of trade but the quiet power of individuals who anchor entire ecosystems. To walk through this market is to witness the convergence of personal histories and collective resilience—a living archive of hands shaping not only goods but the very essence of place and belonging.
All photographs are by Zufishan Rahman
