Darjeeling: Pandemic heralded in a new Darjeeling holding the hands of "Gundri Bazar," the community market of yesteryears. With the aim to promote budding entrepreneurs who returned to the Hills during the Pandemic and lockdown, the third edition of the three-day long Gundri Bazar came alive at the Darjeeling Mall on Friday.
Incidentally, "Gundri Bazar" had come into existence in the formative years of Darjeeling. Mostly local traders and merchants from the plains used to sell their wares, sitting on straw mats or Gundris. However, time and urbanisation finally tolled the death knell for the Gundri Bazar.
Vik-run Foundation along with Decibel, an event management company, in association with the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) has been organizing Gundri Bazars since 2020 in Darjeeling and Siliguri.
"Owing to the Pandemic many of the Hill youths, working outside, returned to the Hills and set up their own businesses online, dealing in local produce, food, art, craft. We decided to give them a platform to promote local products. Our theme is shop local and support local brands. We plan to take the event to Kolkata this year along with Siliguri," stated Vikram Rai of Vik-run Foundation.
More than 41 stalls have been put up at the Mall selling local goods and produce including food, pickles, mushroom, fermented food, chillies (Dalley,) spices, plants, clothes, paintings by local artists and handicrafts.
"We along with the MSME department of the Government of West Bengal will provide support to budding entrepreneurs in the way of providing loans, machinery and even marketing" stated Sanjay Tibriwal, CII, North Bengal.
CII along with the Spice Board of India and Amazon will be holding a day-long seminar on "Visioning Rural Entrepreneurs' Hub" on December 27.