A bazaar is a public market.
Bazaar is a concept that derives from the Persian term bāzār . The notion is used in the Eastern world to name public markets . Bazaar is also the name of shops that offer different types of products.
For example: "I would love to tour the bazaars of Turkey and Iran" , "Do you like these dishes?" "I bought them at the bazaar on the avenue," "Taking advantage of a break in filming, the actor spent several hours walking through a bazaar in India."
In Islamic, Hindu and Persian culture, the bazaar is a market that is usually covered. In addition to being an area where numerous types of products are sold, the bazaars are meeting points for the population; That is why they have social and political importance . On the other hand, nowadays, traditional bazaars are a tourist attraction that seduces visitors from all over the world.
Examples of bazaar
The Grand Bazaar of Istanbul , in Turkey , is one of the most famous internationally. It is located in the "old city" and has about 4,000 shops , which are visited by more than 250,000 people every day. In this bazaar you can buy jewelry, sandals, clothes, books, food and rugs, among other items.
Also in Istanbul is the Spice Bazaar . As the name suggests, condiments are plentiful at this market. The Khan el-Jalili Bazaar ( Egypt ), the Tabriz Bazaar ( Iran ) and the Anarkali Bazaar ( Pakistan ) are other popular ones.
Spices are important in many bazaars.
Differences between East and West
The charm of oriental bazaars arises from the fusion of a series of factors, such as their immensity (that of Istanbul extends along fifty-eight streets), their aromas, the display of colors provided by their thousands of articles , and also the particular atmosphere on a human level, very typical of the treatment between traditional merchants and customers. All this makes them simply irresistible to people in the West.
In Western societies , on the other hand, a bazaar is a large store that allows the acquisition of various items. In a bazaar it is possible to find tableware , kitchen utensils , decorative elements and toys, to name a few options.
In several Western countries, bazaars are associated with Chinese culture , although this is nothing more than an unfortunate coincidence for the thousands of immigrants who are forced to work in these stores almost non-stop. It is common to refer to a bazaar run by Chinese people simply as "the Chinese", a rather unfortunate use of language that reduces an entire nation to an activity that does not at all represent the richness of its culture.
Variety of products in a bazaar
Western bazaars can be very convenient for several reasons. First of all, they usually offer a wide range of products , which can get us out of trouble on more than one occasion. Their prices are usually very affordable, another factor that attracts the general public and diverts their attention from the competition. Finally, the opening hours of the bazaars are especially long (sometimes including Sundays and holidays).
Having said all this, it is necessary to point out some of its weaknesses. Although we can find a wide variety of items in a bazaar, they are generally not of good quality, and this explains the difference in price compared to those sold by specialized stores or large chains. Regarding schedules, while customers benefit from having the bazaar every day, shop assistants lead lives that border on slavery; If they are foreigners and do not speak the local language well, we must add the constant humiliations to which society subjects them.