Burma Bazaar Experience

rsk11584

Hello Friends,

Here is my experience of Burma Bazaar. It is supposed to be a line of small shops selling imported goods (mostly smuggled).
Since I am new to Chennai I decided to go and visit the bazaar, and had a somewhat exciting different experience.

I boarded the train to Chennai Beach Station from Chrompet, and the Burma Bazaar starts just outside Chennai Beach station and goes for around 2-3 kms or so. All the shops are very small but having the best of korean, chinese mobile phones, mp3 players, dvd players, imported perfumes, cigarettes, bags, toys etc.

But some shopkeepers will just force you, to see their items just ignore them and move forward, if you go alone ( like I did go alone) most shopkeepers selling CD, DVD, will start calling you and tell you they have hindi , english, tamil DVDs at cheap prices 15 rs only, and then quiety tell you that they also have porn, blue films, latest mms. I got so shocked when some shopkeepers literally hold your hand and ask you to see the DVD collection and I have heard that if you ever look something in a shop in Burma Bazaar then you ought buy it, else the shopkeeper will harass you.

Whooops was a different experience, wanted to beat some shopkeepers but since I was alone did not wanted to fight alone, So better go in group of 3-4 so that even if you go to some shop you can easily come out without buying anything as shopkeeper may not force you since you will be in group also if you go in group shopkeepers wont force to see their shops you can just stroll and see what they have to offer.

I saw many shops selling imported perfumes ,adidas , esacada and designer perfumes, sprays, chocolates, binoculars, cigarettes, digital cameras , DVD players, and many electronic goods, but here once you buy anything it does not have any guarantee or warranty. As I was new I was afraid to ask prices of perfumes as have heard from many people that if you ask price then they will force you to buy it, so since I was alone did not want to take any risk.

Nick-H

They can't force you: you walk away!

My wife says, if you are going to buy from Burma Bazaar, you need a contact there, otherwise you are most likely to be ripped off (I suppose being ripped off Rs15 for a naughty DVD wouldn't be the greatest loss...).

I saw a Rode microphone there and enquired the price... more than in UK. Probably it would have been a lot less to a local contact, or I could have bargained, but I didn't want it anyway, I was just interested to see how much.

Another time I noticed a radio that had a label obviously stuck on that said "Sony" .

My only purchase there was a couple of sets of high-capacity rechargable AA batteries. They were Sanyo and in Sanyo bubble packs. I could not see any sign at all that they were counterfeit --- and they worked fine. I think I saved 100 or 200 over shop price.

Extend your exploration: cross the road!

You will then be into the Parry's/Georgetown area, which is a fascinating maze of lanes and small shops, all divided into trades and professions. Up there, you'll find yourself in pipe fittings, bearings, engineering and tools. Closer to Parry's corner and the High Court is stuff like opticals, shoes, stationery. Further South is hardware and kitchen stuff. Watch out for the traffic, though!

rsk11584

At that point only I failed, I asked one gentlemen where the parrys corner market is and he mentioned that where you want to go, I mentioned that I just want to go to parrys corner market,but he told just go by the street (burma bazaar) can you give directions on how to go to parrys market. I want to buy some hardwares , so please explain in brief how to go parrys corner, I mean from Chennai Beach railway station entrance , do I need to cross the road instead of going along burma bazaar ?? or do i need to go till the road turns into right (where there is also one road going down. Yesterday I asked for directions but was not successful ;-(

Nick-H

Hmmm... There is no such thing, as such! It is not only a whole area, but the name "Parry's" is used to refer to a conglomeration of areas. There is a Parry's Corner -- and you'll have realised by now that Chennaites call it Paris, or your post would be far more confused! If you walk out from the station and turn left, back the way the train brought you, you will come to it.

Do what I suggested: just cross the road from the station, walk West a little way, then turn South. Hardware as in tools and stuff is up that end. Hardware as in kitchenware, is further South, a fair walk away, and you should ask for the Metal's Mart.

Strongly suggest a copy of the Eicher City Map. Chennai's flyovers and some one-way systems have moved on since it was published (now in its second edition, and I still use the first) but it is still very, very useful. It has all the different "Parry's" areas marked on it, for a start

By the way... the last time I went for an unrestrained wander there, I walked for three hours!

edwardseco

Ah, very old memories. Burma Bazaar is for the experience,not to buy as my late father in law told me. I too adore the side lanes and can spend hours roaming lost until an auto comes along to extricate me..

Nick-H

Oh, yes, you will get lost, unless your sense of direction is superb!

You'll find quite a few of the traders (and residents) there are Northern Indian, so if you speak Hindi, you should get on easily. Of course, rsk11584, I may be making a very wrong assumption that you don't speak Tamil

rsk11584

I speak tamil, but just could not properly ask, just asked one person and got pissed off, else would have explored the area that day itself. I am confused with your west and south, Now let me put it very clearly,

While comming out from beach station on left side is whole burma bazaar (the same way which the train brought me to beach) so you mean after crossing the road do i need to walk towards burma bazaar (left) or right (further forward from where the train left me) . This will clear most of the confusion, but now I have decided someday gonna go and just wander for hours, but I thought better wander with directions rather than wandering unknown.

Nick-H

To the East, on the other side of the railway, is the port and the sea. You need to cross the Burma bazaar road, and head into the area on other side of it. That is, the area shown on this Google map

If you want kitchen fittings, utensils, etc, then Fort Station is closer, and you should go to the areas behind Evening Bazaar and Rattan Bazaar Roads, which you can see on this map

For my approximate West and South directions: West is with your back to the sea, South is heading to your left with your back to the sea. Approximations, as the coast doesn't run a North-South line, but hey, the top end of Chennai is still called "North" and the bottom end is still called "South"

rsk11584

I want to purchase tools, hardware. Anyways will just check out the streets.

Nick-H

Ask for Broadway.

Also, you might get worthwhile addresses to check out by looking for dealers on the sites of international companies like Bosch, Stanley, etc. They are not confined to Parry's, but many of them are in that area.

rsk11584

I want cheap chinese made / local made tools ,bosch tools are too costly, thats why I am peculiar about buying in wholesale markets.

Nick-H

I think you'll find whatever you need in that area, but I don't know any specific shop to advise.

bsprasad

There are separate markets in Parrys for every one's need. All the streets mentioned below are in Parrys. one needs to explore...

If you need imported items like perfumes, Body sprays, Razors etc etc, you have to go to Kasi chetty street

If you need Plumbing ittems, hardwares like Motors, Pumps, Tubes etc you need to head to Mooker Nalla muthu street(for Stainless steel tubes) or Yerra balu chetty street

For pooja items like Haldi(Turmeric), Kumkum, Champor, Betal Nut etc in wholesale you need to go to Anna Pillai street

Anna Pillai street also has wholesale shops for Toor dhaal, Moong Dhaal etc.

There is a small street which is 3rd right from devaraja mudali street towards broadway in which you can find all the wholesale shops for dry fruits. (I dont remember the name of the street, but you can ask for Bahutmal and sons) Anyone will direct you to that street.

For Dress materials (Salwars, Trouser bits and shirts bits) you need to head to Godown street

For electrical items like Bulbs, Wires, Switches, Fancy lights you need to go to Govindappa naicken street.

For hardware items (wood and metal) like Door Locks, Pad Locks, Door Handles and all the other items which goes with house hold hardware, you need to head to Devaraja mudali street near Kandhaswami koil which is right behind Ethirajulu Naidu sons vessels shop.

Tailpiece: RSK11584, You need to get to Broadway to check the tools you required. You may not get in in one shot. You need to get around and walk a lot here and there to get the best bargain

Nick-H

I love those streets!

Maybe I'll go... tomorrow

Hmmm... Have to pick up wife from inlaws tomorrow

bsprasad

So sad Nick, Lets go one day, whenever you are free....I too love those streets....One can roam around there aimlessly just for browsing. Although my fiancee never understands, why do I like roaming in parrys looking at junk. Women...sheesh....