People throng Srinagar's 'Sunday Market'

The weekly flea market in the heart of the summer capital here witnessed an unprecedented rush of shoppers as people from all over Kashmir Valley thronged the market in anticipation of heavy discounts because of the flood.
The streets around the city centre Lal Chowk - the nerve centre of the market that spans nearly two kms from Tourist Reception Centre to Hari Singh High Street - saw extraordinary rush of the people since early morning, with many of them swarming the stalls and shops offering heavy discounts on the flood-hit merchandise.
"I have come here from Budgam district (in central Kashmir) with my wife for shopping. I heard many of the traders were offering heavy discounts on various items at their shops and we did not want to miss the opportunity," Mubashir Hussain said.

He said many traders who suffered damage to their shops had sold the flood-affected items like carpets, rugs,curtains, dress materials, shoes, jackets, blankets, crockery items, etc to the 'Sunday Market' - as the flea-market here is popularly known as.
"The Sunday Market traders cleaned the goods and are selling them at their stalls at much less prices," Hussain said.
Though some items like readymade garments and dress materials have suffered discolouration and stains, such things hardly bother the shoppers.
"They have been cleaned of the dirt caused by the flood waters by 'dhobis' (washermen). But yes, I will clean it again at home and if need be use some antiseptic," Irshad Ahmad Shah, a resident of downtown area of the city, said.