Amar Colony – Glimmer in the dust. In this day and age of reducing waste and our impact on the earth, refurbishing furniture is an excellent way to fix and reuse quality items.
Moreover nowadays, people are into vintage furniture to make their homes more elegant and classy.
Dainty doorknobs, sombre sofas, cheap and utilitarian chest of drawers, adorable antiques are extremely à la mode. These alluring articles can be found in the dusty lanes of Amar colony in Lajpat Nagar, Delhi.
When I first heard of Amar colony, I presumed it to be ‘marché du luxe’, full of flashy and shiny showrooms with furniture being displayed in organized and coordinated manner but it was all in inverse.
Sounds of the nails hammering, acrid smell of thinners and polish, air full of sawdust tingling your nose is what Amar colony truly is.
Located in the narrow dusty single lane, coloured in the hues of blue thanks to the tarpaulin sheets, these shops have no doors or fancy showrooms.
There is no welcoming door and these 40 shops work in harmony.
Amar colony, earlier known as khokha market or kabadh (scrap) is totally contrary to its name. It is a paradise for antique lovers and those who want to give their homes a vintage look with some curios will be more than happy to visit this market.
The heart of the Amar colony is its salesmen and artisans, as the owners hardly show up. They work their souls out to deliver the best products and services to their clients.
If you get hungry strolling the shops, Amar colony got it covered also. There is a chai wala (tea stall) in the back of one shop. They will give you the best tea and lunch is also served. It will be a hangout place with your family or friends though just for few minutes. They sell the best ‘kadhi chawal’. (Just try if you ever go there)
Quaint Mirrors and Dressers
“Mirror mirror on the wall, which is the prettiest of ‘em all?” – The phrase will come to your mind the instant you spot these frames and dressers which can add a dash of spunk or class to your ambience depending on the kind you pick.
Intricately carved in beautiful cyan, sweet lavender, bright yellow or caramel browns, these will dominate your rooms.
Cheap Cabinets and Chest of Drawers
Looking for some vintage cabinets or chests, Amar colony comes to your rescue!
From colonial style to local artwork, every era can be seen in the small stretch of shops. To give your homes, cafes, hotels etc. a touch of royalty, without spending extravagantly, this place is the right choice. Check out the large variety of cabinets and chests made of Burma teak with elaborate wooden and metal work inspired from British, Mughal and Rajasthan artworks. You can find them in every shop placed haphazardly, just look through and you might find something amazing.
Funky Furnishings
At Amar colony you can find copious furniture waiting to scintillate your homes, restaurants and cafes (at the cheapest prices!!).
Sofas, couches, chairs, coffee tables, center tables, bar stools beds, bedheads, side tables, dining tables, chaise longue, coat hangers are stored nonchalantly in the ‘shops’ and the narrow walkway for you to stop and have a glance. Typical colonial style, bright pop colours, intricately cut tiles gives an extra edge to the century old tables and beds.
So whenever you plan on decorating or redecorating your house do visit Amar colony, I’m sure you’ll not be disappointed.
Whimsical Whim-whams
Are you an antiques lover? Want knick-knacks that are centuries old?
Close your eyes think what you desire and voila, the Room of Requirement (Harry Potter series) delivers even the wildest things. This is the perfect place for people who love all things vintage.
Pocket-watches, pocket binoculars, 100 year old charkha, marine telescopes, microscopes, gramophones, camera, mechanical clock, typewriters, vintage phones (want to be lucky- grab the Babu Rao’s ‘Red phone’ from Hera Pheri), swords, posters, 35 kilos brass sculptures from South or engraved Surahis can be found stacked in little dusty corners.
You have to be your own Jack Sparrow to find these little but big treasures. Who knows you end up finding Aladdin’s lamp or the golden pot at the end of the rainbow. So I suggest you walk around and chat with the shopkeepers who will happily show you their collections.
Conclusion
Amar colony furniture market located near the clothes market in Lajpat nagar is no doubt the best market for buying cheap furniture and antiques.
If you want to infuse your homes with old- school style furniture please take a stroll in the furniture market of Amar colony. As it is not crowed much you can have a peaceful shopping experience and the salesmen are also friendly.
But Amar colony has its own ‘shades of grey’. There are some difficulties and challenges that they people of Amar colony has to go through every day.
Dusty lanes, air filled with sawdust and thinners lead to many health problems for the craftsmen and the salesmen. Owners hardly come to the shops, thus they don’t face any such problems like the workers do.
Workers eat tobacco (shikhar – popular among the workers here) on a daily basis so as to avoid the smell of thinners and polish that to go to their heads. Thinners make them dizzy and hinder their work. Therefore, they eat tobacco which is very hazardous for their health.
The kitschy furniture lying in front of the shops takes away the old- school vibe of the market. There is no cleanliness which is the biggest negative point.
If these problems are taken care of then in no time Amar colony furniture market will become the second ‘Kirti nagar furniture market’.
To curb these problems, I suggest that air purifiers should be installed. Workers should be given masks and eye protectors to wear. Furniture and other stuff should be piled up neatly. Name board should be installed and proper gate should be set up. Flyers and advertisements should be published in order to create more awareness among the masses. Government should provide a little fund so that they can renovate their shops as they help the government in a way to sell those long lost antiques.
