Tibetan charm across Indian cities

Across Bangalore, but also other cities in India, there have sprung up myriad Tibetan
settlements in the recent decades. These settlements have established their distinctive markets
that sell items ranging from cotton embroidery to colourful garments.
In our attempt to explore its culture and appeal, we set forth into the Tibetan Market in
Church Street. We interviewed two independent sellers, Ms. Tenzin Rangdol and Mr.
Dhoundup Dorjee, for the XYZ Newsletter.
“We have been operating for around twenty years here. We also have outlets in Delhi,” said
Mr. Dorjee. Stuffed abundantly with stocks, the Tibetan market has an internally
decentralised federal structure. Each shop in the market has its independent trader, with one
‘Pradhan’ or ‘Leader’ appointed annually. While the Pradhan has his say in matters of overall
finance, other matters are dissolved through meetings with each trader, who have their
autonomy. Presently Ms. Rangdol, whose garment shop is located right at the mouth of the
market is the Pradhan.
On being asked about culture, Ms. Rangdol said, “I was brought up in Bangalore in an
English medium school. This is the only culture I have known.” “If you want to know about
Tibetan cultural norms, you should talk to one of the older sellers in the market,” she said.
“You could also visit our markets in Delhi, or perhaps Kushalnagar,” said Mr. Dorjee, who is
a salesman and small-scale entrepreneur, “We celebrate all of our cultural festivals there. We
recently remembered the occasion of their revered Dalai Lama winning the Nobel Peace
Prize.
Speaking of fashion, Ms. Rangdol remarked, “The fashion is hardly Tibetan. We sell the
usual stuff, and the fashion trends change quickly. One would see a lot of people wearing a
spaghetti earlier, but that too is not seen today.” “Bangalore takes a little longer than other
cities to catch up with the latest fashion,” she added.
What had started off as a means of occupation for the various Tibetans in the Indian shore,
has now made its mark as a retailer for all kinds of clothes, embroidery and garments, at an
affordable cost. Many of its sellers hardly have anything foreign, and most belonging to the
present generation have grown up entirely as people of the locality they have grown up in.
While facing a difficult market competition from the rising brands whose prices have come
down to be much more affordable lately, the rather clandestine Tibetan market has survived
for about two decades now, and looks forward for more.