Kabutar Market

Sunday was not just the polling day for Old City. It was also a day for setting up the traditional weekly ‘kabootar mandi’ (pigeon market) on the lane that runs adjacent to Company Bagh. Despite the poll fever, which had the entire city in its grips, the spirit of the pigeon handlers remained high and they turned up in good numbers to purchase the birds of their choice. It is believed that the ‘kabootar mandi’ is the preferred destination of pigeon handlers from all parts of the country. “‘Shauk badi cheez hai’ (hobby / interest means a lot). That’s why we are here all the way from Varanasi to buy pigeons of a specific breed,” said Mohammed Salman, a pigeon handler fond of ‘Kabootar-baazi’ (pigeon racing). The sport, said Salman , is an age-old tradition from the time of the Nawabs and the Mughals, who started and promoted the practice. “It is as common as reading, listening to music, swimming or any other hobby,” Salman told HT. This pigeon market too is an old one, going back to the times of the Nawabs. It includes some 100-odd makeshift shops, neatly arranged alongside the road. They sell a variety of pigeons, including some much sought-after species. “We deal in all varieties, including Bedag, Ambarsaria, Saldaar, China, Shajahanpuri, Hara Shajahanpuri, Girabaaz and many others,” said Shahbaaz Khan, a shop owner. Each variety has its own speciality, he added. “The key factor that guides a handler’s preferences is the pigeon’s ability to fly for a long time. Girabaaz can fly non-stop for 12 hours. It’s the most preferred species and costs around Rs 1,200-10,000,” said Khan. Javed Khan, a pigeon handler who bought birds worth Rs 23,000 on the day, said, “Generally, there are two sports that are common among pigeon handlers. In one, the competing handlers will set of their group of pigeons (both groups having equal number of birds). While coming back, whichever group has more pigeons in it, that handler wins the contest. The second type involves solo flight - where only one pigeon per handler is set off. In this, the ability of the pigeon to fly for a long time will ultimately decide who gets to be the winner,” he explained.

Best place to buying clothes like coat, lower, troser. For cheap price. I know its look dirty but please check the product of quality.

I bought a parrot from here. Don’t buy if you don’t know anything about birds because mine died after 3 days I had no idea he was sick.

Kabutar market is located near Lal Qila parade ground. Basically this place has 9-10 shops for birds selling. It is also bus stand for few travelers for Jammu. Very cheap clothes are also selling over here. Overall, Populated and dirty place.

Great options for thrift shopping and with reasonable prices

Dirty place, no discipline, no cleanness, no system, everything is bad and irregular and real picture of Indian culture. Snatchers are wondering, theives are following there. A filthy place. Dump of wastage, nd dust is everywhere there. Sanitation is in zero. Neither ppl nor concerned department are careful.

Unorganized market for domestic pets. Traffic jams on the main road for most part of the day and night. This place has ample parking and you can easily get an e rickshaw to roam around anywhere in Delhi - 6

Really good finds if you have enough time to dig through but very rude people at the stores and they increase the price once you pick something and say you like it, they yell and fight about it if you try to correct them about it

Sunday footpath market is better......for shoes if u know how to differentiate in 1st,2nd copy and duplicate .... On other days u are not getting D means copies but u gets only local one....

You'll get a variety of birds over there,yes guys *a variety of birds* but along with the birds, there comes the shopkeepers and they are real thugs!! If you're a beginner make sure that you bargain and select a healthy bird cause most of.the shop owners would try to sell you a sick bird at a higher price!!