People buy mango and neem leaves on the eve of Ugadi festival, outside Devaraja Market near Chikkagadiyara (Dufferin Clock Tower) in city this morning. The word ‘Ugadi’ derived from Sanskrit marks the beginning of New Year as per Hindu Lunar Calendar. Consuming the mixture of neem and jaggery (Bevu-Bella) is a tradition followed by those who celebrate Ugadi.
If this street market thrives, as fresh produce is brought in every day, what is the point of restoring the Devaraja Market building. It was closed, because its shops stocked very expensive fruits and vegetables which were not fresh and hence could not compete with the street markets emerging in every hoousing extension in the expanding Mysore of 1970s. Indeed, one could buy fresh fruits and vegetables in the street market which were emerging near this Dufferin clock even then in 1970s, where the price of fruits and vegetables were very fresh, and were just 50% of what was quoted inside the Devaraja Market stalls which stocked very old items. Just demolish the Devaraja Market building. It is no heritage structure. As for this Dufferin clock, the Wadiyar at that time was very grateful for the visit of Lord Dufferin, his master, and hence his constructed this clock tower, which reminds of the British Raj.