Wholesale Betel Leaf Market in Varanasi, India with Vendors and Traditional Trade
Vendors and buyers conduct business at a traditional wholesale betel leaf market in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. The covered marketplace features yellow pillars, woven baskets filled with fresh pan leaves, and straw bedding on April 11, 2017.
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Ancient Trade Routes
Varanasi's wholesale markets have operated for centuries, maintaining traditional commerce practices unchanged through generations of traders.
The Betel Leaf Economy
Fresh betel leaves (pan) are a cornerstone of Indian social culture, traded daily in bustling markets where vendors display their harvest in woven baskets atop straw bedding.
Morning Commerce
By late morning, the covered marketplace fills with buyers negotiating prices while natural light filters through blue tarps stretched between yellow-painted concrete pillars.
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Photos from the day
