Old barter market come under weather, COVID wave

It was called off after three days of rain dampened spirits

Three days of late-afternoon rain played havoc with the traditional Chendamangalam barter market that still holds a great fascination for the people in Paravur and its neighbouring areas despite money ruling the transactions. “People came in large numbers to the market despite the bad weather and slushy grounds,” says Sashankan, who sells a variety of products ranging from steel knives to earthen pots and pans. But the bad weather dampened spirits quite a bit, says Rajee Pradeep, who sells home-made pickles, peanut butter, honey and bangles, and items of personal decoration. She found the sales go slow after heavy downpour forced people to hurry back home.