BANKING TRADE AND COMMERCE

WEEKLY MARKETS

The description of the weekly markets in Sholapur district as given in the old Sholapur District Gazetteer published in the year 1884 is reproduced below:-

"Forty-two weekly markets are held in the district, ten in the Sholapur sub-division one each at Begampur, Keshar Javalge, Mandrup, Mangrul, Mardi, Musti, Salgar, Sholapur, Vadale, and Valsang; four in the Barsi sub-division one each at Barsi, Pangri, Tadvale, and Vairag; eight in the Karmala sub-division one each at Jinti, Karmala, Kem, Kondhej, Korti, Sonari. Tembhurni and Vangi; eleven in the Madha sub-division one each at Angar, Ashti, Bemble, Kurdu, Kurduvadi, Kurul, Laul, Madha, Mohol, Narkhed, and Patkule; three in the Pandharpur sub-division one each at Bhaloni, Karkam, and Pandharpur; two in the Malsiras sub-division one each at Akluj and Natepute; and four in the Sangola sub-division one each at Gherdi, Jaule, Nazre, and Sangola................ Sholapur is the largest market; it is held on every Tuesday and the buyers and sellers number about 10,000. It is a distributing as well as a gathering centre. The producers themselves sell grain, earthenware, yarn, and garden produce. Fuel is sold by Mhars and other low caste people who gather it in the neighbouring forest lands. Lingayats, Gujars and Marwaris mostly sell groceries. The sellers are chiefly from Sholapur and the surrounding villages. The buyers are the towns-people and traders or their agents. There is little barter. Cattle markets are held in almost all trade centres. At Sholapur is a considerable cattle market, where cows, she-buffaloes, ponies, and sheep and goats are offered for sale. No change has lately been made in the local market system." [Gazetteer of Bombay Presidency, Volume XX, Sholapur District, 1884, p. 162.]

A sizable amount of retail trade in the district is carried on, even at present, in the weekly markets. Moreover, Sholapur city and towns such as Barshi, Pandharpur, Karmala, Mangalwedha and Akkalkot are served by the daily markets.

Attendance in various weekly markets varies from hundred persons to several thousands depending upon the importance of the market place. Barshi weekly market is one of the biggest markets in the district followed by Sholapur, Pandharpur and Akkalkot.

There are about 110 weekly markets and 23 cattle markets in the district. The cattle markets at Sangola and Pandharpur are the biggest markets and are famous for khilar bullocks all over Maharashtra. The following statement gives the total number of weekly markets and cattle markets in each taluka in the district in 1961:-

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