If you are not a fish-eater, the smell can suffocate you. The building in which the fish market is located can't be asphyxiating though. It has a high sloping ceiling, sufficient space to move around, and arched openings on both sides — one leading into the vegetable section of the bazaar in whose centre stands a disused clock tower, the other opens into a street across which there's another meat market. It appears to be a regular, everyday sight but it's not. It's Lea Market, one of Karachi's most heard-about areas.

There's likelihood that, despite knowing about it, you may not have visited Lea Market. In that case, consider yourself unfortunate. It's a place brimming with life. If you are a shopaholic and are particularly keen on getting your weekly (if not daily) groceries yourself, Lea Market will make your day.

Unfortunately, the extremely viewable site, including the milk market building adjacent to it, is not in a condition that its historicity merits. Let's talk about the beautiful but grossly neglected clock tower first.

The tower is a throwback to yesteryear when time was a valued commodity. In today's Karachi, time is losing its worth, if it hasn't already. The clock's hands are lifeless, not in the romantic sense, but indicating the ill-managed state of affairs. The bottom of the tower cannot be seen because of the numerous vegetable vendors skirting it. You can only view it from a distance, and that too only its out-of-order clock.

There's an old man by the name of Abdul Rasheed. He is the president of Lea Market and claims that in his salad days he was an active member of the Pakistan Movement. He says “The area that's now known as the meat section was originally a library. I'm talking about before partition days. People used to come here, read newspapers and engage in a bit of social chitchat. When the vegetable and grocery bazaar was set up, it was a timely decision because at the time there was no such facility in Karachi. The city was less populated and people from all other parts of the country visited this place. Today you'll find 102 vegetable stalls and all of them do reasonable business.”

“A few years back the area was rocked by a bomb blast which weakened the structure. Every now and then a piece of stone comes off the building. We've written to the city government many times but to no avail.

“This clock tower that you see was functional till seven or eight years back — not anymore. The thing is that educated people go to places like Empress Market. A majority of Lea Market frequenters belong to the uneducated segment of society, so they wouldn't care much about its architecture or historical worth,” says Mr Rasheed.

You can dispute his claim. The fact of the matter is any time of the day Lea Market is chock-a-block with people and not all of them are shoppers. Some hang out on the premises and just while away the time. There's an air of inexplicable magnetism about it.

Architect Arif Hasan says “When we first studied the area, which was a long time ago, there was this buzurg who told us that even before the arrival of the British in the region there was a bazaar here. Location-wise too Lea Market has significance. It makes a central link with Bunder Road (now M.A. Jinnah Road), the old city market, Jodia Bazaar, the Jewellery Market... all form an axis with it.”

“Now we come to its architectural aspect. The parapets have strong Indian vernacular architectural motifs, and the sloping roof pinnacles have the same. There's a strange contrast between the rough stone walls (first floor) and the smooth columns and cornices (ground floor). The arches could be defined as Gothic but such contrasts aren't witnessed in Gothic architecture. The arches on the ground floor are not purely Gothic, they have a strong oriental influence and are somewhat like Muslim architecture arches with smooth borders. And the clock tower looks like a watchtower.”

“This area used to be the old trade route that came from Balochistan through Meethadar via a branch of the Lyari River. The British didn't want the river running because it was corroding the old city walls. There was a known sarai (inn) here and was a resting spot for the camels. When Lea Market was established (where initially vegetables were sold) it became the main meat and fish buying place for the city. As soon as the (pakki) roads were constructed a hotel industry appeared. In the 1870s dance and prostitution were also regularised here. But during the Ayub regime the vegetable market shifted to somewhere else and this vicinity lost its 'main market' tag. In the 1970s and '80s further changes were seen. The making of the superhighway developed more linkages, and trade and commerce with Balochistan expanded. After Islamisation the dancing girls went underground, like the liquor business,” says Mr Hasan.

It's a bright March afternoon. The sun is being benevolent towards Karachiites. Fish-eaters and vegetarians are thronging Lea Market. There's hardly any space to walk through the zone. The vendors have also gone louder. Their marketing skills are worth noticing. Meat, fish, potatoes, coriander, tomatoes, okra, garlic... you name it, are being sold at a fast clip now. All of this is happening around the clock tower that's standing like someone hypnotised for life.

PS Lea Market was named after Measham Lea. He was an Englishman who served Karachi as chief engineer of the Karachi Municipality for quite some time, and was known to be a hard-working man.

mohammad.salman@dawn.com