35

CHAPTER 3

RETAILING OF LIFE STYLE GOODS IN CITIES OF MAHARASHTRA

STATE.

3.1 Introduction:

Maharashtra is one of the progressive states in India. Maharashtra state has a long

history of culture and traditions some of which are practiced by the people even today.

The origin of Maharashtra dates back to Ramayana Period. As per the historians

(Purandare, 2001) Maharashtra was initially a dense forest known as Dandkaranya. The

Ram along with Sita and Laxman came to Dandakarya to spend the fourteen years of

exile as narrated in Ramayana. Along with this trio the human culture entered into

Maharashtra. It is stated that with the footprints of Ram the humanity entered, with the

footprints of Sita the Fidelity, Chastity and Austerity entered, with the footprints of

Laxmana the fraternity entered. This trio has given the culture to Maharashtra and

hence is regarded as the standard Maharashtrian persons even today. The Dandkaranya

became famous among the Sages and Gurus. These sages and gurus stayed in small

huts called as Parnkutis, characterized by their roofs made up of the tree leaves. In

course of time these group of huts have formed Ashrams, The ashrams later became

villages, villages became towns and towns became cities. Maharashtra state and its

residents popularly known as Maratha, had the Capital at a town called Paithan in

district of Aurangabad from 200 B.C. to 1271 A.D. This period is known as the Golden

period for Maharashtra in the Indian History. The people from Maharashtra were

generous, prolific and diligent. They were known for their patronage to the artifacts and

masterpieces. The towns and cities popular for retailing‘s were very rich in artifacts and

wealth both. The major town of this period was the capital Paithan which was famous

for the Paithani Saree also known as Himru Saree, today also it is very popular in

Maharashtrian ladies. The food items for special occasions were made from Milk,

besan, Corn flour and Sugar or Jaggery. The Maharashtrian citizens were not only

patronizing Sarees and Sweets but also the items like Ornaments, Pottery, Chariots,

Carts, and Cosmetics. The famous clothing items included Sarees, Duppata, Choli,

Ghungat, Parakar, Polaka for ladies, Dhoti, Shirt, Turban, Jackets and Uparane for men,

The Frocks, Parkar and Polaka for female children and The Dhoti and Angarkha for

male children. We found even today people not only know these items but also wear on

36

special occasions and have given them name of traditional wears. The famous food

items were Jowar Bhakri, or Rice, Zunka, vegetables, meat curry, fish Curry, Pickles,

Curd, Chatani and Onion for daily meals, on special occasions like festivals,

congregations, Marriages and Celebrations the sweet dishes like Puran Poli, Shrikhand,

Puris, Dhirade, Shira, Basundi, Jilebi, Gulab Jamun, Laddus of various variety etc were

popular and we find them to be popular even today. The difference is we see all these

items were homemade and now they all are available in retail food stores. The

Ornaments were mostly made for ladies and small children from precious metals like

gold, silver and copper. A special place was offered to a bracelet made of an alloy of

five metals called as Panchdhatu. Bangles made of Glass were also popular among

ladies. These ornaments were used not only as items of fancy but also they had some

significant meanings, The bangles and golden necklace called as Mangalsutra along

with Sindur on forehead, bangles in the wrist and rings in the toe and fingers were

indications of a married woman called as Saubhagyaleni. Today also we see these

traditions are practiced and during the marriages these ornaments are offered to the

bride. The pottery is an essential item in the household of the past and it is of the

present also. The pottery used in past was made of baked Clay, wood, glass and metal;

even today‘s households are using the same only difference is the quantity of Clay pots

is reduced to use of water pot only. The households in the past were using the column

of clay pots to store the grain and food items, these columns called as Utarand is

replaced by the stands, cupboards, and trolleys made of metal and wood. The vehicles

used in past included a horse or mule for one person, The chariots for carrying two

persons pulled by horse or bull was called as Chhakada, and for carrying more than two

people the bullock cart was used. These vehicles are replaced by bicycles, motorcycles,

mopeds, cars, jeeps, and SUV‘s. The cosmetics were used mostly by ladies in the past

and that too on special occasions this has registered tremendous shift in users, usages,

usage patterns, and even in categories of the products.

The Retailers of the past were mostly manufacturing and selling the goods. The

manufacturing retailers were carpenters, blacksmiths, potters, weavers, Goldsmiths and

sweets merchants. The traders were mostly trading the agricultural produces, cloths and

the exotic goods. The major activity of trading was mostly through weekly bazaars and

hats. The exotic goods were sold door to door. (Nehru, The Discovery of India, 1946)

37

Presently it can be said that the Maharashtra state is not just a geographical expression

but an entity built on collective efforts of its people. Natural as well as cultural

diversities have helped in the development of a unique Marathi culture. It has its own

spiritual dimensions and known as Land of Saints. Saints of that time helped the

cultural awakening of the region along with their spiritual contribution. Monuments

such as Ajanta, Ellora and Elephanta caves, Gateway of India and architectural

structures like Viharas and Chaityas have attracted people from all over the world.

Besides the wonderful monuments, segment mix of population and its cultural aspects

makes it intra-national. It has produced many important personalities covering almost

every aspect of human development. The State has sizable contribution in sports, arts,

literature and social services. The world famous film industry, popularly called

―Bollywood‖ is located in the State. The growth of urban population in the State is

rapid as compared to other States in India. Urban population of the State is 42 per cent

as compared to 27.8 per cent for All India. Since the State is highly urbanized as

compared to other major States, it is worthwhile to note the density of the population

(i.e. Number of persons per sq. km.) which is 315. The same for the year 1990-91 was

257. It clearly indicates the rise of 58 persons per sq. km. during the decade. The level

of urbanization is continuously increasing in Maharashtra from the year 1961 to 2001

and rapid growth is still expected in the current decade in view of the increasing trend

since 1961. (Directorate of Economics and Statistics,Planning Department,

Government of Maharashtra, 2010)

There are 22 Municipal Corporations in Maharashtra. There are six administrative

divisions in Maharashtra. The administrative divisions are Konkan, Pune, Kolhapur,

Aurangabad, Amravati and Nagpur. The average household size is smallest in Konkan

region while it is largest in Aurangabad region. The national sample survey

organization has provided 12 classes of urban households as per their monthly per

capita expenditure. Similarly for the district level distributions the same classes were

utilized and the distributions are compared with the help of three broad groupings such

as the classes covering (i) bottom - bottom 30 per cent (Monthly Per Capita

Expenditure less than Rs.365 for rural areas and Rs.580 for urban areas), (ii) middle -

middle 40 per cent (Monthly Per Capita Expenditure between Rs.365 to Rs.580 for

rural areas and Rs.580 to Rs.1,100 for urban areas) and (iii) top - top 30 per cent

(average average Monthly Per Capita Expenditure above Rs.580 for rural areas and

38

Rs.1,100 for urban areas) population. The Table indicates that highest proportion of

urban population (52.1 per cent) of Konkan division belongs to the uppermost group of

Monthly Per Capita Expenditure (average Monthly Per Capita Expenditure more than

Rs.1100/-) while highest proportion of urban population (53.3 per cent) in Aurangabad

division belongs to the lowest group of MPCE (MPCE less than Rs.580). (Directorate

of Economics and Statistics, Planning Department,Government of Maharashtra, 2009).

As per the sample survey Report of Urban Maharashtra undertaken by Directorate of

economics and statistics, N.S.S 61st Round, Schedule 1.0 (Pooled data) taken from

table 9R : Monthly per capita quantity and value of consumption at detailed item level

for all items of consumption, Reference period for clothing & bedding, footwear,

education, medical (institutional) and durable goods: 30days. (Directorate of

Economics and Statistics, Planning Department,Government of Maharashtra, 2009). It

is estimated that the monthly expenditure of urban Maharashtra on food and non food

items per household per month is Rs.1200.58. It is also estimated that 50% of the

purchased items are having prices below Rs. 191/-.

There are 22 Municipal corporations in Maharashtra namely Mumbai, Navi Mumbai,

Thane, Kalyan-Dombivili, Ulashnagar, Nashik, Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad, Aurangabad,

Nanded, Nagpur, Amravati, Akola, Solapur, Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad,,Kholapur,

MeeraBhainder, Jalgaon, Bhiwandi, Nijampur, Dhule, and Ahemadnagar , out of which

Pune, Aurangabad, Nagpur, Kolhapur, & Satara are only included in this research

conveniently.

3.2 Pune:

Pune is called as the cultural capital of Maharashtra. Pune is well known as the 'Queen

of Deccan' due to its scenic beauty and rich natural resources. Besides, it is famous for

its religious and historical places. Pune city is known on the world map because of its

educational, research and development institutions. The district also has an importance

as an important military base. Pune is the most industrialized district in western

Maharashtra and a famous IT hub in the country. Pune exemplifies an indigenous

Marathi culture and ethos, in which education, arts and crafts, and theatres are given

due prominence. It is the birthplace of the poet-saint Tukaram (in Dehu) and

Gnyaneshvara (in Alandi), the author of the well-known commentary 'Gyaneshvari',on

39

the "Bhagavad Gita". It is the home of great freedom fighters like Bal Gangadhar Tilak,

Agarkar and Gopal Krishna Gokhale. Jayant Narlikar, the famous contemporary

scientist, is from Pune. Pune is the seat of North Indian Classical music. Annually, in

the month of December, it hosts a three nightlong cultural program of vocal and

instrumental classical music, called "Savai-Gandharva". Pune has been an example for

the blending of the culture and heritage with modernization and its side effects. With

the Pune festival, Osho Commune International, Pune is the 'veritable heartland' of

cultural. Pune is the cultural capital of the Maharashtra. Pune has retained its traditional

cuisine and a special Pune meal would consist of Puran Poli (a sweet paratha with

pulses/dal) Amti (masala dal), Pithla Bhakri (a masala chickpea gravy with a stiff 'roti'),

Varan Bhat (dal and rice), Matki Ki Usal (masala sprouts), Thali pith (a spicy chickpea

based pancake) and Alu chi Vadi (steamed and fried, sweet n' spicy leaves). Bakar Vadi

(spicy crusty savoury) and Missal Pav (spicy mixture of onions, chilly and small

savoury items, with bread) are some of the most delectable snacks. For those with a

sweet tooth, Pune offers its Shrikhand (a burnt milk delicacy) and the seasonal Amras

Puri (thick mango juice with fried 'puris') complete the traditional Maharashtrian feast.

All the Indian festivals like Diwali, Janmashtami, Navaratri, Dashahara, Holi,

Rakshabandhan, Christmas, Id etc are celebrated with the same excitement in Pune with

no religion; language bars. Pune is very much famous for its Ganesh festival. The

population of Pune as estimated in 2001 census is 2,540,069. Pune is said to be soon

acquiring the status of a metropolitan city in India. it owes its up gradation to a fast

development pace in the area of infrastructural facilities, friendly business environment,

education avenues and employment opportunities. Contributing factors include the high

real estate prices and a large population base as compared to other upcoming cities.

Pune has a literacy rate of 80.73% and skilled population, the city is a place of high

grade institutes including NIBM, NIC etc. Pune has 26 malls and multiplexes and 25

star category hotels. The favorable location and smoothen process of acquiring land

along with the high property prices are few sub parameters of real estate cost and

availability that attracts corporate sector to expand their business. On the employment

parameter, among the four upcoming tier II cities, Pune carved the maximum share of

32.74% in the total jobs tracked for the period January-June 2008. The prominent

sectors attracting large number of aspirants include IT, manufacturing, engineering and

academics among others. (livemint.com, 2008). PUNE has a rich and varied social and

cultural life. There are many active associations, societies, clubs, and organizations.

40

The social and cultural activities are always in limelight in Pune. Pune has attracted

‗Odyssey‘ the premier leisure store chain, owned by Odyssey India Limited, 100%

subsidiary of Deccan Chronicle Holdings Limited known for Books, Music, Cards,

Stationery, Gifts, Toys, Multimedia, and Magazines having 33 stores in 13 cities with 8

stores in Chennai , 4 in Hyderabad , 9 in Bangalore , 3 in Pune , one each in Kolkata,

Coimbatore, Nagpur, Kozhikode, Noida, Navi Mumbai, Salem, Trichy, and Varanasi.

Pune is just three hour drive from the fashion capital of Mumbai. Pune now boasts of

an array of choices when it comes to luxury wears. With many celebrities setting up a

second home in this quieter city, Pune now hosts many well-known designer stores.

(EDITORS-DESK, 2010) Franchisee designer stores are the talk of town, with

branches sprouting at every major shopping mall. Highly coveted global brands like

Calvin Klein, FCUK, Tommy Hilfiger, Esprit, Guess and Spencer have set up their

stores within these malls. The consumers can find a range of products in Pune including

lingerie, watches, perfumes, bags, wallets, caps, stoles and shoes apart from stunning

apparel. The Indian style gurus are also showcasing the brilliant originality. Close on

the heels of these exclusive showrooms, some boutiques that showcase many designers

have also opened their doors. With Queen of Satara – Damayanti Raje Bhonsale‘s

sprawling designer boutique in Koregaon Park, Araliya, Pune got its first taste of

genius designers like Shantanu and Nikhil, Manish Arora, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Atsa,

Rocky S, Mallika Singh and Gauri and Nainika, to name a few. On the same lines,

Chetan and Rasika Wakalkar opened yet another multi-designer store amidst enormous

media attention, with Karishma Kapoor inaugurating the high-end Rudraksh in Aundh.

Unique and magnificent apparel (prêt and couture), bags and jewellery by famous

fashion big-wigs like Rohit Bal, Wendell Rodricks, Vikram Phadnis, Sonam Dubal,

Rocky S, Savio Jon, Monapali, Manju & Bobby Grover, Mandira Wirk, Niki Mahajan,

Manoviraj Khosla, Geisha, Nandita Mahtani, Maheka Mirpuri and Tarun Tahiliani are

available for the crème de la crème to enrich their wardrobes. From heavily

embroidered traditional Indian ethnic wear, to the more western versions, gowns and

even diamonds, this is a 3,700 square foot store. The trendy brand shopping experience

is also great in Pune. (JOGIA, 2010) The shopping experiences from some

comparatively small stores also can offer a brand bonanza quite like a mall. Brand-

conscious consumers head to SGS Mall in Camp for the best brands in sportswear,

where Nike, Adidas, and Reebok are available under one roof. The Fashion seekers

enjoy spending time at and Body Shop as well as other brands include Spykar Jeans,

41

Me ‗n‘ Mom‘s, and Shoe lovers find what they‘re looking for at and Citywalk. If they

don‘t, they can always head to at Sagar Arcade on FC Road. While there, they can also

shop for high-end lingerie at or stock up on accessories galore at Zinnia Elegance.

Men‘s casual wear is readily available at and Contours, while Splendor caters to style-

conscious students. Sagar Arcade is the first port of call among bookworms and

students in the city thanks to in the basement. Another contender is in Camp, with a

sprawling surface area of over two lakh square feet. This mall is all the rage with

shopaholics thanks to big brands such as,Me n Moms and Hidesign. Gadget geeks can

seek refuge in. If the consumers are tired of shopping they can seep a cup of coffee or

refreshments at KFC. If all that fast food is taking a toll on the waistline, they can even

take a trip to a popular gym, located in the Mall‘s. On the other side of town, Kalyani

Nagar is host to dubai-based mall, Noted for its modern décor, Lifestyle houses brands

in just about every category available. Its USP is Baby Shop, where kids are spoiled for

choice, with all their favorite brands such as Barbie, Benetton and Disney all under one

roof. Those looking to turn their house into a home need only pay a visit to Home

Center Lifestyle to do so. To truly experience a shopper‘s paradise, consumers walk

into Pune Central. With 300 clothing brands under one roof, including some of the

most exclusive ranges in the city, shoppers can get their fill of Tommy Hilfiger, Pepe

Jeans, Remanika Girl, Allen Solly, Biba, Color Plus, Adidas, RBK, Zodiac, W and

many more. As for menswear, they house Louis Philippe and Peter England amongst

others. As for accessories, Pune Central is the perfect place to find the ‗It‘ bag of the

season, courtesy of brands such as Fiorelli. The mall is perfume paradise, stocking the

latest fragrances from behemoths such as Valentino, Dolce and Gabanna, etc. The same

goes for its range of beauty product. Where else in Pune can you find Yves Saint

Laurent and Shiseido? True to its mantra, Pune Central is the place to shop, eat and

celebrate. Forget the credit crunch and shop till you drop is the mantra for consumers in

Pune because the most exclusive brands are now available to everyone, from die-hard

fashion seekers to sale-stalkers, thanks to Pune‘s marvelous malls. The children are also

having great choices in Pune. (KHILAWALA, 2010) Gone are the days when parents

could dress their children in absolutely anything because they always end up looking

cute. Today‘s mothers believe that if they can wear designer clothes then why not the

toddlers? Pune has seen children‘s apparel stores mushroom over the last decade. A

sudden increase in the buying capacity of parents could be a factor in this. Malls like

West Side have a variety of absolutely adorable and chic clothing for the little ones. So

42

the retail therapy and trying the kid's section for something for the little ones has

become a routine activity of Puneits. A few independent children‘s boutiques have also

opened up around town. Unique Kid‘s Mart Pvt. Ltd. near Deccan Gymkhana is one

such enterprise. They have apparel for children in the age group of 0-14. The place is

filled with colors and the cutest designs. Everything from ethnic to party wear is

available in this store. Samrat Exclusive Children Wear, as the name suggests, is also a

dealer in adorable kids apparel. Samrat is reasonably priced and frequently offers

discounts. All in all, it is a pleasure to shop for the toddlers here. The smile on the

child‘s face will be testimony enough. Camp is another place that ends all the woes

regarding finding kids wear. Shopping around in here might end up picking up a

couple of pieces for the elders also. A complete family shopping experience, Just

Casuals is relatively reasonably priced. However, people usually come out laden with

goodies. This place offers variety and quality. Clover Center, in Camp, is another place

where kid‘s apparel can be found in plenty. A good walk around the place can find the

best bargains in town. From stylish party wear to simple daily wear, it‘s all right here.

Clover Center has been a style hub of the city since ages. The tailor made clothes for

children in any design are available here. Bubbles the Baby Store in Wanowarie is

another safe bet for children‘s clothes, toys and utility items. The food malls available

in Pune are Ishanya Mall in Yerawada, where the attraction is Barista, Nucleus Mall in

Camp the attractions here are KFC and McDonalds, Inorbit Shopping Mall in

Ganeshkhind the attractions are KFC, Overnight,and Valet, KPCT Mall in Fatima

Nagar, With Food Court, Cup A Tea, Palazo, The Magnet Mall in Chinchwad is having

Leventum Restaurant, The Mariplex Mall is in Kalyani Nagar with Mc Donalds, Cafe

Coffee Day, KFC, and Subway, The SGS Magnum Mall is in Camp, with Pizza Hut,

McDonalds, YoChina, Utsav, and Subway.

The citizens in Pune are cultured and social. Pune was called as pensioner‘s city. Most

Maharashtra state government employees after retirement preferred Pune as the safest,

calm and cool city. Today Pune has grown up far from the earlier scenario. According

to the City Development Plan (CDP), (National Institute of Public Finance and Policy,

10 March 2006) Pune is a fast growing city. During 1991-2001, its population

increased by 50.08%, compared to a growth of 40% in the previous decade. Its

population is `young‘, and the CDP sees this as a positive aspect of Pune‘s

development. It has a high literacy rate 77% in the last Census. Given the fact that there

43

are large parcels of open lands population growth of this scale is unlikely to become a

constraint in housing them. Pune, which earlier grew in the shadow of Mumbai, now

has a strong and diversified economic structure, which centers around auto industry,

agro-based industry, education (called the Oxford of the East), and emerging and

growing IT sector. Further economic growth of Pune requires substantial augmentation

and improvement of urban infrastructure, uninterrupted power supply, and social

infrastructure. As per the Directorate of economics and statistics, Maharashtra N.S.S

Round 61st Schedule 1.0 (Pooled data) Table no 2 : Per 1000 breakup of households

and persons by MPCE class and number per 1000 households of adults and children by

sex in different MPCE classes in Urban Pune it is estimated that there are 12 Monthly

Per capita Expenditure Classes in Pune. 25% of the households are having monthly per

capita expenditure above Rs. 930.55. 50% of the households are spending above Rs.

675.39. 75% of households are spending above Rs. 580.93/- per month. 14.6 %

households are spending between Rs. 1380 and Rs. 1880 per month per capita. 20.7%

households are spending above Rs. 1880/- per month per capita. Maximum numbers of

children in households are found to be 4 and minimum is 0. The maximum numbers of

children are in households spending less than Rs. 395 Monthly per capita. The

minimum numbers of children are in households spending more than Rs. 2540 per

month per capita. (Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Planning

Department,Government of Maharashtra, 2009) That means the families with less

expenditure capacity are having more number of children in Pune. The middle class is

spending above Rs. 349.61 per month per capita. The 100% of households have

reported consumption of food items every month. About 30% of households are

spending for Apparels every month. 14% are spending on footwears every month. 4.2%

are spending on Personal care products every month. 99.8% are spending on Toiletries

every month. 100% households have reported that they are spending every month on

household care products. (Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Planning

Department,Government of Maharashtra, 2009).

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3.3 Aurangabad:

Aurangabad is the city of historical monuments. The city is famous tourist destination.

Travelers from India and abroad are always seen on Aurangabad Roads. The original

name of Aurangabad was Khadki , founded in 1610 by Malik Ambar. When Fateh

Khan, Malik Ambar's son turned successor in 1626, he gave the city the name

'Fatehpur'. In 1653 when prince Aurangazeb was appointed Viceroy of the Deccan for

the second time, he made Fatehpur his capital and called it 'Aurangabad'; Since then the

city came to be known as Aurangabad. To scholars and ancient art and culture lovers,

the city is more familiar as the gateway to the ancient caves of Ajanta and Ellora,

historical monument recognized by UNESCO about 100 kilo meters from Aurangabad

city, both are famous as treasure houses of Indian Art and Sculpture. The Bibi-Ka-

Maqbara (Moghul architecture in the Deccan plateau), tomb that was built in 1679 by

Emperor Aurangazeb's son Azam Shah, in tribute to his mother, Begum Rabia Durani

alias Dilres Banu Begam. It is the finest Mughal monument in the south and is called

the 'Taj of the Deccan' for its close resemblance to the Taj Mahal of Agra. The walls

which enclose the central part of the city were added by Prince Aurangzeb in 1686.

Most of the monuments in Aurangabad are of the Mughals and Maratha period. There

are to 52 towering Darwazas (Gates), out of which very few are presently are in good

condition, mostly constructed by Aurangzeb during his over-stay in the Deccan. There

are four main Darwazas leading into the city, which along with nine secondary

darwazas formed part of the defense systems of the city. Today Aurangabad is a lively

city of Maharashtra with various big and small industries, fine silken textiles, and

wonderful hand woven brocades of silver and gold fabrics, Himroo of world frame.

Aurangabad has a renowned industrial area and is divided into four zones namely

Chikalthana, Waluj, Chitegaon & Shendra. The major industry sectors in Aurangabad

are Automotive, Auto Components, Pharmaceuticals, Breweries, White

goods/Appliances and now going for fast paced IT industries. Major companies that

have unit in Aurangabad are Bajaj Auto, Wockhardt, Shreya Life Science, Orchid,

Lupin, Atra, Videocon, Nirlep, Skoda Auto, Colgate Palmolive, Endress+Hauser, Good

Year and Siemens. Aurangabad is a booming industrial zone and one of the fastest

developing cities in Asia. Aurangabad had seen a major shift from tourist place to

Industrial zone. It has a very successful CIDCO. The citizens are very amiable and

polite in nature. They have a habit of receiving guests. They know the importance of

45

welcoming the guests. The industrial zones have added to their source of income. With

industrialization and CIDCO project the City has more than quadrupled in last 30 years.

A typical Citizen of Aurangabad lives calm and quiet life. There are two Theaters to

run live shows and number of Cinema theaters for recreation. The city has a zoo and

Garden. There are malls and modern shopping centers which are gaining popularity

among the citizens. Mr Vinay Surana, projects director, Ajanta Infrastructure, the

company which is building Asia‘s largest retail mall in Aurangabad said ―Aurangabad

is well connected to Pune, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad, which are the existing

IT hubs. Companies can break even faster in a city like Aurangabad, compared to

existing IT hubs as the cost of living, land rates and lease rentals are half of that in

cities like Pune. The city has a vibrant population and so we have undertaken the

project of constructing a 22-lakh square-feet retail mall. The mall will get anchor

brands like Shoppers‘ Stop, Westside, Adlabs, Croma and @home, for the first time in

Aurangabad‖.

Aurangabad has population of 5,73,272, with average household size of 5.6.

(R.P.Kurulkar, 2010).The major Market place in Aurangabad is Gulmandi which is

popular for cloths and household items of general use. The Nirala Bazar is a shopping

complex which is known for the branded apparel. With the extension in city limits

citizens are finding it easier to buy the goods from vicinity. This peculiar phenomenon

is resulting in growth of the shopping centers and malls in CIDCO and MIDC areas.

The Prozone Mall is up coming in the MIDC area is claiming to be the biggest mall.

Aurangabad the most important trading centre of the district mostly account for the

industrial and commercial development of the district. The Manmad-Kacheguda

railway and roads connect this centre with the outlying areas of the district and,

therefore, this City serves as assembling and distributing centre in the district. There is,

therefore, a large number of retail shops catering to the needs of the growing population

in this City. The industrial and commercial activities at this place attract a large number

of people giving rise to considerable retail trade. Aurangabad which is the headquarters

of the district as also of the division receives an added significance in this

regard. Grocery, pan-bidi, cloth, coal and vegetable shops are numerous and are evenly

distributed in almost all the localities and wards. Bicycle being a convenient and cheap

mode of transport, a large number of cycle shops dealing with hiring and repairing

46

business are found scattered. Shops dealing in medicine, stationery, footwear, general

merchandise, sweetmeats, fruits, etc., are also scattered. Still other kinds of shops

dealing in articles of seasonal or less regular demand, such as, jewellery, utensils,

glassware, hardware, building material, etc., are seen to be concentrated in particular

localities while location of shops selling mutton, fish, etc., in a few places is mainly due

to the municipal regulations. These shops generally do good trade during the season

extending from October to June. The peak season is reached during religious and social

festivities. The value of the stock-in-trade of these shops depends on the daily turnover

of the business and varies considerably from a couple of hundred rupees to scores of

thousands. The retail trade of the City is mainly dominated by the grocery shops

because of their higher number and total turnover. They sell cereals, pulses, gur, sugar,

ghee, spices, tea, coffee, groundnut-oil, coconut oil, hydrogenated oils, soaps, toilets,

pencils, tobacco, bidi, confectionery, etc., and other grocery articles. The stock-in-trade

of individual shops varies in value by a wide range from Rs. 100 to even over a lakh of

rupees. A majority of the shops are, however small with a stock worth about Rs. 200 to

Rs. 1,000. The grocery articles are generally bought at the wholesale trade centres of

the City. Servants are generally employed for handling and weighing commodities. The

larger shopkeepers sometimes employ clerks and accountants for maintaining account

books. Some of the grocers are found to be selling stationery and cutlery goods and

petty medicines, like aspro, anacin, purgolax, castophene, peps, castor oil etc. The

grocers' business in the urban sector is thus of a more varied character. The big grocery

shops at Aurangabad procure the goods from local wholesalers or from Bombay. Next

in importance from the point of number to the grocery shops are the pan-bidi shops.

Though they are very small establishments they provide employment to a considerable

number of persons. Almost all of these establishments are managed single handed. The

articles sold in these shops comprise betelleaves, bidis, cigarettes, betel nuts,

catechu (kath) and sometimes confectionery. The value of the stock-in-trade generally

varies between Rs. 25 and Rs. 500. These articles are obtained from the agents of

wholesalers. The business is slack during the rainy season and brisk during the rest of

the year. The cloth shops deal in all kinds of textiles, cotton, woollen, silk, nylon etc.

Shirtings, coatings, saris, dhotis, chaddars, shawls. etc., are kept for sale at such shops.

Fashions in apparel have underwent remarkable changes with the result that ready-

made fabrics are highly in demand. The old types of Banarasi shaloos and paithanis are

not popular at present and are mostly out of vogue. Their place has been taken by

47

Bangalore silk, Kanjivaram silk and other such costly fabrics. The bulk of the cloth is

imported by the dealers from Bombay, Ahmedabad, Madras, Kanpur and Malegaon.

Ready-made clothes are imported from Bombay and Poona, whereas hosiery goods are

brought from Ludhiana, Delhi, Jullunder and Kanpur. The shops specializing in the

sale of hosiery and ready-made clothes are to be found. Bicycle being a popular and

convenient means of transport and also within the reach of the common man has a

steady demand. There are a number of shops selling bicycles. These shop-keepers have

direct connections with the producer companies or their agents in Bombay as elsewhere

from whom purchases are made. The perishable nature of the goods sold and the

general absence of cold storage facilities restrict the size of the shops dealing in fruits

and vegetables. The stock is obtained from the adjoining rural areas and also from

Nasik, Nagpur, Pune and other districts. The type of fruits and vegetables sold depends

upon the season in which they are produced. (PATHAK, 1999). As per the Directorate

of economics and statistics, Maharashtra N.S.S Round 61st Schedule 1.0 (Pooled data)

Table no 2 : Per 1000 breakup of households and persons by MPCE class and number

per 1000 households of adults and children by sex in different MPCE classes in Urban

Aurangabad it is estimated that there are 12 Monthly Per capita Expenditure Classes in

Aurangabad. 25% of the households are having monthly per capita expenditure above

Rs.790.95. 50% of the households are spending above Rs. 485.20. 75% of households

are spending above Rs. 395.90/- per month. 12% households are spending between Rs.

1380 and Rs. 1880 per month per capita. 13.6% households are spending above Rs.

1880/- per month per capita. Maximum numbers of children in households are found to

be 3 and minimum is 0. The maximum numbers of children are in households spending

less than Rs. 395 Monthly per capita. The minimum numbers of children are in

households spending between Rs. 1880 and Rs. 2540 per month per capita. (Directorate

of Economics and Statistics, Planning Department,Government of Maharashtra, 2009)

That means the families with less expenditure capacity are having more number of

children in Aurangabad. The middle class is spending above Rs. 395.05 per month per

capita. As per the 61st National Sample Survey Pooled data, it is reported by 100% of

households in Aurangabad that they are spending every month on food items. 24.9% of

households are spending on cloths every month. 16.3% of households are spending on

Footwear every month. 19.4% of households are spending on personal care products

every month. 99.9% of households are spending on toiletries every month. And 100%

of households are spending on household care items every month.

48

3.4 Nagpur:

Nagpur is former Capital of Madhya Pradesh. It has a status of Second Capital of

Maharashtra State. It is the largest city in the central India and the third largest city by

population in the state of Maharashtra. With a population of around 2,420,000;

Nagpur is the 13th largest urban conglomeration in India, the 114th largest city in

world, and the 143rd largest urban area in world in terms of population. The city is the

seat of annual winter winter session of Maharashtra state assembly "Vidhan Sabha".

Nagpur is the major commercial and political center of the

backward Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, and is famous throughout the country as

"Orange City" for being a major trade center of oranges. The city derives political

importance from being the headquarters for the Hindu nationalist organization RSS and

an important location for the Dalit Buddhist movement. Nagpur lies precisely at the

center of the country with the Zero Mile Marker which indicates the geographical

center of India located here. The city was founded by the Gonds but later became part

of the Maratha Empire under the Bhonsles. The British East India Company took over

Nagpur in the 19th century and made it the capital of the Central Provinces and Berar.

After the first reorganization of states, the city lost its capital status but according to the

informal "Nagpur Pact" between political leaders it was made the second capital

of Maharashtra. Marathi, the official language of Maharashtra, is the local language in

Nagpur. The Varhadi dialect of Marathi is spoken in and around Nagpur city. Urdu and

Hindi are also spoken. Due to its central location Nagpur has become cosmopolitan

with a large number of residents from neighboring states of Madhya Pradesh,

Chattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh. In 2001, the urban population was 2,129,500, and

there were around 410,000 households in the city. 726,664 people lived in slums

making Nagpur second-most slum-populated city in Maharashtra after Mumbai.

Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes accounted for around 25% of the population.

The sex ratio was 936 females per 1000 males. Around 99.4% of the population was

engaged in non-agricultural activities, attesting to the overwhelmingly urban character

of Nagpur city. The number of migrants to Nagpur from outside Maharashtra during

the 1991-2001 decade was 2.1 lakh making Nagpur the fourth most favored destination

in state. Nagpur is a major education centre. The Nagpur university is now known as

Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj (R.T.M.) Nagpur University, Nagpur. The city has both

municipal schools as well as private schools, which in some cases receive financial aid

49

from the government. The city's school system follows a 10+2+3 plan which is

followed in most of the Maharashtra, after which students have the option to enroll in

Junior college and later degree courses. Founded in 1923, Nagpur University is one of

the oldest in the country and has geographical jurisdiction over the five districts of

Nagpur division in addition to giving affiliation to hundreds of colleges. Nagpur has

one veterinary college, and three Medical colleges namely Government Medical

College and Hospital, Indira Gandhi Medical College and Lata Mangeshkar Medical

College. Nagpur has several engineering colleges which provide education in various

specialty courses. Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT) is one of the

reputed technical institutes in the country and also an Institute of National Importance.

Nagpur has India's only National Fire Service College that provides a graduation course

in Fire Engineering. The Raman Science Centre promotes scientific knowledge and has

a 133 seat planetarium. The well known colleges for higher education are VNIT and

University Department Pharmaceutical Sciences (UDPS), Nagpur. Nagpur has several

social work colleges; the oldest and most prominent among them is the Matru Sewa

Sangh Institute of Social Work in Bajaj Nagar. The city contains people from other

Indian states as well as people belonging to the world's major faiths. Nagpur plays host

to cultural events throughout the year. Cultural and literary societies in Nagpur include

Vidarbha Sahitya Sangh (for development of Marathi), Vidarbha Rashtrabhasha

Prachar Samiti (promotion and spreading Hindi) and Vidarbha Hindi Sahitya

Sammelan (for promoting Hindi). Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, the conference on

Marathi Literature is held twice in Nagpur city. The Nagpur central museum (estb.

1863) maintains collections are mainly for Vidarbha region. The South Central Cultural

Centre also sponsors cultural events in Nagpur city, such as the Orange City Craft Mela

and Folk Dance Festival, which is noted for its numerous folk-dances.Newspapers are

published from Nagpur in Marathi, English and Hindi. The Hitavada is one of the

oldest English daily newspaper published in central India. Nagpur is known for staying

calm during communal conflicts in India. The Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground

(VCA) in Nagpur is one of the nine test venues in the country. A new stadium of VCA

called Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium has been built on Wardha road with a

seating capacity of 45,000 people at cost of 75 crores. INOX Wardhaman Nagar

(area:45,000 square feet) is the first multiplex in city. Now days, city has 3 more

multiplexes including Inox Jaswant Tuli Mall, Cinemax Sitabuldi & Sangam Adlabs

Sakkardara. The present day Maharajbagh zoo was originally a garden developed by

50

the Bhonsle rulers.The Government of Maharashtra has approved a new safari park of

international standards besides Gorewada Lake. In addition to annual religious festivals

and processions, the Government of Maharashtra organizes a week long Kalidas

Festival, a series of music and dance performances, by national level artists. Nagpur has

been the main center of commerce in the Vidarbha region since early days and is an

important trading location. However, Nagpur's economic importance had gradually

declined relative to Mumbai and Pune after the merging of Vidarbha into the

Maharashtra because of a period of neglect by the state government. During the

slowdown, state and central government offices were a major source of employment in

the city. Nagpur's economy is now recovering from past slowdowns and city has

attracted Rupees 5,000 crore in investment in 2004. The city is important for the

banking sector as it hosts the regional office of Reserve Bank of India, which was

opened on September 10, 1956. Sitabuldi market in central Nagpur, known as the Heart

of the city, is the major commercial market area of city. The Butibori industrial area is

the largest in all of Asia in terms of area. The estate's largest unit is of Indo Rama

Synthetics, which manufactures synthetic polyester yarn. Other units in Butibori

include the power transmission company KEC, Hyundai Unitech, ACC Nihon Castings

Ltd. Koradi Thermal Power Station and Khaparkheda Thermal Power Station are the

two major thermal power stations located near Nagpur and operated by MSPGCL. The

Hingna industrial estate located on the western fringes of the city is made up of around

900 small and medium industrial units. The major ones among them are tractor

manufacturing plant of Mahindra and Mahindra, casting units of NECO Ltd.the

country's largest casting group,units of International Combustions, Bajaj Auto group,

Candico, the SECOND largest confectionery manufacturing plant in India, Ajanta

toothbrushes and Sanvijay Group largest steel rolling group of companies for long

products in Central India. Nagpur is home to ice-cream manufacturer Dinshaws, Indian

dry food manufacturer Haldiram's and Ayurvedic product company Vicco. As per the

Directorate of economics and statistics, Maharashtra N.S.S Round 61st Schedule 1.0

(Pooled data) Table no 2 : Per 1000 break up of households and persons by MPCE

class and number per 1000 households of adults and children by sex in different MPCE

classes in Urban Nagpur it is estimated that there are 12 Monthly Per capita

Expenditure Classes in Nagpur. 25% of the households are having monthly per capita

expenditure above Rs. 790.58. 50% of the households are spending above Rs. 580.34.

75% of households are spending above Rs. 395.20/- per month. 7.7% households are

51

spending between Rs. 1380 and Rs. 1880 per month per capita. 12.7% households are

spending above Rs. 1880/- per month per capita. Maximum numbers of children in

households are found to be 2 and minimum is 0. The maximum numbers of children are

in households spending less than Rs. 930 Monthly per capita. The minimum numbers

of children are in households spending between Rs. 1880 and Rs. 2540 per month per

capita. (Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Planning Department,Government of

Maharashtra, 2009) That means the families with less expenditure capacity are having

more number of children in Nagpur. The middle class is spending above Rs. 395.37 per

month per capita in Nagpur. The 61st National Sample Survey pooled data reported that

100% of households in Nagpur are spending on food items every month. 43.38% of

households are spending on Cloths every month. 32.4% of households are spending on

footwear every month. 22.1% of households are spending on personal care every

month. 100% of households are spending on Toiletries every month. 100% of

households are spending on Household care products.

3.5 Kolhapur:

Kolhapur is a city situated in the south-west corner of Maharashtra, India. The

population of Kolhapur city is 493,167, as per the 2001 census. It is estimated to be

579281 in 2011. Kolhapaur also serves as the headquarters of the Kolhapur District. As

is the case in most of the Maharashtra cities, the main language spoken here is Marathi.

Kolhapur is situated on the banks of river Panchganga and is the location of the Temple

of Mahalakshmi, a Hindu goddess. Kolhapur is an ancient city, famous for its food,

headwear, footwear, jewellery, wrestling and religious connections. According to

legend it was settled by Kolhasur, a demon who was later killed by Mahalakshmi to

relieve the local populace. However, honoring the demon's dying wish, the city was

named after him. Kolhapur finds mentions in Devi Gita, the final and most important

chapter of the Srimad Devi Bhagawatam, as one the important places of Shakti

worship, "Devi spoke "O King of Mountains! Still I am now telling something out of

My affection to My Bhaktas. Hear! There is a great place of pilgrimage named

Kolhapura in the southern country. Here the Devi Laksmi always dwells‖ During 940-

1212 AD, it was the capital of the Shilahara dynasty of Kolhapur. An inscription at

52

Teradal mentions that king Gonka was healed from snakebite by a Jain monk and Gonk

had built a temple of Lord Neminath. Many Jain temples in that region build in the next

couple of century are called Gonka-Jinalya after him. During the reign of Bhoja I, a

dynamic Acharya Maghanandi helped establish an institute at Rupanarayana-Basadi.

Several of the kings and nobles of the dynasty were disciples of Maghanandi.

Maghanandi is often called Siddhanta-chakravarti i.e. the great master of the scriptures,

Gandaraditya I was his disciple. He is sometimes called "Kolapuriya" or walyaa to

distinguish him from many other Acharyas with the name Maghanandi. Despite of

mixed population Communal harmony is the proud culture of Kolhapur. Kolhapur has

the distinction of having two Bhattaraka seats, that of Lakshmisena Swami and of

Jinasena Swami which has shifted from Nandni to Kolhapura. Kolhapur has one of the

highest per-capita incomes for a city in India. Trade is mostly dependent on farming of

cash crops like sugarcane, the metal industry with important inputs from textiles and

mining. The prosperity and the resulting spending prowess of the Kolhapuri people was

famously reported in a list of cities with the highest number of Mercedes cars in the

state of Maharashtra, where Kolhapur came second only to Mumbai. Similarly,

Kolhapur also attracts lots of shoppers from around the region. The main shopping hub

of the city is Mahadwar Road, near Mahalaxmi Temple inside the old city walls.

Showrooms of adidas, RBK, Wrangler, Pepe Jeans, Indian terrain, Turtle etc. and food

chains like dominoes, naturals ice-creams have also popped up in the historically

residential area, Rajarampuri. Kolhapur is famous for its Kolhapuri chappal footwear.

Another field that Kolhapur prides of is films production. In certain circles, Kolhapur

was and is still considered the capital of the Marathi film industry. Legendary

personalities like Bhalaji Pendharkar, Baburao Painter and V. Shantaram started their

careers from Kolhapur. It has been credited as the place where Raja Harishchandra, the

first feature film ever produced in India was conceptualized. Kolhapur still plays host

for many film festivals and provides location for shooting. Kolhapur is also a strong

political center. Proximity to Karnataka state, Goa & Konkan region of Maharashtra

has led to Mingling a large variety of cultures at Kolhapur. (Kolhapur Municipal

Corporation, 2009). As per the Directorate of economics and statistics, Maharashtra

N.S.S Round 61st Schedule 1.0 (Pooled data) Table no 2 : Per 1000 breakup of

households and persons by MPCE class and number per 1000 households of adults and

children by sex in different MPCE classes in Urban Kolhapur it is estimated that there

are 12 Monthly Per capita Expenditure Classes in Kolhapur. 25% of the households are

53

having monthly per capita expenditure above Rs. 790.61. 50% of the households are

spending above Rs. 580.09. 75% of households are spending above Rs. 485.45/- per

month. 6.8% households are spending between Rs. 1380 and Rs. 1880 per month per

capita. 5.6% households are spending above Rs. 1880/- per month per capita.

Maximum numbers of children in households are found to be 2 and minimum is 0. The

maximum numbers of children are in households spending less than Rs. 580 Monthly

per capita. The minimum numbers of children are in households spending above Rs.

2540 per month per capita. (Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Planning

Department,Government of Maharashtra, 2009) That means the families with less

expenditure capacity are having more number of children in Kolhapur. The middle

class is spending above Rs. 305.17 per month per capita in Kolhapur. The data reported

that 100% of households are spending every month on food, toiletries and Household

care products. 13.4% of households are spending on cloths every month. 10.8% of

households are spending every month on footwear. Only 4.1% of households are

spending every month on personal care products in Kolhapur.

3.6. Satara:

Satara is a city of Royal Status. The Chhatrapati of the Maratha Dynasty stays in

Satara. The Ajinkyatara fort is the historical monument in Satara. The city is in the

vicinity of Pune. As per the Directorate of economics and statistics, Maharashtra N.S.S

Round 61st Schedule 1.0 (Pooled data) Table no 2 : Per 1000 breakup of households

and persons by MPCE class and number per 1000 households of adults and children by

sex in different MPCE classes in Urban Satara; It is estimated that there are 12 Monthly

Per capita Expenditure Classes. 25% of the households are having monthly per capita

expenditure above Rs. 930.66. 50% of the households are spending above Rs. 675.31.

75% of households are spending above Rs. 485.66/- per month per capita. 8%

households are spending between Rs. 1380 and Rs. 1880 per month per capita. 33.2%

households are spending above Rs. 1880/- per month per capita. Maximum numbers of

children in households are found to be 2 and minimum is 0. The maximum numbers of

children are in households spending less than Rs. 580 Monthly per capita. The

minimum numbers of children are in households spending above Rs. 1880 per month

54

per capita. (Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Planning Department,Government

of Maharashtra, 2009) That means the families with less expenditure capacity are

having more number of children in Satara. The middle class is spending above Rs. 445

per month per capita in Satara. It is reported that in Satara 100% of the households have

reported that they spend every month on food, Toiletries, and Household Care products.

23.4% of households are spending on cloths every month in Satara. 5.2% of households

are spending on footwear every month and only 2.6% of households are spending on

Personal care products.

3.7 Monthly Per Capita Expenditure on Food and Non Food Items

The table derived from the N.S.S Round 61st Schedule 1.0 (Pooled data) Table 2 : Per

1000 breakup of households and persons by MPCE class and number per 1000

households of adults and children by sex in different MPCE classes in Urban Pune,

Aurangabad, Nagpur, Kolhapur and Satara:

Table 3.1. City wise analysis of Monthly per capita expenditure on food and non food

items.

Sr. Measure

Aurangabad

MPCE in

above Rs.

Pune

MPCE in

above Rs.

Nagpur

MPCE in

above Rs.

Kolhapur

MPCE in

above Rs.

Satara

MPCE in

above Rs.

1 Q1 790.95 930.55 790.58 790.61 930.66

2 Median 485.20 675.39 580.34 580.09 675.31

3 Q3 395.90 580.93 395.20 485.45 485.66

55

Table 3.2. City wise distribution of households as per MPCE classes.

Sr MPCE Class

(Rs)

No per

1000 hhs

Aurangabad

No per

1000 hhs

Pune

No per

1000 hhs

Nagpur

No per

1000 hhs

Kolhapur

No per

1000 hhs

Satara

1 0-335 93 3 34 6 16

2 335-395 78 6 56 21 17

3 395-485 88 31 77 79 48

4 485-580 95 78 93 96 77

5 580-675 67 88 87 176 36

6 675-790 85 89 107 147 50

7 790-930 89 101 145 127 120

8 930-1100 67 118 54 114 75

9 1100-1380 82 133 143 109 147

10 1380-1880 120 146 77 68 80

11 1880-2540 82 94 71 30 33

12 2540 & More 54 113 56 26 299

All Classes 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000

Source: (National Sample Survey 61th Round November 2009)

The table indicates that 25% of households from Pune and Satara are having monthly

per capita expenses above Rs. 930; whereas the same percent of households from

Aurangabad, Nagpur and Kolhapur are having monthly per capita expenses above Rs.

790. It can be interpret that Pune and Satara are showing same characteristics in

expenses while Aurangabad, Nagpur and Kolhapur are showing similar spending

characteristics. The every month expenditure pattern is found same in all cities i.e.

Pune, Aurangabad, Nagpur, Kolhapur and Satara for Food items, Toiletries, and

Household care products. The variation is found in monthly expenditure on Cloths,

Footwear and Personal Care products in the cities in question. It is observed that

Maximum 43.38% of households from Nagpur are spending every month on Cloths,

followed by Pune where 29.9% of households are spending every month on cloths,

followed by Aurangabad where 24.9% of households are spending every month on

cloths, followed by Satara where 23.4% of households are spending on cloths every

month, and last is Kolhapur where 13.4% of households are spending on Cloths every

month. In Footwear, the maximum households of 32.4% from Nagpur have reported

monthly consumption, 16.3% of households from Aurangabad, 14% of households

from Pune, 10.8% from Kolhapur and 5.2% of households from Satara have reported

56

expenditure of footwear every month. In personal care again the Nagpur is 1st; 22.1% of

households have reported monthly expenditure on personal care followed by 16.3%

from Aurangabad, followed by 4.2% from Pune, followed by 4.1% from Kolhapur

followed lastly by 2.6% from Satara.