Assignment no.

Field Observation
Place- vegetable market
Date- 26/10/2025
Time- 6 am to 12:30 pm
The aim of this study is to observe the vegetable market in the town. The observation was
centered around one woman. This woman served as a center of reference to make other
surrounding observations. The place of observation is twenty kilometers away from my
home.
The purpose of choosing this location is to conduct a field observation in an area where
certain individuals and locations play significant roles in our lives, yet we often overlook or
take them for granted. Vegetables play a very important role in my life, as I am vegetarian.
Since childhood I have been very curious to observe the women working as vegetable sellers
in my locality. I remembered that these women used to come to my home early in the
morning with fresh vegetables from their field. My mother usually knows them by their
names and each of their family members. They often discuss their family matters with my
mother. This study tried to understand the lived experience of women in the public space as
vegetable sellers. As I learned from class discussions, ethnographic fieldwork involves
collecting data that reveals exciting patterns related to specific phenomena. Prior to the
fieldwork, my intention was to document the straightforward and uncomplicated experiences
of these women. However, after reviewing my observations, I believe there is a pattern in the
women’s behavior..
Since childhood I have been very curious to observe the crowded markets. I am very fond of
that rhythm and the sounds and movements of people in the market. Despite the crowd
surrounding us, I believe we still feel a sense of solitude in such a market. Everyone wants to
buy and go back to their places. When I was in the market, I felt I was living in two parallel
universes, one in which I, as an individual, lived and another in which I lived with my
surroundings. And as an outsider, I want to see the situation from a distance and write down
this unconscious aspect of human life.
During my fieldwork, I take care of my attire and language in a way that aligns with the
natural setting of the market. This understanding stems from the belief that one's appearance
influences social perceptions. The way you carry yourself has socio-economic meaning,
which results in the way people perceive you. I would like to admit one thing here: being a
cultural insider, I enjoy certain privileges to understand the explicit meanings of actions,
words used, and social settings in certain spaces.

Descriptive field notes Analytical Field notes Methodological

 notes
I was seated at a tea stall in a I have employed
vegetable market. It was around 6 non-participatory
am, the atmosphere was chilled, and observation to get
there were dogs playing around the I think being a native, I the data.
street. Yesterday I saw this place and have easy access to the
but sometimes I feel
chose this location to come to. So, I field without any
you should be very
came here this morning. restrictions. When we look
flexible with the
at the nature of study in the
I saw a woman with a big bamboo method you use in
sense of studying up,
basket full of vegetables covered the field. The
studying down or studying
with yellow plastic and cotton white methodological
sideways we have always
cloth, on her head, walking very fast flexibility helps to
struggled with data access
towards a vegetable shop, which was dig down the rich
or denial. When you study
covered with jute bags and some data in the field.
up, then it is very difficult
plastic banners.
to get access to field data.
Janaki (pseudonym) was dressed in a When you study down then
dark pink traditional Maharashtrian it is very crucial to have
nauvari saree with a golden border. good rapport with your
Her green bangles jingled softly, and subjects.
she wore four large silver kadas on
her arms and two more on her legs. A
gold nose ring, a classic
Maharashtrian nath, completed her
look. Her appearance reflected a
confident, authoritative personality,
while the modest amount of gold
hinted at her lower middle-income
background in the village; the gold
one wears often speaks of the
family’s economic standing. She did
not wear a bindi on her forehead; it
means she is a widower.
While coming from the bus stop side,
Janaki had covered her head with the
pallu, as every woman in the village
tradition does. The pallu is not
merely a symbol of modesty; it also
reflects one’s social background. But
as soon as she reached the market,
Janaki tucked the pallu into her waist
and began her work. It was the
Being a cultural insider has
gesture of a warrior readying herself
a better understanding of
for battle. I think this is the point
the local culture and
from which she changed, or we can
traditions so it was easy
navigate her behavior in a different for me to make sense of
way in a different space (market). how people get perceived
Which is very different from her by their physical
village in many contexts. appearances ( here the way
Janaki wears her saree,
The market looks like a garden in a
ornaments she has etc.)
storm. The vegetable seller hurried in
to settle down, the plastic crates and Her actions and gestures
baskets making noises with rhythm, were very relational to her
and the air was filled with the fresh standing in the society.
coriander and damp earth scent and
varied colors of vegetables. The
atmosphere was energized with
shouting, laughter, and the creaking
sound of the water hand pump, the
only source of water for all the
market.
She put her basket down with the
help of the tea seller. She took his
bucket and went to the hand pump to
fetch water. While at the hand pump,
there were many women who were
fetching water. One woman gave her From the tea stall, I have
water from her basket, and she noticed a subtle geography
returned very quickly. Other women of power; most of the male
were still fetching water for themself. vegetable sellers were
Janki sprinkles water on her place placed near the entry points
and starts cleaning her place with a of the market, and women
broom. She took that broom from the were around the periphery.
tea seller. Other people around gave The distribution of power
her weird looks as her broom spread and resources in terms of
dust around. But she has no time to place allocation is a
look at them. She put a plastic sheet reflection of the deep-
on the ground and started arranging rooted patriarchal mindset
the vegetables. She arranged her of society, where women
vegetables in a very systematic way. are at the periphery when
All green and colored vegetables scarce resources are
were at the front, and all others, such distributed. Despite this,
as onions, potatoes, etc., were at the these women at the
back. People are attracted to fresh- periphery created a social
looking vegetables and their colors, capital, which made them
so it is important to arrange the quite powerful and ensured
vegetables in an appropriate manner their unspoken safety.
and order.
A middle-aged woman in a pink
floral kurta bends down to choose a
tomato from a pile. She picks one up
and presses it gently, then puts it
back and says, “These are too soft;
don’t you have fresh ones? Then
Janaki replied, Those came in the
morning only, directly from my farm.
If you don’t find a fresh one. Then
that woman said, "Fresh, maybe, but
it will spoil by tomorrow." Then
Janaki said, "Then take half a kilo,
use it today, and come again
tomorrow." Then both were laughing
together, and then that woman bought
tomatoes after a few negotiations.
Meanwhile, one young man in a
white shirt quickly picks up a handful
of green chillies and weighs them
himself on the weighing machine. He
just kept the money on the weighing
machine and left. It looks like he was
a regular customer, and they know
each other. The man was in a hurry; I
saw him until he reached a corner of
the market where he kept his bike,
and I think he was worried about the
safety; that’s why he was in a hurry.
The market is now full of people;
children trail behind their mothers,
pointing towards red carrots and a
pile of peas. Some women sit on the
ground chatting with vendors while
comparing prices with other vendors.
Some male vendors calling “ten
rupees a bunch” for fresh spinach,
organic coriander, etc., rise above the
hum of bargaining voices. An elderly
man is counting coins slowly before
handing them over to the man who is
giving him a bag full of potatoes.
One old man came to Janaki's shop
and asked for prices of vegetables
and complained about the price rise
in the market. Janaki said, "Saheb,
next week a new crop will come, and
then prices will go down." If
possible, take less today and come
next week. Then he said, If prices
will not go down? Then Janaki said,
"Then take my vegetable for free."
This is the way Janaki tries to make
informal relations with customers and
win their trust. Such small exchanges
form the moral economy of everyday
life, where goods and gestures
circulate as tokens of relationship
rather than pure commodity
exchange.
The rhythm of exchange that is
choosing, haggling, touching,
weighing is continuous, almost
musical. The women vendors seem to
know many of their customers'
names; their interactions mix
business with friendly banter.
A middle-aged woman in a pale
yellow saree with grey hair and a
long-sleeved blouse comes to
Janaki’s shop. She was complaining
about inflation in the market. She
asked for a lower price for the
brinjals. But Janaki insists that you
know that prices are already high and
you are asking for a discount, and
that woman said, "I am your regular
customer; you should be very
negotiable with me." Janaki adds
some green chillies into her bag as a
discount for her. When she added
extra chillies, she said, “Atta khush
ka? (Are you happy now?). Suddenly
Janaki moves to another customer
without losing her tempo and rhythm.
An old man who wants to buy lemons
asks for the price; when she says
three for ten rupees, he shows his
dissatisfaction and leaves from there.
Janaki was busy with another
customer. A woman with a hanging
purse on her back having her children
roaming around her. She was
negotiating with Janaki over prices of
ladyfingers. The boy was happy to
see the different vegetables, their
colors, and their smell. He picked up
one tomato and started eating. Then
Mother saw him and started scolding
him. Janaki said, "Don’t worry, he is
a child." Then Mother said, "I am
afraid of taking him with me." Janaki
gave him a carrot to eat and smiled.
The mother stops negotiating and
buys a ladyfinger. Janaki adds some
extra ladyfingers and says, "Let him
eat more vegetables." It was a small
transaction, but with a lot of
reciprocity. The act of giving a little
extra turned into a simple sale
strategy to earn the customers.
One middle-aged couple comes to her
stop. The man wears a small, blue,
lined, formal shirt and black pants.
He wears black shoes and has a
brown-colored bag. Women wear
milk-white sarees with golden floral
borders. By the facial expression of
the woman, it seems that she was
very happy. She wears long gold
earrings and a necklace. The man was
busy on a phone call, and the woman
was just talking with Janaki. It seems to maintain cordial
that they were talking about relations with customers
something serious. I tried to hear it, and handling them with a
but the hand pump noise disturbed soft but firm tone is very
the flow. In between the phone calls, crucial in the market. The
the man just signaled her to do it fast. customers not only come to
But there is no response from the buy the vegetables but for
woman. She was very intense about some people it's a habit to
sharing her thoughts with Janaki. make social interactions
Janaki gave different expressions to and a small break to walk
her. Sometimes very curious, around and have some
sometimes very serious and excited. informal interaction with
Then the man comes and asks her to others.
buy vegetables fast; she buys green
chilies and coriander. While giving
money, she complained about the
price rise of gas cylinders and school
fees. These informal conversations
help them to obtain some relief from
day-to-day conflicts, and for Janaki,
it's a customer relations strategy to
gain trust and long-term safety for
her financial survival in the male-
dominated market.
A boy around 15-16 years of age, in
patchy blue jeans and a black
oversized t-shirt, came to Janaki’s
shop and bought capsicum, ginger,
and onion. He asked for online
payment, but she said she has no
payment facility, as one of her
relatives got trapped in an online
scam. That's why she is not using
online mode. She asked that boy by
pointing to one man at the corner to
pay there. The boy went there and
paid and returned back to show her
This small action of giving
that she paid. She smiled and replied,
carrot and extra ladyfingers
“Tukay mazhe paise budavanar aahes
forms a moral economy of
ka? Tu mazhe paise budvun kay
everyday life. Where goods
bangla bandhanar aahes ka?” Then
and gestures circulated as
the boy replied, “No, no one can go
tokens of relationship
without paying your hard-earned
rather than pure
money.”
commodity exchange. It
Now it's 10:30 am, and three women creates a long term
in the group, laughing and chattering, customer chain.
are coming towards the tea stall.
They called Janaki for tea. Janaki
looked around, then asked her
neighbor to take care of her shop, as
she wanted to go for tea. The place of
tea served as a social space for these
four women as a destination for some
relief. Here they were talking about
the Diwali festival. They have heard
about the saree sale in the cloth
market, and they have planned to go
to buy a saree. They are happier to
see the market full of customers. It
was observed that when they reached
the tea shop, without their order, the
boy brought tea and poha wrapped in
the newspaper for them. It seems that
they were the regulars to have tea at
this time. Once they finished tea, one
woman said, "Let's go; don't waste
time here." It is festival season, and
we should be very attentive these
days as people will buy more. Slowly
the market became less crowded, and
there were very few people in the For both women the
market. But one thing that was very market became the safe
visible was that in the afternoon there space to discuss their life
were fewer customers in the market. stories. The other people in
Meanwhile, the boy who served tea the market are not an
here was very curious to know why I obstacle for them to share
have been sitting here since morning. their personal things here.
He asked me if I needed something to The creation of safe space
eat. When I say no, then he says, in the middle of a
"Are you a news reporter?" I say, vulnerable environment
"No," and then I ask, "Why do you makes it more interesting
think I am a news reporter?" He said, to analyse the creation of
"Because I never saw you before, and such space. The
you have been continuously noting relationship between
things down since morning." I said Janaki and this woman is
no, I am not. Then he said, "Then you not transactional but it's the
are a writer." I said, "No, I am not." outcome of long term
Suddenly his boss called him to wash investment of time,
tea cups. He went there, and from emotions and trust.
there he was looking at me. I wanted
to tell him who I am, but I am also
enjoying his curious face, wondering
who I am.
I can now see the changes in the When discussing digital
customers at the market. On the other literacy and internet
side, one customer, who looks like he penetration in India, there
is from a northeastern state, was is visible disparity. Rural
negotiating with the spinach seller areas, and especially
near the hand pump. He buys all the women, have very little
spinach he has. A man in a white coat access to digital
wearing a cap comes to Janaki’s infrastructure. She was
shop. He wears a black cap on which afraid of digital fraud. It
the Maharaja Hotel is written. They means there is a lack of
both were customers from local trust in digital financial
hotels. They are buying without infrastructures. On the
negotiations, and even Janaki was other hand, males in the
very friendly with them. It means that market were using QR
they were regular customers. These code-based payment with
people are buying from different ease. The financial
vegetable sellers. inclusion for women is just
opening bank accounts.
From the open side of the market, a
However the UPI facilities
cow enters the market. The cow was
change the very basic
thin and light brown. It snuffles in a
nature of financial
box of green leaves for something
inclusion. UPI redefined it
soft and wet. Some vendors seem to
as everyday usability such
deal with such interruptions every
as easy, trusted and instant
day; they wave their hands at it to
transactions. It proved that
shoo it away, not angrily but in a
inclusion must be
tired way. A loud clap and a stick
transactional and
thumping the ground near its feet
behavioural rather than just
scare it. Janaki has paused counting
institutional.
change for her customer and has
taken the coins into her palm. She
glances at the cow without saying
She makes cautious
anything, and her face changes color.
relationships with male
She puts down the coins, wipes her
vendors. She seeks help
hands on the end of her saree, and
whenever required. Her
then moves to the box behind her
negotiation here is very
stall. I see her pick up the cabbage
cautious. She is very much
leaves that are wilting and that she
aware of the fact that she is
had removed before. These are pieces
living in the male
that customers do not want because
dominated space and she
they are too thick or torn. The leaves
has to be very cordial with
are in both of her hands now, and she
male vendors. Here, her
carries them like they are more
negotiation is very delicate.
precious than rubbish. A low whistle
As she believes in
escapes Janaki's lips; it is not loud but
proximity for survival and
rather similar to the soft, low sound
distance for dignity.
made by people when they want to
call children. The cow looks up its
ears at her. She stands slightly back
from the crowd so that the animal
will not feel confined. Then she drops
the green leaf on the ground quietly
as if offering them to God rather than
throwing them to its feet. The cow
lowers its head and eats carefully, as
if to say thank you.
Now I decided to stop my
observation because there are no
customers in the market and some
shops are closed now.
I have observed that there is a pattern
in the way customers negotiate over
prices and the way she responds to
them. Her responses were based on
the layered identities of customers.
She was very soft but firm when
young or middle-aged males were
negotiating over prices; she used to
say, “mala pan mul bala aahet, mala
pan ghar chalawayache aahe” (I have
kids too, and I have to run my
household as well). On the contrary,
she was very negotiable with women;
after some time, she agreed to lower
prices with women customers. I
asked her about it, and she said
women have a tendency to win the
arguments; even if I haven't agreed to
their price, they are happy with a
small discount. She wants to save for
her family. I think Janaki makes them
happy, as she knows the importance
of winning or at least surviving in
this male-dominated world (market)
for a woman. By doing this she
maintains excellent relations with her
customers.
There is a sense of sharing emotions
with other women in the market. My
general observation reveals that
women customers prefer women
vegetable sellers over men, and that's
why Janaki built her connections with
all the customers. She knows many of
her customers by name, calling them
with familiar titles like Deshmukh,
Patil, or other designations like
Saheb, Malakin (female boss),
Doctor, or Mistress. Each and every These women have their
word and gesture carries a tone of own social network within
respect or closeness. She was pleased the market. They use this
with the behavior of her customers group to get rid of stress
and called them her God. She feels from their work. This small
safe around customers. gathering is the best
junction to share
information and feel safe in
the male dominated
market. The market is a
place of competition. So
these women maintain dual
market relationships and
that is solidarity
interwoven with
competition.
The local market not only
serves the household
economy but also
maintains a steady supply
to the local hotel industry.
In the formal economic
context, these markets are
very informal and
vulnerable to market risk.
But they were the
backbone of the local food
chain and nutrition.