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Itwari, Nagpur: Inside the 100-Year History of a Trading Hub

Historic Itwari market in Nagpur with old trading lanes, wholesale shops and goods reflecting its growth as a major trading hub
Itwari’s historic markets and trading lanes have been central to Nagpur’s commercial growth for generations

In Nagpur’s old city quarter of Itwari, narrow lanes still buzz with trade as they have for generations.


The market here grew up around weekly bazaars and the arrival of the railway, and today Itwari remains a centre of commerce drawing vendors and buyers from across Vidarbha. Nagpur itself “has been the main centre of commerce in the Vidarbha region since its early days”.


Itwari’s name comes from Itwar (Hindi for Sunday), reflecting its origin as a Sunday bazaar where farmers and traders gathered to sell produce and wares. Over more than a century, Itwari has evolved into one of Nagpur’s largest and oldest markets.


Its winding streets are still known by traditional names, like Kasaar, Kirana, and Lohaa, that speak to the goods sold there. The result is a market with deep historical roots and ongoing importance to the city’s economy.

 

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Historical Origins of Itwari Market


Itwari’s story dates back to the late 19th or early 20th century, when Nagpur’s city centre began to expand, and rail lines reached the area.


The very name “Itwari” reflects its beginnings as a weekly market: Itwar means Sunday, and a large Sunday bazaar once thronged here. Farmers and artisans from nearby villages would bring crops, spices, textiles and crafts to Nagpur on Sunday mornings.

As one observer noted, Itwari was then “a massive weekly market” where villagers sold everything from fresh produce to handcrafted goods. That busy Sunday trade gave Itwari a commercial identity before it became a daily marketplace.

 

Over time, the Sunday-only bazaar gave way to daily trading. New lanes of shops sprang up to meet urban demand. By the mid-20th century, Itwari was well established as a permanent market district. A local history records that it is “one of Nagpur’s largest and oldest markets, with a history spanning over 100 years”. Itwari’s growth was aided by Nagpur’s overall role as a regional hub.


The state government notes that Nagpur has long been an important trading centre for Vidarbha. In effect, as Nagpur’s city grew, Itwari grew with it, serving both rural sellers and urban residents.


Notably, during the 1980s all of Nagpur’s main agricultural sub-markets were relocated to a new large market yard at Kalamna, except the Itwari grain and vegetable market, which was kept in place. This exception underscores how integral Itwari had become: even when most markets were consolidated elsewhere, the city let Itwari continue as the core local produce market.

 


Specialised Trade Lanes in Itwari

Walking through Itwari today, one sees that each street still specialises in particular goods, a legacy of its past. Its lanes are named after the products sold there.


Thus Kasaar (Kasaar-Wali) is the old utensil market, where shops sell brass, bronze and steel cooking vessels and pans. Just behind, Lohaa-Wali is the iron market. It is packed with shops offering iron kitchenware and hardware sourced from Mumbai, Delhi, Agra and Gujarat.

Another street, Kirana-Wali, traditionally deals in grains and groceries. Astonishingly, some shops in Kirana-Wali date back to 1901. Manihari Market sells daily items and bridal accessories (it particularly hums with business during wedding seasons).


Finally, Sona-Chandi-Wali is the jewellers’ lane, specialising in gold and silver jewellery. Each of these sectors grew organically as trade needs evolved, but their names and focus remain rooted in Itwari’s history.

 

The mix of goods at Itwari has broadened over time. Today shoppers find not only traditional wares but also textiles, imitation jewellery, spices and even electronics. The market was long famous for Nagpur’s oranges and sweets as well.


Older residents recall vendors shouting “Nagpurchi santre – fresh oranges!” in the lanes, meaning Itwari once shared in the city’s nickname as Orange City.


Grain traders from villages around Nagpur still come to the Anaaj (foodgrain) section. In short, Itwari developed into a microcosm of a city wholesale market, with clusters for nearly every category of essential item.

 

Transport Links and Regional Trade


Itwari’s success as a trading hub is closely tied to Nagpur’s transport links. Nagpur sits at India’s geographic centre. The city’s “Zero Mile” marker reflects this, and the city is a junction of major railway and road routes across the country.


Itwari lies just east of Nagpur’s main junction, near the Itwari railway station. Historically, the Itwari station has been a junction point for regional rail lines. In particular, a narrow-gauge line (once running via Chhindwara) terminates at Itwari.

Farmers and traders brought goods by train and then carried them a short distance to the Itwari markets. While larger freight now goes to the Kalamna yard, Itwari still handles local deliveries by truck and rail.

 

Nagpur’s city planners describe it as India’s natural logistics hub, linking roads and rails to a vast hinterland. In this setting, Itwari became a gathering point for Vidarbha’s producers. For example, in Itwari’s small Anaaj (grain) bazaar, one still finds produce brought from Vidarbha’s surrounding districts.


The APMC (Agriculture Produce Market Committee) records from the 1980s emphasise Itwari’s role. They note that when most city markets were consolidated, “all the submarkets existing in different parts of Nagpur city were shifted (except Itwari grain & Vegetable market)”. This administrative decision indicates that Itwari remained the main outlet for agricultural goods.


Local brokers and agents set up in Itwari to connect farmers of Vidarbha with retailers. Even today, trucks arrive in Itwari from the outlying talukas, offloading vegetables, pulses or spices. In sum, Itwari’s location, close to rail lines and roads, helped it evolve into a trading hub serving the Vidarbha region.

 

Modernisation and Future Plans


Itwari Market today still retains much of its old-world character, but plans are underway to update its infrastructure.


The Nagpur Municipal Corporation and state agencies have launched redevelopment projects focused on the Itwari area.

In early 2024, city officials announced that several of Itwari’s oldest bazaars, such as the Loha (iron), Anaaj (grains), Bhaji (vegetables) and others, will be renovated with new stalls, toilets, parking and modern amenities. These markets were described by officials as “some of the oldest markets” in the city and have become local landmarks over the years.

 

A striking example of change is the Hariganga section of Itwari. In late 2025, shopkeepers at Itwari’s Hariganga Market agreed to a bold redevelopment plan. Under the proposal, the cramped market area will give way to a new 17-storey commercial complex with shops, offices and better facilities.


The project is intended to preserve the vendors they would receive new built-up shops in the complex while vastly improving space and hygiene. City engineers have described it as a design-build-operate scheme that will bring ₹48 crore into the civic budget along with about 60 new shop units.

 

These developments mark a new phase in Itwari’s story. The modern plans aim to address traffic congestion and sanitation issues that have long affected the market’s narrow lanes.


At the same time, officials say the goal is to retain Itwari’s character as a traders’ destination rather than replace it. In interviews, merchants in Itwari speak with mixed feelings, hopeful for amenities but wary of change.


For now, the familiar sight of bustling counters and bargaining customers remains. From the old weekly bazaar days to today’s glass shopfronts and hoardings, Itwari continues to be defined by commerce. Whether under the open sky or inside a new high-rise, Itwari Market’s role as Nagpur’s trading hub lives on.

 

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FAQs


Q: What is the history of Itwari Market in Nagpur?

A: Itwari began as a weekly Sunday bazaar (Itwar means Sunday) where villagers sold produce and crafts to city residents. Over the 20th century, it expanded into a permanent market area. Today Itwari is recognised as one of Nagpur’s oldest markets, with lanes named after traditional trades and shops tracing back to the early 1900s.

 

Q: Why is Itwari Market considered a trading hub?

A: Itwari’s location helped it become a hub: it lies near Nagpur’s railway station and main roads, linking it to the wider Vidarbha region. Farmers and traders from the surrounding districts have long brought grains, vegetables, and other goods into Itwari. It served as the city’s principal grain and produce market when other markets were moved, making it the go-to place for wholesale trade in Nagpur.

 

Q: What goods are sold at Itwari Market in Nagpur?

A: Itwari’s streets specialise by commodity. One lane (Kasaar) sells metal kitchenware; another (Lohaa) sells iron tools and utensils. There are streets for spices and groceries, a gold and silver jewellery lane, a section for cloth and bridal items, and a vegetable and grain bazaar. In short, Itwari offers a wide variety of daily and festive goods, from fresh oranges and spices to fabrics and jewellery. Wholesale customers and local shoppers alike come here for these specialised markets.


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About the Author

Pranay Arya is the founder and editor of The News Dirt, an independent journalism platform focused on ground-level reporting across Vidarbha. He has authored 800+ research-based articles covering public issues, regional history, infrastructure, governance, and socio-economic developments, building one of the region’s most extensive digital knowledge archives.

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