Introduction

On a patch of land where the Khasi Hills fade into the plains of Sylhet, a market is held on every fifth day. This market is operated by local residents to facilitate the exchange of goods between two distinct groups of people. The Khasi highlanders bring with them the fruits of their forest plots – betel nuts, oranges, gourds, and, when in season, pineapples – and begin to gather from the morning, drinking tea and buying from and selling to one another amid the profusion of semi-permanent trading stalls, thrown together from wood and concrete. They are there to await the appearance of the market itself later in the day, which occurs once their counterparts make themselves ready. The Bengali farmers who form the other side of this exchange bring their harvest with them – a collection of aubergines, tomatoes, huge green beans, and cauliflowers – together with fish and non-agricultural products like plastic toys and helium balloons. Trade between these two groups, who are largely unable to speak one another's languages, is smoothed over by the presence of a number of self-appointed translators, who take up stations behind groups of traders and facilitate the process of exchange. In the main, the market looks like an excellent demonstration of comparative advantage, with the distinct agricultural ‘baskets’ of the plains and hills being brought together for the profit of all concerned.