The Kolkata/Calcutta, India Flower Market
The Kolkata Wholesale Flower Market is one of the Kolkata highlights. I dearly love flowers and the sight (and smell) of thousands of roses will forever remain with me. You can buy one dozen long stem red roses for less than $1.00 U.S. That blew my mind. The market is almost directly under the Howrah Bridge, itself a landmark. ...View image... At one time, the Howrah Bridge was the only way across the Houghly River and is similar in size to Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia. It is considered the busiest bridge in the world and everything from pedestrians...to bullock carts...to push carts...to automobiles...to bicycles cross every day.
Before plunging into the market, Malini filled us with mutliple cautions. Buyers and sellers are constantly running through the narrow lanes of the Flower Market with humungous loads on their heads. Watch every footstep, where you walk, what's coming at you, piles of animal and human excrement...and in we went...
This 125-year flower market was gutted by a devastating fire in 2008 but we wouldn't have known anything about it. The Kolkata Flower Market is eastern India's largest flower market with hundreds of stalls and people sitting on the ground. One guestimate is that approximately 2,000 flower growers from the surrounding areas come daily to sell and during wedding seasons and festivals, probably double that number.
Garlands of Marigolds in bright yellow and orange...View image...carried on arms...heads...and piled into heaps on the ground...women stringing flowers....View image....selling...View image...unloading trucks and unpacking a gazillion bags and boxes of flowers... Marigold garlands are used in Hindu festivals, decorate the gods, and placed around visitors' necks in India. The colors are brilliant but I've never been a fan of the Marigold odor.
...another porter trotted by with dozens of red roses on his head...
...while I stood there surrounded by roses, inhaling their scent and probably could have stood in raptures for ages but Malini said there was a lot to still see and do. Put this excursion on your to-do list in Kolkata if you love flowers.
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Comments
Hi i am looking for loose fresh kolkata marigold in bulk quantity at mumbai.
Dear Prasant:
So sorry but I wouldn't have the faintest clue how to help you. Good luck in your endeavors.
Sheila
Posted by: prashant | June 23, 2009 3:20 AM
HI, I WANT AN APPOINTMENT TO VISIT YOUR COMPANY,ACTUALLY WE ARE GOING TO SET UP A MEDICINAL PLANT IN NAWADA,FOR THE SAME WE WANT TO DISCUSS THE SAME IN BRIEF.
THANKS AND REGARDS,
Dwarika Dhish
09975589951
ddhish@gmail.com
Posted by: Dwarika Dhish | July 16, 2009 7:12 AM
I have a flower house in Agra and want some good quality flowers in whole sale.Plz reply with quotations
Thanks for visiting Travels With Sheila and taking the time to commeny. I wish I could help you but only was a visitor in the flower market. Good luck on finding a supplier. Sincerely, Sheila
Posted by: rita chakraborty | December 31, 2009 1:35 AM
Hi i am looking for loose fresh kolkata marigold in bulk quantity at LONDON for 24/25 may 2010.
Posted by: Ashwin Patel | May 14, 2010 5:21 AM
Thanks for reading and commenting but I don't deal in flowers. Just visited the flower market as a tourist. Good luck.
Posted by: Sheila
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May 16, 2010 4:42 PM