No wordy post today. Just an early morning stroll through the hustle and bustle of the Kolkata wholesale flower market, overflowing with reams of brilliant marigolds strung into garlands.
While I love the vivid yellow and orange blooms and always have bowls of them lying around my house, the ones that grabbed my attention here, were these less showy lotus buds. Don’t you think there is something serene and calming about the lotus? No wonder it is associated with the Buddha.
Now lets take a walk…..
If you are into flower markets, do check out my earlier post on the scented colours of Pak Klong Talat in Bangkok
And happy travels…..no matter where life takes you.
The Urge To Wander 
Wow, beautiful shot of Lotus and yes the kolkata 🙂
Thank you Richa.
Tutto veramente molto bello, mia signora.
Sei brava e ti seguo da tanto tempo.
Bello
Appreciate the vote of confidence Ninni. Grazie mille!
brilliant colours and clicks
Yes, marigolds as far as the eye could see! Thank you for stopping by Soumya.
Thanks for the tour Madhu.
You are most welcome Cardinal! 🙂
Stunning, Madhu, it must be a sensory overload to walk through that bazaar in person.
It certainly is! Not as much variety as in the Bangkok market, but just as colourful. Thanks Ailsa.
Beautiful images. Loved this post.
Glad you did. Thank you Maverickbird.
Great tour Madhu! Wonderfully colourful
That was a wondercolourful tour, Madhu! Lovely images.
Wondercolourful indeed! Thank you Dina 🙂
I love the bright colours in these photos! One of the many reasons I want to see India…
Then you will not be disappointed! We have colour everywhere, perhaps too much of it 🙂 Thank you for your visit and comment Kirsty.
Beautiful photos, Madhu. How are these strung marigolds used?
In religious ceremonies mostly or to decorate wedding venues. Markets in the South would have an equal amount or more of jasmines. Thank you Pat.
even when one is surrounded by flowers, it’s always refreshing to see images of more flowers! thank you for the stroll.. the memory of the images will stay with me for the rest of the day!
lisa/z
Happy you are happy Lisa! 🙂
fragrant and atmospheric, very nice
And well worth a visit…thank you Shabnam.
Oh Madhu, I’ve never seen such huge baskets of lotus, piles of marigold ropes. Really, that man sitting among his lotus … those baskets look as though he could have gone to bed in one of them! Fascinating stroll, thanks 🙂
I was surprised at the absence of Jasmine. Our diversity extends to even the choice of flowers used for worship! Thanks Meredith.
Love this photo!
Thank you Peter.
This is Mullick Ghat under the Howrah Bridge, on Kolkata side of the Hooghly bank. Mullick bazaar is near Park Street crossing where Part Street Cemetry is situated, Shiraaz Restaurant is there also.
I know, that was a typo that I edited as soon as I hit publish. Does it still read Mullick Bazaar? Thanks for stopping by Sohail.
Yes it is. Thanks for replying.
loved the lotus buds Madhu, but my travelling iPad technology could not do the slideshow … :(. blessings from Andalucia!
Lots of time to see the slideshow when you return Christine. I was thinking of your wonderful lotus pond when I posted this 🙂
What a beautiful, smiling flower lady!
Isn’t she pretty? She blushed when Manjit translated that for me 🙂
Love the slideshow, Madhu! Beautiful pics.
Thank you Naomi.
Beautiful! We plan to be in Kolkata later in the year – look forward to checking this market out!
Thank you Anna. Go very early in the morning. You can do it on your own, but we went there with Manjit Singh of Calcutta Photo Tours and loved every minute.
Ok, thanks very much for the tip and recommendation – I’ll check them out! 🙂
Oh, I agree with you on the lotus! Such an amazing flower…
Happy weekend, my dear Madhu! 🙂
Thank you Marina. I love the lotus. Unfortunately it isn’t always available in local markets.
Amazing – India has always been well known for its brilliant flowers and garlands 🙂
True, but I had never seen this many strung into garlands and carried about like that! Thank you Eric.
The slideshow says it all. Even the simplest composing effort makes for a brilliant post. Madhu, you are just awesome.
You say the nicest things Rommel. Many, many thanks 🙂
Beautiful photo brings out the vibrancy of Mullick flower bazaar.
In a particular Buddhist sect they greet each other in reverence with palms cupped like the lotus buds and say “Lotus for you oh Buddha to be”! Which means the other person is a potential Buddha. A lotus bloom means enlightenment like the Buddha.
That is so beautiful Dilip. Wish I could find it easily in our markets.
Your close-up of lotus buds is superb. Thank you for the colourful walk, Madhu.
You are most welcome Paula. Thank YOU for all the blog love 🙂
Fabulous garlands of colour! 🙂
Aren’t they just? Those marigold ‘skirts’ are a first even for me! Haven’t seen it in the markets in the South.
🙂 Where’s the next ‘adventure’ to, Madhu? Is life a little more chilled at the moment?
It is thankfully!.We still have a couple of visits happening next month – first to B’lore to see Dad and the kids – and another to attend a friend’s daughter’s wedding, up in the plantation district where we used to live. No adventures planned until September, when we go to Tanzania on Safari! 🙂
Enjoyed walking through the Bazaar with you via your colorful, vibrant photographs.
Thank you Ruth.
There’s one of those in every city and village. I love the smell of those markets.
True. But this is by far the largest Indian one I have visited Ian.
Thank you Madhu, you are so lucky, to be surrounded by those lotus flower buds, they certainly represent Buddha. I wish they would grow here in California. Namaste.
Namaste Cornelia! These images are from Calcutta. They aren’t easily available here in Chennai sadly. I should perhaps try the wholesale markets in town.
The marigold garlands are fascinating but they don’t begin to rival the lotus buds in my mind. 🙂
Mine too LuAnn! 🙂
The colour of a market such as this is always beautiful to see.
I love markets of any kind Colline. Even a seafood market in Venice was amazing to walk through! 🙂
Beautiful flower buds. I love the garlands of flowers in the market photos, too, Madhu.
Aren’t they gorgeous? There wasn’t as much variety as in the Bangkok market though.
nyc colorful clicks of the flowers
Thank you Shipra.
Lovely market images, Madhu. I adore those rich and vibrant colours. The Lotus buds are in such abundance. I’m astounded.
Thank you Sylvia. Frankly, I haven’t seen as many in one place before either! 🙂
The leis are beautiful.
I totally agree with you on the lotus Madhu. What a colourful and friendly market that is. I would love to roam there for sure. Stunning shots hon! 😀 ♥ Hugs ♥
Love the colors, but am most moved by your pictures of people. You seem to capture their personality so well.
The vibrant colors make browsing through Asian markets such a joy Shimon. Glad you enjoyed my people pictures. I thank you for your words of appreciation.
Looks like such a colorful chaotic and wonderful place for exploration. Nice collection!
You were right not to include any substantial bits of text – the pictures really do speak for themselves! I do love the look of those vibrant marigolds, and of course the lotus buds. Madhu, your photography just keeps getting better and better. 🙂 Thanks to your posts, Kolkata is looking far more appealing for a future visit!
Thanks James. Kolkata is still the least developed of the four metropolises in India. But there are gems if people care to look. Most only see the worst sadly. I think you and Bama might have an open enough mind to appreciate India. I often wonder how the other less informed visitors cope at all!
Beautiful frames. Thoughtful.
Beautiful shots Madhu…flowers speak their own story so well…
Thank you for sharing, it was lovely to walk the market with you, see the flowers for sale, and the smiling flower sellers.
Love the pop of colours! 🙂 Beautiful pics!
Calcutta has been on my must-visit-places list since forever.
Your photographs are so vivid and alive with color…breathtaking!!
I adore strolling through markets and your people pictures are always extra special
Raw, candid and vivid..In fact I could hear the honks and chatters. Great stuff!!
Gorgeous close-ups!
Such vibrancy and so alive. I shared it on FB so my friends can tour the flower bazaar, too. Your photos are better than NAtional Geographic spreads, Madhu. Great slideshow. Thanks for the likes on my blog. I appreciate your visits. Best, Ruth in Pittsburgh
I was hoping to visit the flower markets when I went through Kolkata last year, but in the end I only reached town on the train with enough time to take a taxi straight to the airport for home! I’ll have to leave a longer stop next time. Your wonderful photos will have to tide me over til then!
Excellent read. Beautiful Kolkata Recently, I had been to Kolkata and was mesmerized by the city on first appearance. I have posted a picture gallery at The Kaleidoscope. It would be great if you can look into the picture gallery and comment on the way I captured Kolkata. The link to gallery is : http://krayush.wordpress.com/2014/06/14/kolkata-chromosomes-a-picture-gallery-to-the-fascinating-colors-of-the-city/
I have similar images captured through my lens the last week (Jamalpur Flower Market) and posted the same on my blog. Kudos to you!
Beyond words. Such a different perspective on flowers. Oh how I wish I could click such concept pictures one day…..
Kolkata my love, a city that has it all 🙂
A rather belated thank you for your lovely comment Gitanjali. I am no photographer! I do believe that with determination and enough practice anyone can snap such images.