A Walk Through The Mullick Ghat Flower Bazaar

Asia, Photo Stories, , 92 Comments

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.
Mullick bazaar Flower Market
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.

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Madhu is an Interior designer turned travel blogger on a long sabbatical to explore the world. When not crafting stories on The Urge To Wander, she's probably Tweeting @theurgetowander or sharing special moments on instagram.com/theurgetowander

92 thoughts on “A Walk Through The Mullick Ghat Flower Bazaar”

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  3. 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 🙂

    1. 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.

  4. I have similar images captured through my lens the last week (Jamalpur Flower Market) and posted the same on my blog. Kudos to you!

  6. 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!

  7. 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

  13. Thank you for sharing, it was lovely to walk the market with you, see the flowers for sale, and the smiling flower sellers.

  14. Beautiful shots Madhu…flowers speak their own story so well…

  16. 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!

    1. 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!

  18. Love the colors, but am most moved by your pictures of people. You seem to capture their personality so well.

    1. 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.

  19. 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 ♥

    1. Aren’t they gorgeous? There wasn’t as much variety as in the Bangkok market though.

    1. I love markets of any kind Colline. Even a seafood market in Venice was amazing to walk through! 🙂

  25. The marigold garlands are fascinating but they don’t begin to rival the lotus buds in my mind. 🙂

  26. 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.

    1. 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.

  28. Enjoyed walking through the Bazaar with you via your colorful, vibrant photographs.

    1. Aren’t they just? Those marigold ‘skirts’ are a first even for me! Haven’t seen it in the markets in the South.

        1. 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! 🙂

  31. 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.

  32. The slideshow says it all. Even the simplest composing effort makes for a brilliant post. Madhu, you are just awesome.

    1. True, but I had never seen this many strung into garlands and carried about like that! Thank you Eric.

    1. Thank you Marina. I love the lotus. Unfortunately it isn’t always available in local markets.

    1. 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.

  38. loved the lotus buds Madhu, but my travelling iPad technology could not do the slideshow … :(. blessings from Andalucia!

    1. Lots of time to see the slideshow when you return Christine. I was thinking of your wonderful lotus pond when I posted this 🙂

  39. 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.

    1. 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.

  41. 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 🙂

    1. I was surprised at the absence of Jasmine. Our diversity extends to even the choice of flowers used for worship! Thanks Meredith.

  43. 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

    1. 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.

  45. I love the bright colours in these photos! One of the many reasons I want to see India…

    1. Then you will not be disappointed! We have colour everywhere, perhaps too much of it 🙂 Thank you for your visit and comment Kirsty.

    1. It certainly is! Not as much variety as in the Bangkok market, but just as colourful. Thanks Ailsa.

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