A Floral Escapade:Colours, Scents and Smiles


Before sunrise when the streak of light hits the grave, dark skies, Dadar flower market is abuzz with the cacophony of flower vendors, customers, trucks and taxis. Dadar flower market is Mumbai’s largest and cheapest wholesale flower market which comes alive at 4 in the morning. Truckloads of flowers are emptied every day which come from Satara, Sangli, Nagpur and various parts of Maharashtra. As soon as one proceeds towards Dadar west in the early hours of dawn, the fragrance of fresh, sweet-smelling flowers fills ones nostrils and the eyes are captivated by the beauty of a multitude of colours.

Majority of flowers are available at the Dadar flower market which include roses of every kind, lotus, marigolds, champa, jasmine, orchids, chrysanthemums, gladioli, asters, lilies, gardenias, gerberas, carnations and many more. In addition to this there are delicate and beautifully hand-made gajras made from mogra, crossandra and jasmine. Garlands are another fascination of this floral paradise and make for a highly profitable business. Flowers from here are picked and transported in plenty all over the city to prominent florists as well as those with small businesses purchase their share from the market. It is extremely difficult to walk without dashing against someone and it’s impossible to save your feet from landing into muck.

The street is crammed with vendors who are bidding at the top of their voices in interesting ways in order to attract attention to them. It’s usually the loudest and cheapest selling vendor who triumphs in this challenge. The florists display amazing skill and within seconds make bouquets selecting the perfect combination of flowers, ribbons, glitters and other decorative substances. One can buy a bunch of flowers at nearly half the price as compared to anywhere else in the city. A basketful of marigolds can be bought as less as Rs. 20 and a bunch of roses at Rs. 10.

It is not just the flowers that are captivating about this place. The simple attitude, beaming faces and polite nature of the ladies and gentlemen selling flowers add a beauty to this place that cannot be taken away. The little boy with the basket, the shy lady weaving gajras, the youngster making the bouquet and the old man requesting and calling out to come, see and purchase his garlands and a couple of flowers etch pleasant moments in one’s mind. The atmosphere makes one happy and it is one place to come if one wishes to break the monotony of an early morning in Mumbai. For once abandon the honking train and the jammed compartments, immerse in the delightful aura of the Dadar flower market.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Melghat, its people and the Forest Rights Act

In the heart of Vidharbha as one goes towards the North of Amravati, a mesmerizing sight captivates the eye. Beauty reflects in the eye of the beholder, that of gushing rivers and dense, lush green forest, of narrow roads and steep terrain. The woods are filled with the cackling of birds and insects crawling on the muddy earth. The wild animals tread the land and it is their home. Melghat is undoubtedly a Nature lover’s paradise, his place to be. As much as this is true, an ugly reality grimaces the face of those dwelling in this region. Beyond the beauty lie the troubles of a race that walks in the darkness of illiteracy, one that is exploited on a daily basis, one which cannot bask in the glory of democracy and one who just wants to keep its own land. The parliament keeps making several laws and the judiciary keeps implementing them, but it’s only when you tread with your own feet to these forsaken lands that you get an insight of the truth. A conversation with the Sarpanch of
Read more

Two sides of the same coin

“The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power, because they control the minds of the masses” - Malcolm X Media has played a significant role in the birth of the modern world. Renaissance, reformation and revolutions would have never been successful without the advent of media and the world would have not been what it is today. It has played a vital role in awakening the masses to a dawn of enlightenment and liberated them from the bounds of ignorance and superstitious beliefs. It has encouraged mankind to be rational and not to accept anything blindly. Media has always been the watchdog of the society. The Indian history is a great example of how press and radio mobilized the Indian masses and ultimately led them to independence. The power of media had infused fear in the British government and made them resort to repressive measures. However, t
Read more

The Great Wine Robbery

For when the wine is in, the wit is out. - Thomas Becon ‘Rude food’, a popular column written by Mr. Vir Sanghvi in the Sunday Brunch had an interesting piece named ‘The great wine robbery’ which portrayed cheating in the name of up-selling in the restaurant business. Vir Sanghvi reveals the different innovative techniques of up-selling restaurants use to cheat their customer especially in case of wines. He unveils how restaurants fool their customers by making excuses about wine the customer must have originally ordered for. They later offer wines which they say are better and do not mention that the wine is expensive. They lure customers with daily specials whose price is double any main course on the menu. They uncork new bottles and keep on filling the glasses even when unasked for and offer expensive mineral water like Evian without knowledge. He also suggests what one should do when stuck in such situ
Read more