The flower market in Bangalore is a riot of colours. How does one feel getting lost amid the colourful flowers early in the morning? That is exactly what happened to us three years back.
It was first week of December in 2011. The winter in Bengaluru had already set in. Rain in the previous week had brought the temperature further down. Over the weekend, we were attending a photography workshop. On day one, we learnt the basics and also experimented with the camera clicking some lovely pictures of sunset. The next day was to be the field work. We were to visit the flower market in K R Market or City market as it is popularly known for a photowalk.
The instruction was to assemble at "Town Hall" at 6.15 AM. This meant us getting up early on a cold morning. We were excited as we had never been to the flower market before. We got up at 5 and drove in darkness to reach "Town Hall". Our instructor Kshitij was there in time. We were a group of ten budding photographers. After a customary briefing, we followed Kshitij as we walked towards the flower market.
Ten minutes of walk in chilly morning, we were near the Jumma Masjid. This is the start point of the flower market. We could see the crowds and colours from the distance. As we moved closer, the chaos of vehicles, humans and carts were all there for us to see. We could see some sellers ready with their produce and had set up their stalls. Some farmers were still trickling in with their produce. Some buyers were already haggling for prices with sellers. The tea sellers on their bicycle were having a roaring business. We also sipped a cup and started our photo-walk. We were all given independence to walk and click the pictures the way we wanted - portraits, macro, street scenes.......
This was what we clicked during our photowalk. Click on the pictures to see them in larger size.
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| Farm fresh Gladioli welcoming us..... |
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| A seller arranging Gerbera bunches........ |
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| All concentration......a buyer inspecting the freshness.... |
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| Yes.....i got what i wanted!! |
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| Array of flowers - Chrysanthemum, Tube rose, Sweet Allyssium, Gerberas of different hues..... |
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| Perfect pose........A seller in good mood! |
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| Counting the money after the purchase |
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| Roses, Roses, Roses..... |
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| Contemplation.....Will i get right price fro my ware? |
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| Flower garlands for sale..... |
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| Riot of colours! |
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| How will be my day? |
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| Worried looks......I need to sell all of these...... |
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| Some purchased. More to come...... |
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| Chrysanthemum and Marigold garlands......and its variants |
When we finished, we felt as if we had just come out of a garden of flowers, riot of colours. Yes, there was chaos, crowd, dirt and all that. But on top of all that there was boundless energy. Best sales skills on display. Ability to negotiate a bargain. A hope for betterment. An expectation of making some profit.
A morning well spent. Colourful memories canned!
Tips for Photowalking
a) Plan a visit on one of the weekends. The market will be open around 5 AM much before dawn. It will remain active till 8 AM.
b) This is a photographer's paradise. You have opportunity to click lovely portraits, long shots or macro. Many regulars in the market are accustomed to photographers and are willing to pose for you!
c) If you are a flower lover like us, pick up some bunches of Gerbera or chrysanthemums. They are much cheaper than what you get in retail stores.
d) Don't worry about the chaos, dirt. Indian markets are like that. They are also full of energy.
e) Make sure you keep your wallets and other valuables safe when you walk on these streets.
f) If you are coming in a car, it is advisable to park it near Town Hall and walk down to the market. If driving a two wheeler, you can go closer.
g) Winters are the best time to visit the market. The flower varieties are more.
h) Mornings in winter in Bengaluru will be chilly. Cover yourself with a pull over or wind cheater.
Interested in exploring Bengaluru by walking around? Please check out this link in this blog.
Bengaluru Neighbourhood Walks - Basavanagudi beckons!
We hope you liked reading this post. Please share the post by clicking the buttons on sidebar. Our idea is to share experiences. Thank you.
Interested in exploring Bengaluru by walking around? Please check out this link in this blog.
Bengaluru Neighbourhood Walks - Basavanagudi beckons!
Please share
We hope you liked reading this post. Please share the post by clicking the buttons on sidebar. Our idea is to share experiences. Thank you.