Mornings of Mumbai - Dadar flower market: The market

18th February, 2015
6:30 AM
Dadar flower market,  Mumbai

3:00 am in the morning and the action begins,

Vendors with truckloads of flowers start pouring in.

A kilometre of stretch around and under the flyover,

Are now filled with heaps and baskets full of flowers.

As the clock continues to tick

Customers too start pushing their way to make their pick.

From bundles of roses to kilos of marigolds,

From assorted flowers to designer bouquets,

                 

From decoration to preservation,

And from fresh ones to few days old,

For puja or for shaadi,

For birthdays or for anniversary,

For a specific variety or just for random buying,

For personal use or for further selling,

Whatever the purpose and the need is,

This market is the perfect place to be!

If best and fresh is something that you are looking for,

Then make sure you are here in the morning at eight or before

Because as the morning advances

The wrap up of the market begins

Corporation garbage bins replace the supplier trucks,

And Sweeping staff the hustling customers.

As I see tons coloured petals and stalks getting cleaned and the vendors unwind,

The thought of composting comes to my mind.

With the seed of another thought to ponder,

And capturing the market and its vibrancy all over.

I buy a few stalks of roses,

And make my way to a place I call home !!!

Mornings of Mumbai - Dadar Flower Market: The journey

18th February, 2015
5:15 AM
Vashi railway station, Navi Mumbai

Dawn is about to break, and sun is yet to peep out,

Roads devoid of horns, and calmness all around.

As I board the train and while I embark the ride

Crowded coaches at six take me by surprise.

And while the train heads Dadar,

All that I witness further makes me wonder!

How pleasant is the view of Vashi creek,

Shores of which are dotted with innumerable white migratory fleets.

And the not so pleasant scene along railway track,

Lined with people discarding their biological crap.

From cramped lanes and weathered shanty houses to sky kissing towers,

The route had all the extremes to offer.

While my eyes wandered out and gazed around,

The destination arrived unnoticed and a push from the back got me down.

With the vividness of the journey in heart,

There I reach Dadar to explore its signature wholesale flower mart...

Storm of flowers and riot of colours,
Six thirty in the morning and unbelievable horde of people!!!