Mullick Ghat Flower Market

Mullick Ghat Flower Market is a wholesale and retail flower bazaar beside Howrah Bridge on the Hooghly riverbank in north-central Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It is one of the largest flower markets in the country, and a steady stream of traders brings marigolds, roses, tuberoses, jasmine, lotuses, hibiscus, gladioli and temple garlands by truck, boat and cart from villages in West Bengal districts such as Howrah and Nadia. Rather than a retail shopping street, the market is a working trade hub where flowers are sold by weight, bundle or garland to temple suppliers, decorators, event planners and households. Goods are fresh and local, with prices from about ten rupees for a small bunch to a few hundred for elaborate garlands or lotus bundles, and the share of tourist trinkets is negligible. Bargaining is common on larger quantities, payment is almost entirely in cash, and tax-refund schemes do not apply. The atmosphere is intense: the busiest trading falls roughly between 4AM and 9AM, with porters hauling baskets, vendors shouting prices and piles of marigolds heaped on the ground and under the bridge arches. Food is available from tea stalls and small street vendors near the ghat, and the nearby Burrabazar lanes have more snack options. Must-visit corners include the heap-lined lanes beneath Howrah Bridge, the garland-making stalls along the riverbank steps and the ghat itself, which offers views of the bridge and river. Photographers are drawn to the market at dawn, though visitors should ask before photographing vendors and watch their step on wet and slippery ground. By late morning most of the trade has thinned and stalls close or shrink. Sturdy shoes and early arrival are recommended.