Kolkata - Hive of industry

I guess the term hive of industry originated from observations of bees but it could equally be applied to Kolkata’s Barabazar or Mullik Ghat flower market. Barabazar, Asia’s largest wholesale market, is absolutely extraordinary, chock full of traders, taxis and wallahs carrying everything imaginable. The market is a maze of narrow laneways with tiny shops jam packed with wares stacked up to the roof and out on the street, selling every possible thing imaginable.

The laneways of Barabazar

All manner of goods are carried away on the shoulders of men and loaded on to bicycles, tricycles, carts and auto rickshaws, loaded up to the hilt. The men work like ants scurrying this way and that, dragging or carrying more weight than you think they might. It makes your head spin watching it all.

Another load - Barabazar

Busy as bees - Mullik Ghat flower market

Flowers coming in and going out

India is a real treasure, a rich palette of vibrant colour and culture and no where is this more evident than in this remarkable area of Kolkata.