Unique flower market of Kolkata at Mullick Ghat on the banks of the Hooghly

Flowers are required for any ritual from different pujas and birthdays to wedding and death. When the requirement is for bulk supply, all eyes focus on the wholesale market at Mullick Ghat in Kolkata. It is located on the banks of the Hoogly River opposite the Howrah Railway Station and comes to life with the first rays of the sun. The flower sellers arrive at dawn by train with the fresh flowers from their far-off villages. It is not just about flowers, but innumerable decorations with flowers that has survived for well over a century. Rammohan Mullick built the ghat in 1855. It was in memory of his father Nimai Charan Mullick. Another ghat known as the Jagannath Ghat, built by Shobharam Basak in 1760, stands right next to the Mullick Ghat. The history of how the flower trade originated at Mullick Ghat is not known. However, it might have links to the religious factor related to pilgrims heading to Puri. Today, this ghat is one of the most vibrant, active and crowded sections of the Hooghly along Kolkata. Mullick Ghat market: Saying it with flowers for well over a century. In the words of a member of the seller’s association of the market, this part of Kolkata attracts innumerable people every day.

They come from different parts of Bengal regularly and the market caters to all kinds of budgets. This is [one of] Asia’s largest flower markets. It is a fact that like other businesses elsewhere, this has also dwindled. The sellers have to be content with negligible profits. However, the endless varieties of requirements for different rituals and festivals that happen throughout the year brings home something extra. As a veteran explains - “Ever since the pandemic, the sales at the market are not encouraging or healthy at all, and we are just able to make ends meet.” When one comes across a flower or a flower decoration when in Kolkata, one must remember that such a creation is a result of the hard toil and daily struggle of countless people. They include those who grow them and transport them from far-off villages to the market in Kolkata.

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