Do you know that more than 80 percent of flowers sold in the Indian flower market are by roadside vendors, local florists, and itinerant sellers? It is no wonder, considering flowers are used by many to express their feelings and make a perfect gift for any festivity, occasion, or celebration. India, with its rich cultural and traditional heritage, and with its proximity to nature in the form of a vibrant peninsula, and a rich landscape filled with plateaus, rain forests, tropical regions, and cloud-kissing mountains, offers a variety of floral diversity considering its ecosystem.
The top 5 markets are:
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Mullick Ghat Flower Market, Kolkata
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Ghazipur Flower Market, Delhi
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Dadar Flower Market, Mumbai
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KR Market, Bangalore
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Dal Lake Flower Market, Kashmir
The Versatile and Growing Flower Market - India
The Indian flower market is burgeoning, reaching an impressive value of €3.5Bn in 2023. The growing demands of modernization and globalization have fueled the demand for both domestic and international flowers, especially exotic ones, with the hospitality and correlative industries contributing to its high demand. With a staggering annual growth rate of 19.5%, the market is expected to reach a cap value of €16.7Bn by 2032, crossing the trillion mark in terms of regional (Indian rupee) currency.
Indian Floral Landscape - A Blend of Tradition and Modernity
The culture and traditions have always had a special place for flowers - right from associating them with the Hindu gods, to their extensive use in every festive occasion, from the art of making colored dyes to designing Promethean wedding garlands and using them in decorations. Read all about garlands in this article.
With the growth in modern trends and popularity, the flower markets, which existed as cultural hubs have since modernized to a competitive extent, offering a robust market to explore flowers from local production, and from around the globe.
Exploring the Flower Markets of India
India, a vast country ranked among the top 10 in land size, boasts a remarkable diversity in its geography, from the towering Himalayas in the north to the lush rainforests of the Western Ghats, expansive plateaus, and coastal regions. This varied landscape fosters a rich ecosystem that supports a wide variety of flora, making the country a vibrant canvas for floral diversity.
From the bustling lanes of Madurai, and Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu to the vibrant stalls of Huvina market and KR market in Bangalore, and the flower market in Mysore, Karnataka, each market offers a unique sneak-peak into the region's floral diversity. The KR market in Bangalore and Mysore are renowned for jasmine, marigold, and exquisite roses.
The neighboring states of Andhra Pradesh and Kerala also feature high-end flower markets in the cities of Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Cochin, and Trivandrum. The Gudimalkapur market in Hyderabad showcases a variety of chrysanthemums, crossandra, and gerbera, and their variants, making it a focal point for any nature and flower enthusiast.
Talking of the west, the busy city of Mumbai itself features three different key hubs in terms of flower market, including Bhuleshwar, Plaza, and the most popular Dadar flower market. The latter serves as a major trading center featuring roses, jasmine, gladioli, tuberose, and daisies among other floras.
Pune also offers a unique marketplace in the form of the Holland flower market, featuring some of the widest ranges of exotic and import-quality cut and loose flowers.
The country capital - Delhi, located in the northern region also features some of the biggest markets in the region in the form of the Ghazipur flower market. Alongside this are the markets of Lucknow and Kannauj, lying towards the mid-east region, accompanied by the popular flower market of Pushkar and Jodhpur at the north-west.
When going further north, the Dal Lake flower market, with its one-of-a-kind floating market, offers a unique floral experience with opportunities to explore a variety of tulips and other local blooms from the foothills of the Himalayas.
In the East, Kolkata's Mullick Ghat flower market serves as one of the largest flower markets, not only in India but in Asia, with stall counts reaching up to 3,000 to 4,000 in today's date. This marketplace also serves as one of the finest playgrounds to witness the most vivid varieties of flora.
Top 5 Indian Flower Markets That You Can Visit
The flower market in India is an amazing place to hang out and can turn up the spirits of anyone. Many people visit these flower markets to click amazing photographs in the morning and some at night.
So there must be something special about these markets. Well, you will find out a bit about it all. That said, let's take you for a detailed ‘walk' through the top five flower markets in India.
1. Mullick Ghat Flower Market, Kolkata
Mullick (Malik or Mullik) Ghat flower market, situated right beneath the iconic Howrah Bridge by the riversides of the Hooghly, is one of the largest flower markets in Asia.
The popularity of this market is a reflection of its rich floral heritage, dating back to the Victorian Era when the city of Kolkata was the capital of British Colonial India. And as they say, "knowledge holds the key to uplifting the economy", fits perfectly with this market's growth.
One of the oldest botanical gardens in India, the Indian Botanical Garden established by Dr. William Roxburgh in 1793, is located nearby.
Apart from this, the headquarters of the Botanical Survey of India, which undertakes the exploration, documentation, and discovery of flora, is a major contributing factor to the market's rich knowledge and the existence of a variety of flowers.
The flower market is open almost 24 hours a day and is located near Jagannath Ghat, built by Ram Mohan Mallick in the eighteenth century, thus, attributing to its European architectural style.
The best time to visit for purchasing is early in the morning when the flowers are the freshest, but the market stays alive and bustling throughout the day, making it a fantastic spot to capture the most random and candid moments when it comes to flower market photography.
2. Ghazipur Flower Market, Delhi
Ghazipur Flower Market, Delhi's largest and most bustling flower market, offers a perfect opportunity for flower market photography. The market gets particularly enchanting around 3 am when the stalls unwrap their freshly arrived flowers and start up the day.
As you enter the market, you are greeted with bustling shops, the usual chaos of bargaining, and the sweet fragrance of flowers. Shopkeepers can be seen preparing jasmine garlands, handling bright burnt sienna marigolds, or trimming tuberose stems.
The market is renowned for its diverse selection of flowers, including roses, marigolds, gladioli, chrysanthemums, tuberoses, orchids, anthuriums, daisies, irises, gerberas, lilies, motia, lotus, and sunflowers.
These flowers are imported from Thailand, Holland, South Africa, and New Zealand, adding to the exotic variety available.
With over 300 shops and stalls, the market is a vital trade hub, supplying flowers to various events across the city. The best time to visit for purchasing is early in the morning when the flowers are freshest, but for photography, the pre-dawn hours offer the most captivating scenes.
3. Dadar Flower Market, Mumbai
Dadar flower market in Mumbai, a major trading center in the financial capital of India, is best visited between 4 am and 9 am. The market features more than 600 stalls, making it one of the largest in India.
Known locally as Phool Gully or Phool Mandi (translating to 'flower street' in English), the Dadar flower market is a thriving place despite various adversaries, as the locals say "unnecessary romanticism of mismanagement and governance."
By 6 am, the market comes to life, and, at times, overcrowded - so much that you may not even have to walk; the crowd would carry you along from stall to stall unless you actually set an even on your gem of the eye!
Dadar flower market offers a wide variety of flowers throughout the year with magnolias, carnations, winter jasmine, daffodils, roses, and azaleas fluttering around from January to April while the duration of May to August showcases petunias, lotus, sunflowers, Gulmohar, carnations, lilies, marigolds, roses, Hibiscus, and Chrysanthemums.
The remaining months from September to December feature Freesia, sunflowers, Dahlias, Chrysanthemums, tulips, Calendula, Hyacinths, Gerbera, daffodils, orchids, Zinnias, lilies, Delphinium, marigolds, and violets.
With this kind of floral diversity, the Dadar flower market is also a favorite spot for flower market photography to capture the lively and bustling activity in a frame.
4. KR Market Bangalore
KR Market, Bangalore, also known by the name Krishna Rajendra Market, offers a sensory delight in the form of Huvina Flower Market featuring over 100 beautifully decorated stalls.
The name 'Huvina'" means flowers in the local language 'Kannada'", reflecting the market's rich floral offerings in terms of local production.
Once a battlefield during the Anglo-Mysore war in the 18th century, the market was established in 1921 and named after the then king of Mysore, Krishna Rajendra with some of its remains still featuring the red and white architectural elements from the British era.
Known for its high-quality flowers, the market offers jasmine (Mallige and Kakadu), Cassandra, marigolds, chrysanthemums, asters, roses, Dutch roses, carnations, lilies, daisies and anthuriums.
The market is also divided into two sections: one for loose flowers, garlands, and petals and the other for exotic flowers
The best time to visit for purchases is between 12 am to 8 am, but for market photography purposes, the vibrant scenes throughout the day offer excellent opportunities.
5. Dal Lake Flower Market, Kashmir
The Dal Lake Flower Market in Kashmir is an extraordinary sight, with sellers gathering in their shikaras (houseboats) around dawn to sell fresh flowers and vegetables.
This floating market is also known as Gudri Market, which, according to legend, started when the melons of Dal Lake were sent to the Mughal court of Agra and became an instant hit among royalty. Along the lake, you will see scenic gardens like Nishat Bagh and Shalimar Bagh built by the Mughals.
These floating gardens on Dal Lake referred to as "rad" locally, are known for their beautiful lotus blooms.
This unique market in India is a great place to enjoy a unique visual treat with tulips, lotuses, and other local blooms from the foothills of the Himalayas. Locals sell a variety of daisies, and water lilies along with produce including vegetables, gems, nuts, Kashmiri bakery products, Kahwa (Kashmiri tea), and saffron on their shikaras.
The morning tranquility of the lake, punctuated only by the movement of shikaris, makes it an ideal time for both purchasing and market photography.
Other Popular Flower Markets in India - Special Mentions
However, the flower markets of India don't sum up in these five spots. There are other markets as well that deserve special mention, as they have grown in terms of commerce and popularity in recent times.
These markets hold great potential to evolve into more exclusive floral hubs within their regions and across the peninsula.
Let's explore these noteworthy flower markets and uncover the blossoming treasures they offer.
Russell Market, Bangalore
Located in the heart of Bangalore, this historical marketplace is quite popular for its coruscating floral section. Established in 1927, the market features a mix of colonial and Indian architectural styles, adding to its picturesque charm.
This market offers a diverse range of blooms including roses, marigolds, chrysanthemums, lilies, tulips, and orchids. Vendors here source their flowers from local farms and neighboring states ensuring freshness.
The morning hours between 6 am to 9 am make it a great spot for flower market photography with the vendors arranging and selling their floral wares, however, the market is open until late evenings, making it convenient for both early bird buyers and latecomers.
Devaraja Market, Mysore
A century-old market, the Devaraja market is particularly famous for its aromatic flower section. Situated near the iconic Mysore Palace and with over 800 stalls, the market is always a hub of activity starting from early mornings till late evenings, however, the morning hours steal the spot if you are planning to shop in a less crowded space.
The market offers a wide variety of flowers such as roses, jasmine, marigolds, chrysanthemums, and tuberoses, and is better known for its crafted garlands and traditional flower arrangements that are used in temples and ceremonies.
In terms of photography, the market offers dynamic and lively scenes throughout the day, offering excellent opportunities to capture the local culture and floral abundance. The historical significance and landscape location add the cherry to the cake!
Gudimalkapur Flower Market, Hyderabad
Gudimalkapur flower market is one of the largest markets in Hyderabad offering a market of key suppliers of flowers that have been adorning the various events throughout the city, including weddings, ceremonies, festivals, and even home decors with vendors sourcing most of their supplies from local and neighboring regions.
You can find roses, marigolds, jasmine, chrysanthemums, tuberoses, and lilies in abundance in this market with a variety of options to buy exotic flowers from as well.
The market faces its busiest hours during the early hours between 4 am to 8 am, however, it stays open till late evening. Gudimalkapur flower market holds its significance as one of the prime spots to experience Hyderabad's floral trade first-hand.
Madurai Flower Market, Madurai
Another one in the list that offers a blend of cultural heritage and temple traditions in its floral exhibits, the Madurai flower market is one of the largest and most colorful flower markets in the stats of Tamil Nadu offering access to a wide variety of flowers including jasmine, roses, marigolds, tuberoses and Cassandra.
Jasmine has been a flower of preference when considering the temple rituals and ceremonies and Madurai flower market offers some of the most extensive range of jasmine flowers.
The lively scenes and aromatic atmosphere are maintained throughout the day offering excellent opportunities to capture the floral beauty of Madurai, but it is best suggested to visit during the early morning hours to get access to the freshest supplies.
Indian Markets in a Nutshell
India's flower markets are vibrant epicenters of cultural richness and natural beauty, reflecting the country's deep-rooted love for flora. From the chaos at the streets in Ghazipur, Delhi to the serene and one-of-a-kind floating markets of Dal Lake in Kashmir, each market has a unique story to tell, with its own combination of floras available for trade.
These markets not only cater to local needs but also attract tourists and photographers from around the world. As we explore these floral havens, it gets more overwhelming to discover the typical dynamic interplay of tradition, modernity, creativity, and commerce, all in one place.
So whether you're a flower enthusiast, a curious traveler, or a passionate photographer, India's flower market promises an unforgettable experience filled with color, fragrance, and life.
REFERENCES:
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https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/destination-of-the-week/iconic-picturesque-flower-markets-india-7634054/
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https://www.expertmarketresearch.com/reports/indian-exotic-flowers-market
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https://bsi.gov.in/page/en/national-wild-life-action-plan
