Dadar Flower Market: A Chaotic Connection With Beauty.

In a world that measures its success on the blemishing smoke of industries, I discovered a place that exudes vibrancy and freshness to my mind and aesthetics.

I’m referring to the ‘Dadar Market Of Mumbai.’ 

Regardless of the hundreds of varieties of flowers, you might view in the arena, what you will notice is the kind of rush these vendors are in! At 4:30 am, they decide to set up shop and have the enthusiasm of Christiano Ronaldo before a free kick. For all flower lovers out there, you will find common flowers such as Marigold, Roses, Orchids, Lotus, Chrysanthemum, Hydrangeas, Rajnigandha, Daisies and even rarities like lilies and peonies, of course, you must pre-order them. 

It was a Saturday morning, and the clock hit 3 am while my mind was in a flux of ideas of places that I had never introduced to the world through my writing.

Ah! There were the Parisian delicacies of central Paris or the traditional boutique shops of Vietnam but wait, why not a dwelling in the buzzing city of Mumbai? 

A muddled white T-shirt and soiled pants with a notebook made me rush to this market right after.
Although the market was simply 10 minutes away from the Dadar station, there was more of a crowd in the market than at the station! 

As I entered the Dadar Flower Market, I noticed a scurry of noises all over! It seemed as if their lives were opposite to ours. Before I could note this down, a huge man with a large potbelly and a rumpled vest came to me and asked, ‘Last day sir, take it for a discount, girlfriend will be happy.’ I’m sure he was mocking my single-ness yet I politely declined. He thumped his way through the dense crowd of the market. 

Don’t mistake this floral market for just having varieties of flowers, I saw a large number of photographers who were preparing to capture the magic of this place! Photography in the Dadar Market is a natural result of its exuberance. There must not be a single photographer in Mumbai who hasn’t come to this location to explore his skill. 

My little notebook and I were traversing through this terrain, conversing with various vendors. Mumbai being a metropolitan that is known for its hustle and bustle, I did not expect the sellers to be so kind. They not only answered my gazillion questions but also guided me to learn about the characteristics of the flowers they were selling! Of course, I took plenty of pictures, but they prefer you seek permission before doing so. If you had to beware of anything, it would be the conniving pick-pocketers who bump into you only to steal your wallet. However, what do you take from a guy like me whose wallet has absolutely zilch, nothing, nada? Jokes on them. 

The market had a natural perfume due to the presence of these divine little thingies i.e. flowers. On the other hand, there were several fish vendors as well. This market was a home for all kinds of people and vendors, no matter if you sell vegetables, flowers or second-handed furniture, they are sure to accommodate you. 

Dadar market is not a place of trade, it’s a locale of emotion. It’s a destination of commotion. I noticed those who wailed at their lives whilst others rejoiced as they made a sale.

I recognised those who were intimate with their business while those who continued to sleep on plastic chairs. 

Amid this chaos, this place has a story to tell. I only hope I can narrate it to the best of my abilities. Do visit this mad house, I promise you, you will be far from disappointed.