Traditional street markets in India are pungent, hectic and often unsanitary, but they are a cultural experience that you should not miss.
Traditional street markets in India are pungent, hectic and often unsanitary, but they are a cultural experience that you should not miss.
Cochin, India, also called Kochi, is a city of 600,000 that is famous for using Chinese fishing nets called Cheenavala in nearby Fort Kochi. A six-fisherman team work tirelessly lowering and lifting 65 foot nets suspended by bamboo using huge mechanical cantilevers that are counter-weighted by massive stones. Then they display their meager catches of fish, shrimp and other crustaceans in plastic bowls filled with water.
It seems that India, like the city of Cochin or Kochi, is a large exporter of dried flowers used as potpourri like this sample in a burlap gunny sack. It is later mixed with oils, scents and spices by manufactures and sold to provide pleasing aromas in the home.
This burlap gunny sack contains whole black peppers or peppercorns. The crop originated in southern India before 2000 BC. As the seasoning became popular, it was called black gold and used as currency. The much-prized spice was heavily traded with the ancient Greeks and Romans. Today, pepper represents 20% of the world’s spice trade. The International Pepper Exchange is located in Kochi (also called Cochin), India. Vietnam is the world’s top producer of pepper, followed by Indonesia and then India.
5 Jew Town Rd, Jew Town, Kochi, Kerala 682002, India
Vegetables in Mumbai, India, are frequently sold in closet-sized stalls that line a street market. This vendor of ginger, cauliflower and mixed green vegetables tried to beautify his stall with shelf-lining-paper tacked along the walls.
The Chor Bazaar in Mumbai, India is a noisy, busy and pungent market that is over 150 years old. Translated to mean “Thieves Market,” it’s a practical outlet for local shoppers and a dazzling novelty for the tourist. This Indian man carries a heavy sack of produce towards his stall.
This vegetable vendor at a street market in Mumbai, India, looks relaxed, but if you take one look at his garlic bulbs, cloves, carrots, cauliflower or cabbage, he will spring into action and grab a plastic bag in anticipation of selling you something.
Chor Bazaar is one of five historic street markets in Mumbai, India, that serves its population of over 20 million people. It dates back 150 years. Originally called Chor Bazaar or “noisy market,” the British mistakenly called it “thieves market.” It is crowded, busy, dirty and well worth a visit.
A U.S. health inspector and consumers would cringe at the sight of these whole raw chickens in a dirty cart covered with flies at a street market in Mumbai, India. However, this lack of food sanitation did not seem to bother the locals who just shooed away the flies before buying a bird.
Street vendors in Port Blair, India, seem to have two things in common. Their business is on wheels like this vendor of apples and oranges who sells from a cart with bicycle tires. They also have attached an umbrella to help shield from the excessive heat that averages from 84 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit year round.
Port Blair is on the Andaman Islands off the southeast coast of India. Formerly the site of a British penal colony, the town of about 100,000 is now called “Veritable Garden of Eden” by the tourism department. These multi-generational women are typical of the sights in the local markets wearing sari dresses.