Morning Market

Every town and city has a thriving market, particularly in the early morning and then again in the evening, when people are going home from their work. Our hotel offered an early morning walking tour through the market, so at 6:30am, as the light was changing from grey to pearl, about 10 travellers trailed behind a guide, like ducklings to their mother.

We first passed the dairy farmers, who brought their cow and buffalo milk in from the surrounding countryside in large metal canisters. To receive payment their milk had to be assessed for quality. The assessor would plunge his arm in a canister, and if this came out with a thick coating of white, that farmer would fetch a better price than the farmer whose milk was watery and thin. Not particularly hygienic, but then we don’t imbibe much dairy here.

The flower sellers have sacks of roses and marigolds and a sort of white daisy, the sacks made of old scarves themselves flower like in tone. 

These flower heads are for those going to the temples, for offerings.  

There are other roses, so-called English roses, with stems which brides like to use, but these have no scent.

One woman was making necklace strings of marigolds, and our guide bought us each one. 

Despite it being winter, there are dozens of fresh fruits and vegetables available. Most of them we can identify easily, but there are a few new ones to us. 

Women and boys carry sacks and baskets to the wholesalers, who have permanent kiosks that rim the market. Old men look after the produce, or smoke and chat amongst themselves.

There are few trinkets and tourist tat here, although we were surprised to see a number of tables proudly display dentures and metal tools that look at home in a hardware shop. Dentists ply their trade here. WE are told that they don’t have big degrees but are very good. I wonder what my dentist cousin in Vancouver thinks about that!

We clambered aboard three tuktuks to a street just beginning to open up for other trade, in clothing and fabrics and household goods. In front of shops dangle a lemon and some chilis, for luck. 

In little holes and crevices are small businesses providing refreshment. We have not tried the street food in India really, as one never knows how hygienic the process is and our stomachs are not as strong as the locals’, but our guide assured us we were about to taste the best samosas and drink the best masala chai we’ve ever had. He was not wrong on either account. We also had delevi, little squiggles of dough deep fried then soaked in sugar syrup, hot and absolute heaven. We also sampled a bespoke mix, known as Bombay mix although apparently it did not originate there, and we sent back home to breakfast.

fresh samosas, the best I've ever had

ingredients from which Bombay mix can be made

hold in the wall chai stand - live upstairs, work downstairs

pouring the hot chai into the kettle

devili cooked in fat behind, soaked in syrup middle,
and ready to eat front