Marketplaces never cease to fascinate me. I can sit and watch the going-ons for hours. There’s so much action. Buying, selling, haggling, transporting, cutting, trimming, sorting, cleaning – it’s all there.

Saturday morning, I made a trip to Russell market. After two years in Bangalore, I thought it was high time. I reached around 6.30 am in the morning. Vendors were busy sorting through mountains of vegetables. Saturday mass was starting at the church nearby. Flower and candle sellers had already set up shop for the day.

An old beggar sat in the corner of the pavement accosting anyone who was entering the church. He would stick his hand out insistently and then whether he got something or not, he would go back and sit and chat with his fellow beggar for a bit. And then it was back to business again.

About half an hour later, Sabir joined me. We noticed another gentleman opposite the church carrying what had to be a camera bag. “Another photographer,” said Sabir before we carried on walking towards the huge building that houses the market.

Later, we found out that it was none other than Deepsan, who was waiting for Zeeshan (who was horribly late!) and Cyberscorpion who had all planned to meet around 7.30 am.

So five of us wandered around the marketplace for a couple of hours. I found the fish section most fascinating, and not to mention… very smelly! You won’t find so much action even in an Olympic swimming pool! Fishes, crabs, squid, clam, prawns – of all sizes and shapes – ready for buyers. Vendors shouting. Then someone nudged me saying, Fish maydum? I looked at it longingly and then realised that it was way too
much fish for me and Kit Kit to eat.

After wandering through the vegetable market, the meat market and then the flower market we stepped back out into the sunshine. Across the street, Sabir suggested we step into the alley where they sell second, third and ‘no’ grade vehicle parts. We came upon a charming young boy called Yunus who was setting up shop and posed happily for us. Not only that, he also went and got a few of his friends to be photographed and they all took turned while we clicked away.

Some pictures from Russell Market.