Went to the HAL Market in Bangalore for the very first time. After living in Bangalore for about 5 years now, I had not visited the cities famous markets known for their hustle bustle early in the mornings. Having stopped the school bus and dropping the kids to school now every morning has sure added a routine for me to visit the city's various markets.
As I walked along into the market, heard all the wholesalers busy making large bags for the retail stores and yes in the midst kept yelling out to me asking me "Enna Ma venum?". It got me excited. I love speaking in tamil and took out my camera. There was even more hustle bustle from the men telling each other, "Po, nee photo eduthuko, nill anga" --> "Go take a photo of yourself and stand there" --> "you will come in the news paper" --> another said "No not newspaper in the internet". That's when I thought, these guys have arrived. They loved to be caught on the camera and we had a great tamil language bonding to get me through the whole market with the camera.
NOTE: The market had only traditional and local vegetables, nothing exotic and none of the imported vegetables. Only the fruit market had the imported variety
TOP --> Arrai Keerai - One of the Varieties of the Edible Green Leaves Available in South India. The best of the greens and all the variety, comes on sunday. So plan to make a trip on sunday to get all the greens that I have eaten as a child. And will make sure I will share them with you too :)
The tomatoes, were of lush red and the rates, were more than half of the market. Ehem.. let me say from where I get door delivered to my home :). Just looking at these vegetables, will surely get me back to this market, when I need my vegetables.
And this lady above had a wholesale shop of only only curry leaves. Oh My God. her market was bursting with flavors of the curry leaves. Fresh and tender and super tasty!
These were the only variety of chillies that were available at the HAL Market. Although I wish they had the fiery green as well, the smaller versions.
A Diligent man, who worked on arranging this cart so neatly. He was shy and wanted to be pictures and was quieter than the rest. And said a lovely thank you for letting me picture him. How sweet is that!
He is going to be my GO TO Greens Man. I will meet him on Sundays for the variety of greens I have been wanting to make - Manthangalikai Keerai, Agathi Keerai, Murungai Keerai (Drumstick leaves), Paruppu Keerai, Thandu Keerai, Beetroot Keerai (Keerai means Edible Green Leaf)
Sweet and pretty lady whom the men beside her were pulling her leg. Loved her enthusiasm. Also notice the whole market was packing bags of vegetables to be sent out to retail and the vegetable cards that roam around neighbourhoods
And thats how the market looks from the inside. Lots of hustle bustle.
Whole salers striking deals and creating bags for retail.
The entrance to the market is the fruit shops, definitely the place to go now for the freshest of the fruits
And lastly, I picked up Ras Puri - first mangoes of the season and they were super duper delicious and sweet.
