Our retro bus slammed the breaks at a frantic junction, signalling that we had reached our destination. Forget parking! We said our prayers and committed to a dangerous game of dodgeball with tuk-tuks, motorbikes and the occasional cow – the chaos accompanied by a cacophony of piercing car horns.
“This is India,” beckoned our guide as we (safely) made it to Krishnarajendra Market, the largest wholesale market in Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore) -the capital of India’s southern state of Karnataka.
Despite now being “off-road”, we still had our guard up as motorbikes weaved in and out of the spice-lined lanes – my gaze working overtime to appreciate the colourful commodities while also ensuring my toes didn’t become roadkill.
More commotion awaited indoors, with merchants hollering as they meandered the labyrinthine lanes – their heads supporting heavy sacks of flowers – while traders auctioned off bags of loose flowers in an atrium-like space. Down in the basement, craftsmen strung together floral necklaces and wedding centrepieces, with the damp space brought to life by petals of myriad colours and
