India’s famous flower markets are testiment to the people and culture’s strong identification with flowers in all aspects of their daily lives, both sacred and secular. Flowers are found in food and drinks, and as part of all the rights of passage of daily life, from birth to death and everything in between.
Although I’ve never been to Calcutta, I’ve read about the flamboyantly colorful Mallick Ghat Flower Market along the banks of the Hooghly River. Danish photographer Ken Hermann captures the proud men who make their living as Calcutta’s flower sellers.
‘I first went to the flower market during a visit to Calcutta three or four years ago and have wanted to do something on it ever since,’ explains Copenhagen-based Hermann.
‘It’s a beautiful and, at the same time, very stressful place but I was fascinated with it – and the flower sellers in particular. I really like the way they carry their flowers,’ he continues.
‘Sometimes it almost looks like they are wearing big flower dresses. I like that you see these strong and masculine men handling the flowers with so much care as if they were precious jewels.’
Hermann, whose work usually takes him into the grimier side of Indian life, was also enchanted by the flowers themselves, even if there were a few that he wasn’t allowed to photograph.
‘There are a lot of superstitions and religious belief in flowers in India,’ he explains. ‘I wasn’t allowed to photograph some of them because they were considered to be holy flowers and they would lose their power if I had.’
Among them are the blood-red hibiscus beloved of Kali, Lakshmi’s fragrant lotus flowers, Saraswati’s champa (Indian magnolia) and the wonderfully named Flame of the Forest (yellow palash).
The men themselves, however, proved to be willing accomplices. ‘Most of the people didn’t mind having their photo taken – provided it didn’t take too long,’ says Hermann.
‘All of the flower sellers were busy working and didn’t want to lose any business.’ He adds: ‘Hopefully, people find the portraits interesting: even though some of the flower sellers are poor, they are still very proud of what they do and I hope people can see that.’
Organikos 
I’m from Vietnam, and I think the flower sellers in my country deserve something better (i don’t know about others in different countries) . They have to work so hard days after days, years after years. But most people don’t seem to respect them. People only buy flowers every beginings of the month (it’s our custom) with very low price.
I’m sure it does vary culture to culture. Thank you for sharing your thoughts about yours.
Thank you for replying my comment too!