JB Nagar Fish Market

 

Marol Pipeline Road

 

Saturday Flea Market at JB Nagar/ Marol Pipleline Road. 

Andheri - Ghatkopar Road

If it is Monday, it must be Malad. But since it is Saturday, it was Marol Dry Fish Market.  

Drying larger varieties of fish is fascinating to watch and in Mumbai you can observe it at the Fish Market in Chakala (JB Nagar) Fish Market. The market here in Fridays and Saturdays but drying happens according to other factors.

Unlike the smaller Bombay Duck, Anchovies and even Mackerels which we see being dried on our village beach maidans, the large fish like Tuna, Barracuda, etc. need to be slit open length wise and opened like a book. The innards are removed, and what remains is cleaned and dehydrated using salt.

At the Marol market, you can see the whole process and the different steps in the making of dried fish. The dry fish processed here in sold in the market and around the city.

Here are a few images.

Washed.

Salted and stacked.

Fuel

If it is Monday...

The other side of the market with its friendly dry fish sellers. They take their hoard from market to market in this part of the city. The Marol market congregates on Fridays and Saturdays. Sundays are in Bhayander and if it is Monday, it has to be Malad.

Andheri-Kurla Road

The Marol (JB Nagar) Dry Fish Market.

Dry heat, eye fry, blistering hot Saturday afternoon at the Marol (JBNagar) Dry fish market. Saturday is also the day we have a large flea market along the pipeline and pipeline road next to this large market but pictures of that in another post. But first, enjoy the beautiful art of arranging dry fish.

You can reach the place by getting off at Chakala Metro Station (2 mins walk).

Meet the local gunda of the Dry fish market.

The sheds are marked according to the fishing villages/jetty that bring their produce here. Manori, Madh, etc.

Couldn't help noticing the sun-dried skin of the dry fishing seller. They were all women.

I bought a few dried anchovies. I even got advice on how to fry it well from this lady.
The recipe she gave me was exactly the same as this one from Kerala minus the curry leaves.

It's not just dry fish that you get there. There is a flourishing market for second and first hand clothes in one corner of the market on Saturday.

And like all markets in India, this one had high energy food because buying and selling is a tiring business and one needs energy.