Brought Home Rs 3000 worth of ‘Fish’ on my ‘Swish’?
Want your ‘Wish’ for your favorite ‘Fish’ to be on your ‘Dish’, then head on to Farangipete, in the outskirts of Mangaluru, where the vendors at a road side mini fish market located on the busy Mangaluru-Bengaluru national Highway (NH 48), will satisfy your search for the best and fresh sea catch of the day. On ‘Bharath Bandh’ – Brought Home Rs 3000 worth of ‘Fish’ on my ‘Swish’?
Mangaluru: Want your ‘Wish’ for your favorite fish to be on your dish, then head on to Farangipete, in the outskirts of Mangaluru, where the vendors at a road side mini fish market located on the busy Mangaluru-Bengaluru national Highway (NH 48), will satisfy your search for the best and fresh sea catch of the day. There are fishes of all kind of varieties-you name it! And they are all fresh and much cheaper than what you find at Mangaluru Central Fish Market. And the fish was much cheaper on ‘Bharath Bandh” couple of days ago, since the fish vendors were selling it at lower prices since the customers were low in numbers due to lack of transportation, that I brought home nearly Rs 3000 worth of my favorite fish on my two-wheeler “Swish”?- the same amount of fish on some other day would have cost me around Rs 5000. Thanks to the organizers of “Bharath Bandh”?
Although much of the fish that is sold here are transported from Mangaluru Fish Dock-Bunder, but you will find many varieties here that you’ll not find in city markets, and the fish is fresh and cheap. Looking at the all the fishes that are spread on the counter, you will be wondering which one to buy, because every one of them look good. You can linger at the fish monger. It can all be quite a bit to take in. You’ll forget what species are sustainable and “good” to buy. And you dither about how to cook them. Recently, though, I decided to mount my monger meandering and learn a little more about what which fish to buy, and he helped me out.
Once you enter this road side fish market, the chaotic environment and the pungent smell you just can’t ignore-that’s the scene at this market pretty much every day. Not that you can’t buy these fish in Mangaluru, but people travel all the way from city to Farangipete to get the best deal and good fish. Also people don’t want to put up with all the argument with the local fisher-women here in the City, who inevitably turn abusive if you start to bargain about prices with them. But the vendors, all men, at the Farangipete fish stalls are very courteous, friendly, jovial, – and they even clean the fish if you request them for free, without any hassles. And above all, they won’t abuse you during times of bargaining. And one among them is Riyaz, who along with his dad is having a stall, and is liked by all (seen in the picture holding fish)
People come to this market from far and near- and many a times you will run into folks that you know in Mangaluru. The best time to visit this market is during early afternoon or early evening when you can get pretty good deals. Like on Friday afternoon (Bharath bandh day) the prices of fishes were as such- Anjal (Seer or King fish)-Rs 400-450/kg; Pomfret (Black)- Rs 380-400/kg; Bondas (Squid)- 150/kg; Red Snapper-Rs 100-120/kg; Sardines- Rs 100/kg; Mackerel-Rs 150-200/kg; Yeri- Rs 200/kg; Kaduvai- Rs 225-250/kg, Lady Fish (Kane)- Rs 350-400; Pomfret-(White)-Rs 750-800/kg; prices of prawns varied depending on the size, but quite reasonable than Kudla. No matter which fish you wanted to buy, the prices are within your budget! I took home Sear fish, Lady fish (Kane), Silver fish, Kaduvai, Prawns, Pomfret, Bondas (Squid), and Red Snapper – and I got a deal cheaper than the market price, since it was a slow business day due to Bandh.
We all know that Mangaluru is very famous for its seafood? But at the same time when you want to buy them locally they are very expensive at the fish markets. But a little travel distance of 16-17 kms from Mangaluru , you’ll experience the arrival of the tasty fish, the delicious prawns, crabs, King fish (Anjal), Silver fish, Mackerel, Pomfret, Sardines etc at Farangipete mini fish market- and for the price you pay for the fish you buy, is worth your travel there. But buy it in bulk-it will be worth your time, travel and also money! You can see and hear people bargain, sometimes arguing, it is a spectacle that shouldn’t be missed. You can get an insight of different kinds of fish, the vendors behind the stalls and life of people in that area. So next time you plan on buying fish at bulk, head on to Farangipet Mini Fish market- where you’ll find the best, fresh fish at unbelievable bargain price.
I did my job bringing home the “Best Fish” at the “Best Price”- now it’s time for my sister-in-law and the servant to do all the cleaning and cooking, and serve me my favorite ‘Fish” delicacies on my “Dish”- probably for the next two or three weeks, till all the fish is gone.