Nagendra Bazaar Fish Market

Diamond Harbour is one of the major wholesale markets for hilsa (ilish): the silver-bellied river fish that Bengalis regard with near-reverential devotion. The Nagendra Bazaar wholesale market is a genuine, working auction market where large buyers (arats) purchase hilsa by the jhanka (45kg bundles). Arriving early on a weekday morning to observe the auction is an authentically chaotic, extraordinarily sensory experience: shouts, ice, gleaming fish, the smell of the river. Retail buyers can find sellers on the market's periphery. The practical advice: the quality is excellent in season (July-October for the best hilsa) but impulsive buying should be approached with care; assess freshness carefully before committing.