Over the past few years, Kolkata has been enveloped by the entrepreneurship fever, with tonnes of homegrown brands cropping up and carving a niche with standout products. To provide these brands a platform, The CCU Festival and Make Calcutta Relevant Again (MCRA) came together to organise MRKT New Year Edition 2025, a unique flea market held at Offbeat CCU on EM Bypass on January 18 and 19. My Kolkata came onboard as the digital media partner.
From Darjeeling tea priced at Rs 29 (Dzomsa - Wok & Wanderlust) to (right) an emerald statement piece by ES by RIYA, going for Rs 15,000, there was something for everyone
The flea market had options across all verticals like fashion, food, jewellery and personal care, with 25 exciting brands from Kolkata bringing their ‘A’ game. The focus was on accessibility, with shoppers sifting through a range of options that were affordable, while not compromising on quality. At the same time, there were ample choices for those looking for a touch of luxury.
Meghdut RoyChowdhury (centre), founder of MCRA, enjoyed browsing through the stall by Aura along with (left) Torbjörn Hellmouth, co-founder for WOLI (Warriors of Love International). Aura grabbed eyeballs with its novel concept of DIY bath and skincare products. ‘Rather than just displaying products on a shelf, we wanted to engage people into choosing their fragrances, additives and colours to make it more personal,’ said (right) founder Shreepriya Kedia
In addition to retail therapy, visitors also received a healthy dollop of the performing arts. Day 1 had rapper and music producer Cizzy dropping bars with his crew, Banglar Thek, bringing both rhythm and poetry to authentic Bengali voices.
The flea market also had a plethora of live performances across art forms, including (left to right) stand-up comedy, Cajon percussion, and Bangla rap. ‘We enjoyed entertaining audiences, and it was a great way to mark the return of Topcat Retired Comedy Club,’ said (extreme left) comedian Sahil Agarwal
Day 2 doubled the fun, with city-based start-up, Gappu, organising a foot-tapping Cajon session with talented percussionists. Topcat Retired Comedy Club also put together a stand-up comedy show comprising 12 hilarious comedians from the city.
The idea was to highlight brands with a purpose, like Quirkybae, which specialises in fashion that is both sustainable and inclusive. ‘A flea market is a win-win situation for both responsible brands and conscious shoppers,’ said co-founder Shrutanwita Chakraborty
“With the increasing number of entrepreneurs within Kolkata, people are looking for opportunities to shop from responsible small brands. Flea markets are usually the space where people can discover them in real life, beyond their Instagram profile,” said Shrutanwita Chakraborty, co-founder of Quirkybae, who was there with her brand at MRKT 2025.
The entire experience was curated by Aerica Sardar. ‘Our central focus was to highlight the best homegrown brands, without making things too pricey. The idea was to have something for everyone,’ she said
“Our vision was to create a marketplace with something for everyone,” signed off Aerica Sardar, who curated the event.
