Streets in Mumbai are empty and Mohammed Ali Road, Mumbai’s usually busy Ramadan festive street food market is shut during the lockdown

Ramadan (Ramzan) this year was a very different experience for the millions worldwide observing the almost month-long fast and so will Eid. And for all the fans of the festive street food of Mohammed Ali Road, this year has been a major disappointment. For the first time in the history of its existence, this bustling street lies silent and bare during Ramadan.

Mumbai’s Mohammed Ali Road, with its burgeoning street food market that is at its best during the holy month of Ramadan, is well-known for its brilliant food and desserts. Myriad food stalls serving hundreds of mouth-watering meat dishes, biryanis and a mind-boggling variety of desserts operate out of this small street every year.

This market which originated decades ago with just a handful of stalls dotting the periphery of Minara Masjid is now a popular tourist attraction. During Ramadan, it attracts a huge crowd, all eager to feast on the delicacies. Irrespective of religion, caste, or creed, this massive vibrant market embraces everyone with its offerings. Though I do not belong to the Muslim community, I have been a regular visitor at this market for the past many years and have always celebrated Eid with some of my close friends. My college buddy M and his pal A, never miss a chance to eat the special festive food during Ramadan at Mohammad Ali Road and it was with them that I went on a very enjoyable guided tour of sorts, a few years ago. The experience had me become a tourist in my own city, camera phone in hand, takes notes, reliving old memories.

Scores of people from neighbouring cities and eager tourists throng this street, queuing up to enjoy the food. For some tourists this is also a time for doing some celeb-spotting as many of Mumbai’s famous Bollywood stars are a huge fan of the food too.

The famous Bade Miya also has a pop-up stall at Mohammed Ali Road during Ramadan.

Khansamas especially travel from places across India, especially Lucknow and Madhya Pradesh to Mumbai – Muhammad Ali Road for this month to create their magical dishes for the hungry crowds.

MUST-HAVE IFTAAR DISHES AT MOHAMMED ALI ROAD, MUMBAI

Biryani, Tandoori meat and tandoor naans, kebabs, soft rumali rotis, shawarmas, mutton and chicken curries are just some of the tempting delicacies that are on offer to satisfy any and every craving. Slow-cooked nalli nihari with a soft roomali roti is an unbeatable combination. For many of my friends, Haleem is the ultimate comfort-food meets meaty delight dish and what better way to enjoy this than at the end of a long day of fasting?

And though it might seem surprising to some, there are some fantastic offal dishes on offer. I for one would highly recommend Zaban soup, Zaban fry, kaleji Tawa fry, and the piece de resistance – Bheja Fry. Other melt-in-your-mouth offal dishes include the ‘mutton Khiri kebab’ and the ‘mutton kaleji. The sooty aroma of meat skewered on hot charcoal and Rotis slapped onto massive tandoors lingers heavy in the air, tempting your senses to keep indulging.

When I moved to the U.K, I was quite surprised by how unpopular offal was amongst the common people. Over the years, though I have seen it rise in popularity, especially as celebrity chefs flaunt their fancy creations on television cookery shows and social media. When I started writing my food and travel blog back in 2012 (I began blogging in 2006 with a lifestyle blog) I had no idea I would be embarking on such an exciting journey. Through the course of my blogging and then freelance content creation, I embarked on a journey as a freelance Marketing, PR and social media professional. I have been blessed with some amazing friendships that have truly blossomed over the years. I have cooked alongside Michelin star chefs. Celebrity chefs, in five-star kitchens and been on the set of the Saturday Kitchen Live. I have sampled some brilliant food and been to some fabulous cookery demonstrations. Even while travelling I have been invited to sample great food and wine, enjoyed some beautifully curated food walks in exotic locales and met some deeply knowledgeable and talented chefs and travel writers. But I digress so now back to reminiscing about Mohammed Ali Road and the fabulous food enjoyed during Ramadan.

There are some incredibly special delicacies that are only sold during this period which you will not see on restaurant or street food stall menus otherwise. Breaking the evening fast by eating the food here is a great way to enjoy iftar.

Dessert choices include the famous malpua – deep-fried golden goodness to devour after a meat fiesta. But one must not miss out on the dark and delightful Burhanpur ki mawa jalebi. This dark jalebi-like dessert is made from deep-fried khoya and then dunked into a sugary syrup.

If you are after something milder then pick from one of the many tempting flavours of phirni set in small earthen pots, topped with dry fruits. The iconic Suleman Usman Mithaiwala is just below the Minara Masjid and is a hugely popular sweet shop, frequented by people all year round. Personally, I always start the dessert feasting with the sandal, the appearance of steamed idli, and the taste of a milky coconut sweet and then head onto a thick coconut cream milkshake loaded with a thick layer of dry fruits.

As a young adult, growing up in Mumbai, I was always surrounded by friends and family who are equally passionate about food. During any Indian festival, waves of nostalgia transport me back to Mumbai, when many an evening was spent listening to them share memories and experiences about the rich traditions surrounding food.

Friends regaled us with takes about the grand celebrations during Eid and the holy month of Ramadan. Such epic tales of food and celebrations, from their families, of generations past, are inter-woven into the tapestry of my soul for life.

I am writing this today after browsing through old photo albums on my laptop dating back several years. This has brought back so many memories, of enjoying the most brilliant food with my friends for epic Iftar parties, of foodie gifts shared by neighbours and friends with us over the years and of my many trips to Mohammed Ali Road to relish amazing food during Ramadan.

The flavours and aromas wafting through the area are something that I can never forget. I just close my eyes and pretend am back there with my friends, feasting and just being a part of this beautiful tradition.

To all my Muslim friends, and everyone celebrating, I wish you a safe and happy Eid. It cannot be the same this year due to the pandemic that has brought the world to its knees. But this does not dampen the spirit of celebration and the auspicious traditions of Eid.

Our entire Human race together shall get through this. We will emerge on the other side of this lockdown.

We will again someday soon greet each other with warm hugs.

We shall share our favourite food cooked with love and joy.

Together – we will defeat this invisible enemy.

Eid Mubarak to one and all.

Markets, Bazaars, Khau-Gallis, street food – Vibrant and bustling and full of colour and local flavours. I have always been fascinated by them and make sure that whenever I travel back to India, I go and refresh my memories. I also make it a point to visit local markets whenever I travel.

Take a virtual tour of some of my favourite markets:

• Borough Market, London
• Portobello Market, Notting Hill, London
• London Bridge and the surrounding area
• Food walking tour, New York

Growing I remember tagging along with my mum for her weekly fresh grocery shop. I was rewarded with an eclair for helping her carry one of the many beautiful hand-made cloth bags home, full of fresh fruit.

The market was all busy, buzzing with activity, lots of vendors with their hand carts full of produce. Most of them regulars and many knew their regular customers by name too. My favourite was always the elderly lady who sold fresh curry leaves, fragrant coriander leaves and green chillies. Her tiny frame also hidden behind the piles of green.

Tulshi Baugh and Mandai, a vibrant Kaleidoscope of Pune’s Vintage Market, sits huddled in between modern buildings, dusty by-lanes. It is always busy with throngs of people milling about, weaving their way through traffic and stray cows chewing cud on the road and stray dogs chilling by the foothpath. Pedestrtians determined to reach their favourite shops muscle their way through vehicles with auto-rickshaws honking incessantly at no-one in particular and huge privately owned cars with windows rolled up driven by goon-like private hire drivers ferry their masters and mistresses to get their fix of their favourite food or drink or simply to visit the famous temple nearby.

Shri Ramji Sansthan Temple

Somehow on these same roads, dusty public buses offer a cheaper transport alternative to the common men and women who’s daily income does not afford them the same creature comforts as the nouveau riche or the Khandani- Ameer (rich by inheritence crowd) or the modern middle-class crowd that works for their money and picks an uber-ride or a zips around on gearless scooters that actually rule the roads in Pune city. Oh yes, Pune city is completely over-run by reckless motorbike and scooter riders who are absolute speed demons and zip across the lenghth and breadth of the city without a helmet and even protest when they are asked to pay a fine for not caring for their own personal safety. Don’t believe it, well, at your own peril then, for not very long ago, I was one such rider (though I did always wear a helmet and followed the rules) Oh how I miss my beautiful gearless scooter my Honda Activa, it gave me wings – litreally!

But I digress, we must come back to talking about the beautiful market that is Mandai and the gorgeous Ram Mandir. This 18th century temple was built by Shri Naro Appaji Khire in what used to be a huge tulshi garden literally translating into a garden where the holy basil grew. At the time, the building was the tallest spire in the city of Pune. There is a spacious wooden congraration hall right outside the temple and many smaller shrines around the main temple (have a look at the photo below).

The temple and the surrounding market is steeped in history and has seen stalwarts like freedom fight Lokamya Tilak and other emiment members of society frequent the area in the pre-indpenedance times.

Tulshibaug

The inner courtyard market right outside the temple has many shops whcih are probably as old as the temple itself. They sell jewellery, various utensils and also all sizes of sculptures and framed pictures of various dieties.

Right outside the courtyard are shops selling many different things including two of my absolute favurites, toy kitchen utensils and toy kitchen sets and Glass bangles. Other shops sell cotton bedding, shoes, bindis and imitation jewellery.

I am low-key obsessed wih Bangles and glass bangles have this beautiful retro feel and for me they transport me to a forgotten era. To adorn a wrist-full of delicate glass bangles and dress in a Traditional cotton sari gives me an etheral experience as if I was in a stage play or period drama. That is why I love these beautiful glass bangles shop in Tulshi Baug. All those shiny bangles are so pretty.

I hope that someday I can visit the bangle market in Hyderabad to see the famous bangle market and buy loads of bangles made from lakh clay.

Once you step outside into the streets from the temples inner sanctum there is a very busy market selling everything imaginable. It is home to several hundred shops and probably as many street side vendors. Nestled very close to the Vishrambaug Wneada, this histroic 18th centruy temple and market area is a stone’s throw away from an equally famous and histroic fruit and vegetable market – Mandai.

Mahatma Phule Mandai

The current indoor area of Mandi is housed in a Britosh era Gothic style building and the architecture is to be admired. It houses a busy market which spills over into the streets outside with hundreds of hand carts and shops selling every possible fruit and vegetable that you would expect to find and even some exotic ”foreign” vegetables.

In the 70’s this market would attract vendors who trade and purchase from the wholesale vegetable on a dialy basis and then transport their purchases in bullock carts to various part sof the city and adjoining smaller towns too. Now it mainly houses retail vendors who sell to the general public.

This market is home to shops that sell lots from than just fruits and vegetabes though. You can shops for spices, pulses, stainless utensils, wicker baskets, ceramic pots and pans, popaddams, peanuts and so much more. Lots of Mithai shops dot the outside lanes alongwith lots of famous old resturants that are popular with tourists and locals alike.

No trip to Pune is complete without exploring these historic market places and soaking up the vibrant atmosphere. Hopefully, I will soon be able to explore the local food and walk around and explore the oldest resturants that dot this and the surroudning area.

Love browsing markets as much as I do? Why not have a virtual gander through various markets across the world by checking out my blog posts below:

• Borough Market, London
• Portobello Market, Notting Hill, London
• Mohammed Ali Road Street Food Market, Ramadan Special, Mumbai
• London Bridge and the surrounding area

*Not sponsored. As always all opinions are always my own. Unless otherwise stated all photographs are clicked and processed by me. Kindly do not replicate any text and/or images/photographs from this post or my website without my express written constent.