[Some Phirni]
India is alight in an collective mood of festivity and Indians everywhere irrespective of their persuasion or denomination come together in this collective rhapsody of colour, culture, religion, food and dance. The festivities start Hindu festivals of Navratri, Durga Puja, Dussera and all this with the Muslim observance of Ramzan or Ramadan.
This month long conviviality end with Diwalli and Eid both around the same time. Festivals are great times and for me, they mean two things food and photographs. Here's a short round up in and around Bombay.
Midnight Meals at Mohammad Ali Road.
The red hot charcoal solder as the smoke rises through the tenderised chicken and kebabs into the air, wafting into my nostrils, air such divine. It's a frenzied scene as full pitched bazaar flows by with smiles and sighs under the green glow of the well adourned mosque and the orange glow from the alleviating traffic behind me. I glance at my wrist watch and it blinks backs 00:00 am at me. I frown in disbelief think out aloud, "It can't be tomorrow already, the city is alive and awake" My words at any other time would have been audible but today they seem to have been drowned by the life around me.
"Aao Aao Sahb, Mensahb .. Humare Badiya Khana Khao", "{Come one and all try out our delecious fare} shouted the man next to me in his crisp white kurta and colourful skull cap. Seeing that I was paying him some eye contact he diverted his sales touts to my directions.
People think Indian Bazaars are haphazard, I disagree each market has a finely planned out anatomy. Just like when you're in a department store and you find the Womens section on the first floor, childrens on the second, and mens wear on the third or sometimes on the fourth depending on where they want to put the lifestyles stuff. In the same way the midnight bazaar has womens shoes, everything from skilettos to juttis on the outer rim. There is also other stuff hair-bands, clothes, costume jewellery etc etc but since I'm not the target consumer I ignore. I by pass the shoes with out second look and move on directly to the good stuff, the food. Back to the anatomy we have the dazzling variety of methais [sweets] and food of all shapes and sizes on the left. Food Court Style yet outdoor very cool.
I was there for the sweets and Suleman Usman Bakery was the place to enjoy them. Phirnis, Maalpuas yum. I lapped down a rich and creamy kesar Phirni till my plastic spoon scrapped the bottom of the terrecota cup it was served in. The Maalpaus pure heaven served hot with their crispy brown honey dipped sweet exterior and their custard creamy interior melting in you mouth as your palate just wanted more. Sensory overload.
[Maalpuas beeing made afresh. Umm..]
You want a piece of this and you're Bombay you could try this walk beeing planned [here], I hear it's filling up fast.
Navratri
I didn't have the honour or the pleasure of particpating nine nights and ten day, this festival of dance, music and celebration. But Charu of A time to reflect did, read her account and extract some vicarious pleasure, you know I did.
Durgotsob
In a words of Rahul of livinghigh, a self-described "Bengalli expat in Bombay"
"Why do I feel like sighing and sniggering, when I see the Bong expats in joints
like RK Mission and Bandra Park and Shivaji Park, clustered around a Durga
murti? It strikes me as a cheap imitation of a Baghbaajaar or a College
Square or a Maddox Square in Calcutta. I always knew I was a snob, but so
much a Bengali chauvnist snob, I didn't guess"
Anyways, I'm not picky about my Raj Bhog and today being Dusera I headed for the Durga Pandal at Shivaji Park. Fun it was I took some picture, eat some stuff I could n't quiet pronounce, all involving fish. Left there content as a cat. Thank god my mother wasn't there otherwise I would have spent most of my time at the sari vendor.
Dussera.
I'm feeling lazy let the pictures do the talking and before I forget.
Happy Dussera Folks !!!
[Here the colour ful effigy of Ravanna that is set alight.]
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