The mere prospect of exploring historical locales is enough to get one up and running on a Sunday morning. And when some delicious food is thrown in the mix, the idea becomes all too tantalizing.
Bombay is a city of many worlds. A palimpsest (to borrow Jawaharlal Nehru’s metaphor), the Maximum City is a product of cultural synthesis spanning centuries, enriched by communities from across India and even the world who have called the place their home at some point. History enthusiasts keep this rich heritage alive through events referred to as heritage walks, which entail walking through the varied areas of the city, figuring out their micro-histories. Yours truly had signed up for one such event, hoping to relish some of the culinary delicacies the city has to offer.
The overcast morning starts off with a halt at Kyani and Co, Marine Lines’ iconic Irani bakery. We learn about the Iranis, the people behind the eateries that have become an indelible part of the city’s identity. Irani cafes not only popularized the culture of tea but also were inclusive spaces; they threw their doors open to migrant populations during the peak of colonalism, at a time when many restaurants exclusively served foreigners. These places also provided families with enough privacy and seclusion, as the norms of the time meant that society looked down upon families who stepped out to dine. Kyani still has seats earmarked for families on the top floor, a remnant of that legacy. A famished me is grateful for a chunk of delicious flaky puffs (a corruption of pattices!) and hot chai, some of the hallmarks of the cafe.
Our appetites satiated (atleast partly), we step out on to the JSS Road. The nearby areas (part of Marine Lines and Kalbadevi), though very proximate to South Mumbai, were outside the Fort area. The architectural forms of the locale reflect the fact; they have a very distinct Indian flavour to them. Moreover, this was a part of Bombay where many Indian immigrant communities settled down in clusters, in the hope of starting a thriving business or eking out a livelihood.
The ornate Parsi fire temple on the left side of the road doubles up as an indication to turn leftwards towards our next destination — the Parsi Dairy Farm. A hundred-year-old institution which catered to elite Bombay society in the pre-independence era, the eatery has transformed its architectural design in order to keep up with the times. The food, however, is as delightful as ever; the kulfis and milk chocolates on offer force me to disregard the rather stern warnings of the dentist.
Heritage walks often open up fascinating dimensions of urban histories. Some of Kalbadevi’s buildings stand as living testimonies to the deep impact the early 20th century-visit of the Prince of Wales had on Bombay. It is conjectured that the imageries of queen and royalty woven into intricate building designs (including one pictured above) were made in order to impress the visiing British royal families. In fact, the very street we are on, the Princess Street, is named for the small statue of a princess atop a prominent building.
A brief detour towards Kalbadevi Road is an opportunity to marvel at British-era theatres, century-old pioneering chaat shops, and military hotels. Returning to SG Marg, we now enter the famed medicine market-Dawa Bazaar. Apart from the spotting of a more-than-a-century old umbrella shop, this part of the walk is mostly silent observation, of the intricate construction styles, the buzzing marketplace, treasures of Bombay hidden in plain sight.
The transition to Zaveri bazaar is almost seamless. The Jama Masjid, which once stood across the BMC building, looms large over the area. The next stop is at Agiyari Lane; barely did I foresee that this would be the day of my transformation from a kachori-skeptic into a lover of the snack. We munch on the fantastic kachories as our host takes us through the historical antecedents of the (most probably) Rajasthani-origin dish. It is only fitting that my kachori moment happens here; kachories, like many street foods, initially evolved from bazaars across the land.
We end the day with some Persian-origin sweet dishes which have become an integral part of the Indian cuisine. Jalebis and falooda at Mumbadevi Jalebiwala and Badshah, two shops which played an important role in popularizing the respective delicacies in the city, round up a rewarding morning which satisfied one’s curiosity and tastebuds in equal measure.
