Sunday, September 30, 2007

MUMBAIYA

bombay as a city is known for being stylish, "MUMBAIYA" - thats the word which gives us an imagery of style. whether it is the language or the movies or the way people dress up in the streets. where style doesn't mean obscenity.



yes. this mumbaiya flavour is all about style.

yesterday i spend a few hours roaming around the streets of bombay. trying out street-food, gossiping with the street vendors and enjoying the humid weather.

there is something stylish about everything in the city whether it is a brand new black mercedes or the tiger prints inside a yellow top fiat. the sense of style is so strong even in the typography on the back of the cabs. the moment you enter the airport the architecture, the interiors, the signage’s reek of style.

it is probably wrong to say that the style quotient travels top-down the social structure. in bombay there is no dilution about style even in the bottom of the social structure.

well i'm getting carried away with the cities S.Q.

what attracted me the most was when i was walking down the streets near the fort area. and looking at the goods being sold. everything seems to be so chic.

as was kept walking. my friend who was walking with me stopped to show me something. and for a delhi person who is awestruck by the bombay. even the minutest of the things become a memory to carry back home.

she was standing and admiring a fruit-sellers passion as he was decorating freshly cut fruits on the display. i won't say such things doesn't exist in delhi, but surely it doesn't make much of a difference to the bigger picture.

whereas in bombay all these little things contribute to greater cause.

the making of "MUMBAIYA" style.

though i didn't taste the fruits. but the man was happy to see me taking pictures of his stall. as he was so confident of his S.Q.

i salute him and many such style icons for making the of the word "MUMBAIYA".










Saturday, September 29, 2007

Mr. Narayan



today i met Mr.Narayan somewhere around the fort area in bombay.


he is a master smoked toasted sandwiches maker.

the only problem is he's not being able to concentrate on his skill as the मुन्सीपालटी कि गाड़ी (municipal corporation) drops by anytime and forces him shut shop.


well he's passionate enough to fight against the odds as he's been doing for last 20 years.


standing on the road under the scorching sun, the humid weather. always dedicated to his cause Mr. Narayan is treating the people of bombay to his spicy multi layered smoked sandwiches. layers of cucumber-tomatoes-butter (मस्का ) - chutney - potatoes goes inbetween slices of breads before he puts it into the ancient toaster with his own hands to be smoked on charcoal. once it is golden brown in colour he delicately puts the sandwich on a piece of freshly torn newspaper. cuts the sandwich into six unequal pieces and tops it with ketchup and sev (सेव). once he is satisfied with his creation, he will present it to his ever hungry customers with a proud smile.

SHOOTOUT AT JAMA MASJID

did anybody hear the news!

it had been in the news that on the 28th of september 2007, a bearded man lead a group of men into jama masjid area. and did an open shootout. it is said the group had around ten people of different age group.

though the exact damages are yet unknown. but reliable sources have informed that al-jawahar hotel lost out on a major chunk of mutton curries and roties. even some significant portions of kebabs and keema had been missing from there.

local authorities are not ready to make any public statement on the matter as they themselves can't believe how could this gang trespass SLR's from right under their nose.

investigation is still going on. people say even a 5-6 years old boy was being trained by a tall man. the boy and his trainer along with a about to be bald man were last seen at the shahi tukda seller.

will keep on updating you on the case...

Friday, September 28, 2007

myths turned into reality.



in the fourteenth century, one would have found them in the sultans court. loved and respected by the sultan and his courtiers.
i had read about them in the books, but always thought them to be ficticious charaters like the fiery dragons and the hobbits.
somewhere in a book last year i read that "keema samosas" are yet not extinct they are just endangered, you can spot them around the jama masjid (chandni chowk) at times in the evening.



in my past few visits i hadn't been so lucky to find one, asked a few people with no satisfactory answers.



finally today as i stepped out of jama masjid right outside the gate i could hear some shouting " कीमा समोसा पांच रूपए के दो " i could not beleive my years but as i followed the voice i had to believe my eyes.




yes! it is true sumptous samoosas stuffed with keema and dhaniya chutney are available outside jama masjid.




as i had my first bite of those samoosas only i know how myths turned into reality.