Just Walking Around

R.D.Burman ----The Musical Legend

We in India have the habit of celebrating birth and death anniversaries of Historical figures , a day to remember their life and teachings. So we have Oct 31 the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel as Shakti Divas . September 5^th the birth anniversary of our ex President Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan as Teacher’s Day , November 14^th the birth anniversary of our first Prime Minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru as Childrens day which falls exactly 9 months from February 14^th the Valentines Day…Is it sheer coincidence or nature way of have some fun…… Jokes apart but we celebrate so many days in India for more trivial reasons that its hard to even count and remember. But what with the world accepting June 21^st as International Yoga Day , influenced by our current Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts and recognized by the United Nations. I feel we should have a Music Appreciation Day or a Bollywood Music Day in recognition of Indian Film Industries contribution to Indian music. We as a civilization have always revered the sound of “OM” and believe all universe was born out of this ethereal sound. Even the images and stories our gods have influenced our leanings towards music , be it Lord Krishna mesmerizing Brindavan with his flute or Goddess Saraswati the god of Vidya (Knowledge ) playing her Veena. We have always been appreciative of Music in our lives.

So in this last week of June specifically on June 27^th a legend was born to create such melodious music that till date we hum his songs and enjoy his compositions whenever they are played of the radio and these ever green tunes have been mixed and re-mixed by little know composers and DJ’s , and provided them with livelihood. I am talking about none other than the maverick music composer R.D.Burman known to every one as Pancham Da or simply Pancham…

Story so goes that R.D.Burman’s father Sachin Dev Burman or S.D Burman a legend himself used to tell his wife that their son RD when an infant would cry and that sound was similar to the musical 5^th note of “Pa” as in Pancham. So he decided to call his son by the nick name of “Pamcham”….

R.D.Burman started his musical journey as early as 9 years when the music composed by him like “Aye meri topi palat ke aa” was use by his father in the hindi film Funtoosh. Even the famous song “Sar Jo tere Chakraye ..Ya Dil duba jaye” was included in the soundtrack of Guru Dutt’s famous film “Pyaasa”..As he grew up he took formal Indian Classical training under the tutelage of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan (Sarod Maestro) and Pt.Samta Prasad (Tabla) to hone his skills in music. Later he even assisted his father S D Burman and Salil Chowdhary on lot of compositions for a slew of hit movies.

R.D Burman's first released film as an independent music director was Chhote Nawab. When the noted Bollywood comedian Mehmood decided to produce Chhote Nawab, he first approached Burman's father Sachin Dev Burman for the music. However, S. D. Burman declined the offer, advising he was unavailable. At this meeting, Mehmood noticed Rahul playing tabla, and signed him as the music director for Chhote Nawab for a Shagun of Ekyavan Rupaiya (Rs.51/-) . Story has it R.D Burman didn’t take any money beyond the Shagun from Mehmood since he had given him his first big break. R.D Burman later developed a close association with Mehmood, who he regarded as Bade Bhaiya and made a cameo in Mehmood's Bhoot Bangla again for free.

R.D.Burman's first hit film as a film music director was Teesri Manzil. He gave credit to lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri for recommending him to Nasir Hussain, the producer and writer of the film. Vijay Anand also said that he had arranged a music session for R.D Burman before Nasir Hussain.Teesri Manzil had six songs, all of which were written by Majrooh Sultanpuri, and sung by Mohammed Rafi. Four of these were duets with Asha Bhosle, whom RD Burman later married. Nasir Hussain went on to sign Puncham Da nd lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri for six of his films including Baharon Ke Sapne, Pyar Ka Mausam and Yaadon Ki Baaraat. R.D.Burman's score for Padosan  was well received. Meanwhile, he continued to work as his father's assistant for films including Jewel Thief and Prem Pujari 

The hit Kishore Kumar song “Mere Sapnon ki Raani” from Aradhana , though credited to his father, is rumored to have been Burman's composition. Kora Kagaz tha Yeh Man Mera from the same film was also his tune It is believed that when S. D. Burman fell ill during the recording of the film's music, Burman took over and completed the music. He was credited as an associate composer for the film.

All these are well documented facts , but there are little known facts which the legendary Composer himself confessed to in certain television interviews. But ver few people knew that R.D.Burman composed Latin American music with equal ease.

R.D. Burman was mostly known for his film music, but among his non-film work was the little-heard album Pantera (not to be confused with the American heavy metal band), which combined Latin American music with elements of rock, jazz, and funk. It was recorded in the United States in '83-84 but released only in '87. Comprising contributions from established Latin American musicians of the time, it was produced by Pete Gavankar, who was based in the US and had good contacts with local musicians. In India it released to a very lukewarm response. Pancham Da was very upset that Indian listeners didn't connect with it. He managed to gain some closure a few years later, when he used the main theme of one of the songs from Pantera as the mukhda to 'Rang Rangeeli Raat' from Priyadarshan's Gardish . The album hadn't worked, but the song did, and it made him very happy that Indian listeners had accepted at least one of his Latin American tunes.

And did you know that he wrote lyrics for an English song for an important scene in the Amitabh starer “Deewar”. There’s a scene in Deewar where Amitabh meets Parveen Babi at a bar. A soft English song plays in the background “ I am falling in Love” , the lyrics to this were penned by Pancham Da himself.

Pancham Da was known for the distinctive growl,a husky and a full throated voice which he lent to his vocals when singing in songs such as 'Mehbooba Mehbooba' from Ramesh Sippy's Sholay or the other favorite “Yama Yama” from Shaan, this was  inspired by the stylings of American jazz legend Louis Armstrong. He was fascinated by Louis Armstrong and didn't want to be stereotyped as a conventional playback singer. He used to say: 'Meri awaaz ki koi pehchaan honi chaahiye (my voice should have its own identity)

Most of us know that Pancham Da could make music from all most anything. In the song 'Raat Gai Baat Gai', from the Dev Anand-Zeenat Aman starrer Darling Darling , at one point, a beat is heard which doesn't sound like a conventional percussion instrument. In the song's picturization, it is Aman who is creating the beat by tapping various parts of her own body (as well as a few extras). In the studio, that beat was played by Burman, literally, on the back of one of his trusted percussionists, Amrutrao Katkar. During the recording, he asked Amrutrao to remove his shirt. Naturally, he [the percussionist] was embarrassed and bewildered by this. Then, he proceeded to play a Latin American beat on his back, with a microphone recording everything. It was okayed in one take and used in the movie.

R.D.Burman had a penchant for using natural, foley-inspired techniques or unusual instruments to create interesting sounds and rhythms in his songs, which would be depicted on screen similarly. In 'Chura Liya Hai Tumne', from Yaadon Ki Baaraat , the spoon-on-glass sound heard in the beginning is an actual recording of a glass being struck by a spoon. In 'Dheere Dheere Zara Zara' from Agar Tum Na Hote , the rhythm created by actress Rekha on screen, where she's shown tapping a piece of jewellery around her waist, was actually the sound of a bunch of keys that was used in lieu of the traditional hi-hat.Only Pancham Da could do such orchestration and create magic which is remembered till date by his fans.

Like many Bollywood composers, R.D Burman's tunes were often 'lifted', either directly or partially, from Western compositions. However, he was always honest about the sources, unlike many music directors, and didn't quite consider it 'stealing'. He would say, 'I am trained in Indian classical, not Western or jazz, so I can't just create something I don't know out of thin air. But what I'm doing is not stealing: I'm merely taking the essence of the tune, and making something unique with it.'"

Many are aware of numbers like 'Mehbooba Mehbooba' (inspired by Demis Roussos' version of the traditional Cyprus tune 'Say You Love Me') and 'Mil Gaya Humko Saathi' (whose mukhda resembles the guitar intro to ABBA's 'Mamma Mia'), which were done at the behest of the film's producers, taking advantage of the unlikelihood of legal action at the time, when Bollywood was a self-contained industry.

But the genius as he was Pancham Da would succeed in changing a song beyond recognition, citing the example of 'Chura Liya Hai Tumne', whose opening chords resemble those of Bojoura's 'If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium'. "The opening bars are similar, but then he  took the song and added so many arrangements and layers to it, He made it his own. That's why he was such a genius.

This blog is my tribute to that genius of a composer who created lilting melodies and foot tapping dance numbers with equal aplomb.

So next time you hear R.D.Burman’s hit song stop a while listen carefully and enjoy the unique composition which has his trademark style written all over it.. Like the song O Hansini

O hansini meri hansini, kahan ud chali
Mere armaanon ke pankh lagaake kahan ud chali)
Aaja meri saanson mein mahek raha re tera gajra
Aaja meri raaton mein lahek raha re tera kajra
Ho, aaja meri saanson mein mahek raha re tera gajra
Ho, aaja meri raaton mein lahek raha re tera kajra
(O hansini meri hansini, kahan ud chali
Mere armaanon ke pankh lagaake kahan ud chali)

If you listen carefully you will hear a violin playing out the melody as Kishore Kumar sings the Mukhda and when he opens each Antaraa. There is an Interplay between Trumpet and Accordion which dominates the rhythmic component. A melodic riff played out on a hammered dulcimaer which sound like a Santoor , followed by a turn around phrase played out on the strings to bring in the tail end of the interlude.

The 2^nd interlude revisits the prelude which begins with Hammered Dulcimer and acoustic guitar, while shakers provide the required consistent percussion. A fading wafting fluet -toned riff is tossed into the mix. The accordion plays out a short melodic riff , which is notable for introducing the triton. A special improvisation unique to Pancham Da….

You are sure to get lost in the ethereal music of this  timeless classic….Hats off to this great music composer …simply called Pancham….

Click the below link to enjoy the song “ O Hansini”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4Vj_XsfHTM

Just Walking Around

Ramazaan ---- Fasting , Food and Festivities

The more I think about the different religions in India , the more I come to the conclusion that each faith is more similar to the other than being different. Take for example of the case of fasting in the Hindu Culture especially during the auspicious month of Shravan which will begin around end July this year. During this month devotees shun non veg food especially fish and fast or do Upvas on Mondays and Fridays / Saturdays by eating frugal food or go with out food for one time in day and break this fast in the evening after Sunset. Similar is the case with Jainism , where many of them observe fasting during Paryushan again an auspicious period where the devotees shun food and sometimes even water during the day and only after sunset break their fast with food. Which is much like in Christianity during the month of Lent many observe fast and give up life of luxury to do penance for sins and as a mark of respect to Jesus who suffered for the cause of humanity.

Why am I referring to all this , because we are in the holy month of Ramadaan or Ramzan . the holiest and auspicious month for all Muslims and the devotees of Allah and followers of the prophet Mohammad . I was exposed to the sensitivity of Ramzaan during my Engineering college days , when my closest buddy Gulam Abbas Jaffer who we used call as Abbas or Gullu or just GMJ his Nintendo avatar / play name. This guy , then a teenager who loved food and could not go without munching  on snacks for long would ritually observe Roja during Ramazan and that to very strictly. He would get up around 4 am in the morning to eat before Sunrise as per tradition and then attend Engineering classes in college going without even a drop of water. He would not even swallow his saliva as part of this tedious fast. This would carry on till evening when he would open a box of the best ever and sweetest of Khajur – Dates if he was in college to break his fast. On other time he would rush back home to break his fast with his close relatives. On one such occasion he introduced us – me, Hiren my Gujarati Friend who loved his Chicken and Paras my Maharashtrian friend who was a vegetarian to the succulent Chicken Biryani at Lucky Restuarant in Bandra. Till date I find Lucky’s Chicken biryani with the right mix of spices and oiliness , the best ever biryani . That restaurant becam a sort of Adda for us four friends , where we would meet up on a weekend to catch up , gossip and generally have a Boy talk. It could be about Football matches or the Cricket tournament’s going on or about the exam preparations for the papers and Viva coming around or about the girls in college. Unfortunately for us the ratio of girls in our own class was 30 boys to 5 gilrs because of our Industrial Electronics stream and we used to envy the boys from Computer Engineering classes where this ratio was if not in reverse but a fair strength of girls.

Anyways to cut the long story short , if you are a foodie like me and crave non-veg food , then Mumbai is the place to be and Ramazaan is the month to go food hunting for the best of meat eating. Mumbai, is the city of dreams a cosmopolitan melting pot of various cultures. Famously known for celebrating every festival, Mumbai doesn’t fail to impress anybody. And this month is that time of the year when Mumbai will host a display of different culinary skills since the holy month of Ramzaan, a festival celebrated by Muslims has begun. Mumbai, being as diverse as it is, is leaving no stone un-turned to delight food lovers. Irrespective of whether you are observing a fast or not, you cannot miss out on such a good opportunity to feast on Mumbai’s streets and join in the celebrations that happen post sunset. A whole month of delicious food to satiate your cravings is what the holy month of Ramzaan offers.

Just after sundown head straight to Mohammad Ali Street , just after JJ College -Hospital , close to the Minara Masjid to be mesmerized with the food & festivities. Ramzaan delicacies are synonymous to Mohammad Ali Road, the long street that stretches below the JJ Flyover in south Mumbai. Also known as Mecca for Ramzaan food, this is where you will find Mumbai’s best food in wide variety of options.  After an entire day of fasting, this place bustles with energy after sunset. People throng here in huge numbers to relish the delicious food that is served here. You will be spoilt with choices.

You could start off at Al-Madina fast food which lies in the same lane as Minara Masjid. They are best known for their seekh kebabs. The meat is succulent and the kebabs lightly spicy , served with a dash of lime and that tasty mint chutney . The combination is mouth watering and the kebabs just melt in your mouth.

Next stop is Surti Barah Handi .Though I have not personally tasted their Paya , people who have and who are familiar with this dish vouch for Surti Bara Handi at Gujar Street, Behind Dargah, Crawford Market. This is one place that you must visit during the holy month of Ramzaan. The special Barah Handi’s paya is a dish that will delight to taste your buds. The name was coined from their concept of making different food items in 12 different Handis (pots).

Then there is Cheese -n- Grill at Barkat Manzil, Near Minara Mazjid, Mohammed Ali Road. Don’t let the name of this restaurant fool you. It s not a typical Chinese joint like the name suggests. You will be in for a sweet surprise if you look through the menu. This place has been a favorite to many foodies. You could probably try the Nalli Nihari with Sheermal which is the most demanded food in this joint.

Then there the safe option of Bade Miyan from Colaba . This place needs no introduction any Mumbaikar. This joint is to Mumbai what Kareem’s is to Delhi and Paradise is to Hyderabad and it is crowded throughout the year. However during Ramzaan, the crowd just swells. So much so that they have to open another stall near Minara Masjid. Visit Bade Miyan this Ramzaan and enjoy their delicious kebabs , Shawarma , Chicken Bhuna and Mutton Keema with the soft Rumali Roti.

Some of the lesser known foodie joints but great at what they serve are the Marhaba Fast Food and Delhi Zaika. Marhaba fast food corner is another famous joint near Minara Masjid.  Marhaba rolls or chicken rolls are Marhaba’s specialty and must not be missed at any cost. If you want to feast on mouth-watering food and still remain light on your pockets, the Delhi-Zaika is an ideal place for the same. This place specializes in Mughlai food. Good Ramzaan food at pocket-friendly rates is what you get here.

Another offbeat food joint is the Hindustan Restaurant. The road less traveled always makes for great experiences. And Hindustan is on one such road. Though located opposite Minara Masjid, it might be tad tricky to find. Instead of relying on Google Maps, do reach out to locals for directions. Known for its delicious kebabs, Hindustan is not a place you can visit just once. Another meat eaters delight is the Noor Mohamadi Hotel in Bhendi Bazaar.The most popular dish here is Sanju Baba chicken, named after the Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, who has been their regular customer.

If you are not the kind who scavenges for delicacies and cannot stand the heat and sweat of the streets you have options of landing at the best non -veg restaurant’s in Town right here on the Mohamad Ali Street. You can go to Jaffer Bhai’s Delhi Darbar. Haleem is one of their special dishes and they also serve delicious biryanis which makes it a must visit place during Ramzaan. Another famous restaurant is the Shalimar Restaurant at Bhendi Bazaar. If you happen to be a shawarma lover, Shalimar is sure to excite you. While Shalimar’s shawarmas are indeed as good as their reputation, its Malpua with Rabdi, made only during this holy month is just as good if not better.

And if you are a Malpua fan how can you miss the great sweet maker Suleiman Usman Mithaiwala. Here You will find one of the best Malpuas in Mohammed Ali Road. Malpuas at Suleman Usman Mithaiwala are lip-smacking. If you are going to visit Mohammed Ali Road, please have at least one Malpua. The Aroma of blistering Malpuas won't let you walk further. Also don’t forget to sweep in the mouth-watering phirni , the thick sweet rice kheer or the high calorie  Sahi Tukda with Rabdi at the Suleman Usman Mithaiwala.

After all the delicacies  you have had, there should be some room in your tummy for delicious desserts. And no better place than Taj Ice-Cream Center where you get homemade ice creams.  This is one place for all your favorite ice cream flavors. A small ice cream corner with a very friendly uncle dishing out sancha ice creams. They make their ice creams in the traditional Sancha which are wooden ice cream making machines and the ice cream is hand churned to perfection Their taste speaks volumes. Their ice creams come in all fruity flavors like Litchi , Strawberry , Chickoo and Mango .The mango ice cream is very creamy with a hint of mango goodness from the first bite to the last. With strands of mango and the ice cream made in a sancha, it retains a lot of the texture of the mango as well. Totally a must visit place though the location is a bit difficult to trace.

Another favorite spot for people with a sweet tooth, JJ Jalebi is one of the most famous joints for delicious variety of sweets. And you know what to try, jalebis of course. Their brown wheat based jalebis soaked in sweet sugar chasni is to die for.

So this Ramzaan be sure to head to Mohammad Ali street and devour the non-veg delicacies and on the day of EID be sure not to miss the latest Salman Khan starer “Tubelight” ---Sajan Radio Bajaio Bajaio Zara…..

EID Mumbarak and Happy Feasting…. 

Just Walking Around

Kumbharwada ---- Land of Light

I was coming out from Dadar station and walking towards Plaza to catch the bus home when a vendor on the footpath near Hotel Visawa caught my eye. He was selling brightly colored mud lamps or diya’s as we know. Some were traditional simple earth colored , others with elaborate design on them some others with mirror work.. Looking at those collection one couldn’t just pass by without picking up some for the festive season coming in a few months. I couldn’t help but strike a conversation with the Diya seller. He told me he was originally from Suarashtra but was now an inhabitant of Mumbai’s famous Kumbharwada in India’s largest slum -Dharavi. Home to many potter like him. A world of its own, you need to see it to believe it.

Kumbharwada in Dharavi is an establishment of potters almost 100 years old. It is the largest community of potters in Mumbai. They are originally from Saurashtra, Gujarat. Khumbars means potter and Wada means colony. Hence the name Kumbharwada – colony of potters. It occupies 22 acres of land that houses around 1400-1500 families, 700–800 of whom still practice pottery today.

Potters in Kumbharwada still make use of traditional methods of pottery. They use indigenous red and grey clay and bake the moulds in traditional kilns. They use waste forms and sheets of cardboards to light up the kilns. These clay products have simple designs and come in various shapes and sizes. Usually they make earthen pots, bowls and flower vases. Even those water storage pots or earthen coolers are made here.

I still remember the Gomukh (Cow’s mouth ) shaped earthen pot in our kitchen in which Mom used to store drinking water during Summer time. Even during the hottest and schorchiest day at the height of Summer when there was no fridge in our home the water from this Earthen pot would be like a coolant to the perspiring body. Giving that much need cool effect . The water had the natural taste of earthen ware and the coolness could give any fridge a run for its money even today. You will find these earthen pots fitted with taps at your local pot seller in old markets like Matunga and Citylight. Especially during the scorching summer time.Even today they have a good demand.

Continuing the walking and you will find unlike the high-rises of busy and noisy Mumbai, a walk through Kumbharwada feels like a trek into time in a traditional village in Gujarat. Kumbharwada is a friendly and happy place where you see families living and working together. The narrow, winding roads of Kumbharwada in Dharavi is probably Mumbai’s unique way of holding on to the past, as the city inches towards modernization. Sheltered under rows of houses, dozens of hands, covered in mud and clay work in unison, churn out pots, lamps and artifacts—attracting tourists, filmmakers and photographers from all over the city.

Unlike the rest of Dharavi, it is extremely clean and ventilated. To one’s surprise even the house doors are open during day time. These Kumbhars believe that if they keep their surroundings clean and house doors open, Goddess Laxmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity walks through these clean paths and enter their households.

The locals here have inhabited the area for several generations.  Some are third generation potters .Families have been in this profession for years and have been using the traditional method of crafting and baking the clay to make pots of different shapes and designs. They bring the clay and mud which is molded into earthenware from Panvel, Gujarat and other regions and sell the finished products through local shopkeepers. They get orders from different states as well as foreign countries sometimes.

If you want to peek into the lives of these special people you should visit during festivals like Makar Sankranti, Navratri and Diwali, because the entire area is abuzz with activity then. There is colour, music, work and creativity everywhere

Pre-diwali, they particularly concentrate on making lamps or Diya’s enough to light up the entire city of Mumbai. Each family has 2-3 expert potters who spin the traditional potters wheel on which a blob of wet mud is placed and then like magic molded into small but mesmerizing diya’s . They work with amazing concentration and zeal creating magic with their muddy fingers. Producing close to a lakh of diya’s during the Diwali .Majority of these are the small brown traditional but best light emanating ones. These are sun dried and then fired in Local kilns . Earlier these kilns were the traditional brick lined ones but today they use more industrial metallic kilns . These are either wood fired or even electric ones. The master potter set the right temperature to get the best results. Once baked these lamps are then set aside for a cooling. Then the ladies and children in the family dye these lamps with “Gheru” which gives them the reddish brown look.. The other decorative ones are colored with bright red or effervescent yellow or even garish green. In shapes of Pasley (Koiri) or blooming lotus . Some are joined together to make elaborate designs like elephants or peacocks .Other hot selling designs are the Deepstambh or Deepmala as in temples in miniature version and even the humble Tulsi Vrindavan .

Though most of these earthen lamps and lit using oil today due to the market demand they make diya’s with pre-filled wax and a wick so the ladies can directly light them and place them outside the home entrance on near the potted Tulsi or even I the window sills .

So next time you find these street sellers selling their diya’s and earthen pots or vases do give a thought to the hard work that has gone behind making them Think about the darkness these artisans face in their life to bring light into our lives and do enjoy the peace and serenity the small flame of flickering light brings into our household during festive times.

Looking at that Diya you are sure to remember that famous shlok….

Asato Ma Sad Gamaya, Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya, Mrityor Ma Amritam Gamaya

Lead us from ignorance to truth, Lead us from darkness to light, Lead us from death to immortality.

Just Walking Around

Mumbai’s Any time Snack -----Pav Bhaji

If you are feeling hungry and are bored to eat the usual Roti -Bhajji or even fast food like a McDonald’s Burger or a Subway, the best Indian fast food which is lip smacking and quite filling and is even the favorite item on any kid’s party menu, you guessed it right ---Its Pav Bhaji.

Pav Bhaji is the quint-essential Mumbai street food. It’s a spicy preparation of mashed vegetables, a generous dose of fresh tomatoes, a dollop of butter and consumed with pav, which is usually buttered on all sides. Sounds Yummy doesn’t it?

The history of the pav bhaji is as delicious as the dish itself. As per popular folklore, it originated back in the 1850’s when textile mills flourished in Mumbai. Textile workers, who didn’t have a lot of time to eat their lunch, wanted a light meal as they had to return to their physical work. A person saw this problem and in true Mumbaiya sense came with a jugaad. He replaced the roti with a pav and the curry with a spicy concoction of vegetables. And thus Pav Bhaji was born

This is once snack which need no time to hog on. You can have it at lunch time if you are bored of the usual Tandoori Roti and Sabji or the South Indian Idli-Dosa’s. Or if you have skipped lunch during lunch time of 1pm to 2pm like I usally do and its nearly tea time which like 3-3.30 pm. And you are confused what to order , best is to order Pav Bhaji the quickest snack available and really a filling one too.

There are numerous food joints and restaurant’s scattered across the diaspora of Mumbai where you can get this Pav Bhajji. The most famous being the one served at Canon bang opposite the VT now CST Station. Canon Pav Bhaji is one of the most iconic pav bhaji places in Mumbai. The heavenly aroma of butter & bhaji will help you locate this humble kerb side stall as you cross the road from CST. They serve two kinds of pav bhaji – the regular one with dollops of Amul butter floating in your plate or the Cheese Pav bhaji. The bhaji here is moderately spiced, just the way it should be, while the pavs are literally soaked in butter. You’ll need another helping of those Pav's to polish the bhaji off your plate. They also serve the Kadak Pav, if you prefer that instead of the regular pav. Do try  their Masala Chaas, Lassi to wash it down or a ghee soaked gajar ka halwa to sweeten your palte after and tangy spicy Pav bhaji. As college students we used to go to Sterling or Regal to watch the latest Hollywood blockbusters and after the movie we used to visit this stall to dip into this lip smacking dish which a favourite due ots taste and also since was very pocket friendly. Once done we used to hop across to the VT station to catch the train home with memories of a day spent enjoying with friends.

Next on the list of Pav baji aficionados is the Sardar Pav Bhaji at Tardeo. Sardar Pav Bhaji serves arguably the best Pav Bhaji in Mumbai and if you’re a Pav Bhaji fan, then this is a place you just cannot miss. Pav Bhaji here can be described by just one word- BUTTER.Eat at Sardar’s only if you love butter. And by “love”, I mean LOVE LOVE LOVE butter. The Bhaji here is not as spicy or hot as compared to others and the brownish black colour of the Bhaji is brought out by their secret masala. If you’re in for a cheesy kick, then order a Cheese Pav Bhaji, which is served with a mound of shredded cheese. Definitely check this one out. The other variation you get here is the khada Pav Bhaji , instead of the mashed bhaji the veggies like tomatoes , Cauliflower , Potatoes and Green Bell peppers are tossed along with onions , garlics and the special Pav Bhaji masala.

Never have i seen people waiting so patiently for their turn to get a place to sit and have food. There is a queue to get in the restaurant. They have a small sitting area which can accommodate around 40 to 50 people at a time. And mind you no air-conditioning. But who cares about all these when you get amazing food. They don’t have any elaborate menu. They just have PAV BHAJI and that is what you should go there for. The service is fast and the staff is super awesome. Dip your fingers in the buttery bhaji and bite into this flavour filled snack ,give a burp of satisfaction pay your bill and walk away with a smile on your face.

Another locally famous Pav bhajiwallah is the Maruti Pav Bhaji at Vile Parle. Vile Parle’s best kept secret (well, not anymore), this is a place frequented by those in the know and it never fails to amaze me just how much of a fan following this place has. Ask any random guy for directions to this place Maruti, and he will guide you. This guy starts from 7pm and does not have closing time, as people just keep coming. Usually, there is a waiting, but its worth it, as the Pav Bhaji is spectacular and tastes unlike any you’ll have elsewhere (it’s a little on the spicy side too, so be warned if spice isn’t your thing). His main ingredient is butter and black pepper and this is what lends the black color to his Bhaji. The taste too is unique much  like Malwani masala spiked Pav Bhaji. And locally it is know as Kali Pav Bhaji due to its color. But the taste is fantabulous and you are left craving for more. But don’t forget to wash it down with a Lassi , Butter Milk else you feel the spicyness well up in your throat and belly well after you have eaten this dish. The best thing to do to avoid the sharp sting of spice is to sprinkle the bhaji with a dash of lime juice and mix chopped onioins to make it little palatable for the non-spicy eaters like me. But atleast try it once and I assure you , you will be a lifetime fan of this Kali Pav Bhaji.

As I live in the Education hub of Matunga which is surrounded by well known colleges like Ruia, Poddar , Khalsa, VJTI and Wellingkar’s , the area is populated with a large number of Student crowd . And to cater to their hunger pangs most local restaurant’s have Pav Bhaji on their menu’s at affordable prices to match the pocket money of these students. The best Pav Bhaji can be had at 3 such restaurants. One is at DP’s - This is one of those restaurants, which gained its popularity due to the proximity to colleges, but now is quite well known. The ambiance here is simple, the food yummy and their service fast. When it comes to food, people including me swear by their Masala Pav. The Masala Pav is like light & fluffy cotton balls soaked in butter and spicy masala. Their pav bhaji is yummy and the pav is well buttered.

The other being Classic Fast Food opposite Don Bosco and close to Khalsa College. Here also the Pav bhaji is the most favoured snack . Its their signature dish . The bhaji with its tangy -spicy taste is to die for . Served with a dollop of butter on top and with the perfectly toasted buttery Pav. During college days we used to frequent this place as the Khalsa college canteen was a so so affair with vey limited option and not so great taste. The Classic Fast Food used to be and still is the Khalsa college’s official Adda.

If you crave the Pav bhaji at close to mid night and don’t know where to look out for this snack head straight to Umesh at King Circle. Umesh whose stall is popularly known as chatai pav bhaji wala. He serves up a super spicy pav bhaji on his open stall. He rolls out his stock of Chatai literally on the pavement / footpath. Patron sit on the chatai and order the famous Pav Bhaji and are served super fast by his attendants. Eat this finger licking pav bhaji and come back for more.

So next time you want to try a plate of Pav Bhaji just visit these famous food joints or use the technology to your advantage and order online. Then sit back relax and enjoy this Mumbaiya snack to your hearts content.

Just Walking Around

Chivda Gully --- Spice of Life

It’s a custom in most Marathi household to offer some snacks along with the afternoon tea if any visitor drops in. Even otherwise we normally have some biscuits or light snack while drinking tea. The fastest and best dry snack to offer is the “Chivda” made of lightly fried or roasted poha or puffed rice. Each region in Maharashtra has its special recipe , be it the Laxmi Narayan Chivda of Pune or Kondaji Chivda of Nashik or Namdev Chivda of Solapur. Each with its unique taste and a special recipe handed down through the generations.

A trending household name since 1935, Laxminarayan Chiwda is famous among Punekars for producing savories such as peanuts, rice flakes and authentic spices. Mr Laxminarayan Datta, the founder of Laxminarayan Chiwda started his journey towards establishing a business by using a handcart selling snacks. But it was his sole creation of making chiwda using a blend of rich ingredients. Fried Poha chiwda spiced with Indian spices and condiments, laced with a rich dose of dryfruits make this Chiwda special. These fresh crispy chiwdas are a perfect accompaniment to piping hot tea. Now Laxminarayan Chiwdas are not limited to Pune city, you can get it anywhere in India.

The specialty of Kondaji Chivad is its unique taste of fried / caramelized onions mixed with the usual garlic, nuts and poha along with the right amount of spices which creates a mouth watering flavor and tantalizes your taste buds. You can enjoy its hot and sweet taste for every occasion.

Another famous Chivada is Namdev Chivda of Solapur which has a history of 140 years . Made from the finest spices and poha , its taste lingers on in your mouth even after the tea you have used to wash it down.

All these talk of Chivda makes me go down the memory lane of visiting Lalbaug market for picking up dried red chillies and some garam masala at the legendary spice stores of Khamkar’s . There are 3 stores P.B Khamkar , G W Khamkar and Ashok Khamkar all belonging to the Khamkar family legendary for their spices and sourcing of dried red chilies and rice from Konkan and beyond. On orders of my mom just before the onset of monsoon , I used to go to either of these 3 stores to pick up 2-3 kgs of Bedgi or Byadgi mirchi that special flavoured dried red chilly from Karnataka. It is a famous variety of chilli mainly grown in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is named after the town of Byadgi which is located in the Haveri district of Karnataka.The business involving Byadagi chillis has the second largest turnover among all chilli varieties of India. Did you know an oil, oleoresin extracted from these chillies is used in the preparation of nail polish and lipsticks. That’s why the women who use the red nail polish and deep red lipsticks  look so hot and spicy I guess . 

Byadagi chilli is also known for its deep red colour and is less spicy and is used in many food preparations of South India. Byadagi chilli has also been accorded Geographical Indication (GI) in February 2011

Another option was to pick up the Sankeshwari Chillies . This spicy chilli is what gives a lot of regional cuisine, including Konkani food, its unique flavour, spicy zing and red colour. Used in the powdered form in fish preparations, assorted gravies and sambhar, this chilli is popularly used by the Konkani community. 

After picking up the chilies I used to tread the small by-lanes of Lalbaug just behind the shops .

The most conspicuous thing in the market are stacks and stacks of red chillies. Several varieties are on sale. There were women sitting behind the chilly sacks, sorting the chillies by size. Another popular item sold in this market is dried copra. Coconut trees are plentiful in the coastal areas of Maharashtra, so it is used in both fresh as well as dried forms. Copra is ground along with garlic and red chillies to make lasun chutney, a local favourite.

For those who wish to make their own masalas, the stalls offer a range of spices. From kalajira (nigella), methi (fenugreek), dhania (coriander), jeera (cumin), rai of two types (mustard), saunf (fennel), safed til (white sesame), and ajwain (carom),(anasphal) star anise, two more jeera boxes (cumin), jaiphal (nutmeg), kalimiri (pepper), lavang (clove), dalchini (cinnamon), tirphal (Sichuan pepper) and dagadphool (stone-flower, a lichen) and tamaalpatra (bayleaf). While most of the spices above are familiar to all Indians, tirphal (Sichuan pepper) is not. It is something you see only in Konkani cooking especially in Fish curry. As Tirphal grows in and around Goa.

The people who shop in this area are typically Marathi-speaking communities (erstwhile mill-worker families). Although most of the mills are no more, the area continues to remain home to the workers, who have now moved to other occupations. There are also Gujarati-speaking women, but fewer in number.

Once you buy the spices, you can bring them to the grinding mill if you want your own customised spices

In Chiwda Galli, there are several shops selling different types of Chivda and farsan. You can also see the workshops where the farsan is made and packed.

Here you will be engulfed by the wafts of spicy , tangy and sweet smell of the numerous shops selling Chivda’s. The shops started decades ago to cater to the hunger pangs of the mill workers living in the area. Slowly, similar shops selling variety of chiwda mushroomed all over the lane and before long the lane started to be called the ‘Chivada Gally’ also known as Chiwda Galli. The shop owners prefer to make the traditional chiwda and farsan in large quantity. Today, there are over 12 chiwda shops in the lane selling the snack.According to the shop owners, the Maharashtrian population living in Lalbaug and nearby areas like Cotton Green, Currey Road, Parel prefer to buy traditional chiwda rather than the several new varieties. Over 7 tonnes of chiwda and farsan is sold by most of the shops every month.

Earlier this area was where most of the mill workers lived. Chiwda was the kind of evening snack they preferred after their working hours. Even while celebrating a festival or during any kind of family function, the mill workers preferred distributing chiwda and farsan in their neighbourhood since it was light on the pockets. Looking at the trend, many shops selling chiwda started sprouting on this lane which became popular as Chiwda Galli.

The oldest chiwda shop in the lane is tasty chiwda which opened in the year 1965.

The poha chiwda made of rice flakes, farsan, batata chiwda made of potato, makka chiwda made of corn flakes and potato chips were the items relished by the mill workers. Festival season like Diwali, Gudi Padwa and Holi are the peak season for sale. People come to buy the snack in large quantities. Over 300 kg of chiwda and farsan is made every day during this time. People usually get freshly made products since it is made in the shops itself. Workers start making the items from early morning.”

As the choices of the shoppers began changing, the shop owners began stocking more items. Looking at the demand of buyers and the preference of children they have started selling products like schezwan chakli, soya chakali, tomato chakali, kadak ladoo. This helps them to keep their business stable and the customers happy. Only the residents living nearby the area prefer to buy the traditional chiwda. These days people rarely distribute chiwda during family functions, which is very sad. A tradition is lost and the demand for the chivda is dwindling down.

So next time you are having a cuppa of piping tea or coffee and want to have a light snack open that packet of Chivda pour it in a plate ,,add some diced onions, sprinkle some lemon juice on top and  pick up a handful and eat it with a flick of your palms that’s the real way of eating it not the civilized way using spoons.

Isme maja hi kuch aur hai…

Enjoy the sweet and spicy concoction as they say spice is the essence of life.

Happy Reading….