Kandivali

Bombay – the Gateway to India and the riches of the East India Company is a city that sits on India’s west coast. In the late 1800s and early 1900s the British invested a lot of money in the city’s infrastructure turning it into a magnet for the young and the ambitious.

Several young men came to Bombay to find their fortunes. Many of them came from little villages and towns from the State of Gujarat. And most of them found their way to a little part of town called Bhuleshwar.

Over the years, Bhuleshwar transformed itself into one of India’s largest wholesale markets. And less than 150 years after it was formed, Bhuleshwar had burst at its seams, incapable of supporting the very large community of traders and commerce that it had given birth to.

It has been said, and not entirely in jest, that if you were to simply stand still in Bhuleshwar – you would soon find yourself in a different part of town, propelled there by the sea of humanity that inhabits it. In 1970, it had a density of 1500 people per acre (contrast that with .5 per acre in little known Stormville).

Several of the markets have been moved to other parts of town. And new generations of Gujaratis are moving out to the distant suburbs where they can have a little more room to raise their families.

Kandivali is one such suburb in Western Mumbai. Instead of the crammed 150 sq ft tenements, they now live in 1000 sq ft skyscrapers, most with little lawns and gardens. In the evening the men and women congregate in the compound in groups, recreating that lost sense of community they had in the old neighborhood.

I’ve been spending a lot of time in an area called Mahavir Nagar as I shuttle between my parents home and that of my sister-in-law. Actually, its probably even just a subset of Mahavir Nagar, because it is just one big block of buildings.

Last night I did a leisurely walk through of the shops in this block – all tiny mom and pop stores of the good old Bhuleshwar tradition. The owners run the businesses and typically know their clients by name. In fact, my parents discuss the owners of different stores with their neighbors.

And what a set of businesses! You will find all kinds of food – Gujarati, South Indian, North Indian, Punjabi, Chinese, Mexican, Pizza, Sandwiches – Jain and Hindu varieties and all strictly vegetarian. Realtors, insurance agents, pathology labs, doctors offices can all be found on this block. Wait – is that a nursing home ? There is a gym, a slimming center and a diabetes treatment center.

Last night, waiting for my ride, on the opposite side of the street – I spotted the large liquor store – that carries champagne – all 3 varieties sold in India. Guptaji delivers fresh vegetables and fruits to your home. There are raw fruits and farsan, bhel puri, pani puri, sev puri. Fresh squeezed juice is Rs 10 for a large glass, the man apologizes thinking I will complain about how expensive it is – I’ve paid as much as 50 in other parts of the city.

Other stores sell jewelry – precious or fake – clothing and fabric, items of home décor, dry goods, electronics, consumer durables. There is even a photo studio and a store that sells items needed for religious ceremonies. There was a shop selling automotive accessories – guess you’d have to leave the block to buy a car – but there’s the car rental place on the corner. There’s the travel agent where you can book your tickets to visit your daughter in London or your son in Sydney.

Hmm I did not find a shop selling funeral supplies – but come to think of it I’ve never seen one of those anywhere.

One block – everything that you could possibly need for your home or to live…….. and they all deliver inside Mahavir Nagar…….Fascinating – the Gujarati spirit of free enterprise is alive and well, even if the road is filled with potholes and construction debris.