Bhendi Bazaar – The Past

Mine is one of these stops. I sell packaging wood. My children didn't take up my business, they took up engineering instead. Someday, they might. Till then, I'll run the business my grandfather started. I come to Bhendi Bazaar every day. I come here because here's where I belong. Here is where I've always belonged.

It’s been over 20 years since I set up my restaurant here. Setting up my restaurant in Bhendi Bazaar was convenient as it’s a Muslim area. By God's grace, business here has always been very good.

Today, Bhendi Bazaar is crumbling, and the redevelopment is like a ray of hope. We will have better buildings, better roads. This will in turn lead more people to this location and business will flourish like never before.

I don't own this bakery, I just work here. But I've been loyal to the owner and to Bhendi Bazaar. This place has always been welcoming. It has been so welcoming that it's overcrowded now.

I don't live here, but the living conditions have deteriorated over the years. We expect this to change once the project materialises. There's something about Bhendi Bazaar - you will never get tired of this place.

We've been here long enough to have an emotional connect with Bhendi Bazaar. I'm doing the best I can to make sure my business advances and make it easy for my children to run it when they come of age. I believe this project should make it happen.

The time spent over here in Bhendi Bazaar has been really good. It’s only because of his love and grace that this would have been accomplished.

I'm hoping the redevelopment project will prove beneficial to us.

How many people, do you think, have the privilege of being born around 'Raudat Tahera (Darga)'? Now Bhendi Bazaar is crumbling. But then we all know about the redevelopment plan. It is good. They are making a new society, everyone will get a bigger place to live. By the grace of God, after the redevelopment, I am sure it's not just going to be good, but very good.

I am never going to leave this holy place for anything in this world. I will always be a phoolwala in Bhendi Bazaar

Which was a very old market in India during the 2nd World War. Due to inflation, my parent told their boss to increase salary which was not increased. So my parents left along with my uncle and started this foam shop. 4 generation have passed now since we are running this business.

Most of us have spent our entire life in this mohalla. I shifted from Bhendi Bazaar to Mumbai Central still if I want a loaf of bread I come to Bhendi Bazaar. People are used to staying in this locality. Although it is small, congested and dirty we have to take these conditions in our stride. Still this is home to many families. From the business point of view, thanks to this location we have always seen growth and has been maintained. People always come and buy something.

The redevelopment of this area is going to be huge task and will improve many lives. After the redevelopment is complete, we plan to expand our business into house furnishing as well.

We do have a Mithai shop in Mazgaon as well, but the outlet in Bhendi Bazaar is the most popular.

It's been two years since I've started looking after the business and I've realised that it's not fairing that well. In some years, Bhendi Bazaar is going to turn into a tourist spot in Mumbai with the redevelopment coming along.

It simply means that there will be more people coming to Bhendi Bazaar and businesses will flourish too. It's a very good project and is meant for the well-being of the people as well as businesses. I will always remember Bhendi Bazaar as a holy place.

Everything was very simple, one customer a day was more than enough. Later on, things started improving. We used to get gold and copper in a horse cart from outside and sell it over here to customers. Business was great then. It is not like how it used to be before.

We've spent too many years in Bhendi Bazaar to get out of this place. There is no other place as safe as Bhendi Bazaar and nowhere will I find the same lovely people. We're looking forward to many more better years once the Bhendi Bazaar redeveloped is complete

Our speciality is that we create handmade ice-cream and do not use any kind of machinery or artificial flavor. Machinery is everywhere, handmade ice cream is rare. It's like a heritage for us now. Definitely we would like to continue the heritage. People should know how the real ice cream taste like. I was born here and also grew up here only. There is a lot of difference between the old days and now, there has been a tremendous increase in population and it's become dirtier. Right now the living conditions are bad. People are living in 100sq feet homes, the shops are not organized.

Once the redevelopment is complete, we are hoping that the business will increase & improve. When the high street shopping will come it will be a very organized environment. And when the environment is organized, things also turn out nice and good.

Luckily, I have an amazing boss. We hear about this redevelopment project. Some say it's good, some say otherwise. If this happens, we will go elsewhere and work harder. And we will come back when the redevelopment is complete. There is no place like Bhendi Bazaar, and this 80-year old tandoori business will not work anywhere else in Mumbai city like it does here. I am still here, and will always be.