Buzz
During Ramadan in Mumbai, as the sun sets, a historic street near Minara Masjid transforms into a bustling food festival. For the month of fasting, known as Ramzan in South Asia, the streets are lined with vendors serving grilled meats and sweets to Muslims breaking their fast. This road, called khau galli or 'eat street,' becomes a haven for food lovers. Photographer Hashim Badani, a longtime visitor, captures this lively tradition for Dinogo.
The monsoon has arrived in Mumbai, bringing with it a thick, humid atmosphere. “I was drenched no matter what,” recalls Badani about the shoot. The streets are packed, and the air is thick with the heat of crowds and sizzling street food. “There’s no standing still at khau galli,” Badani explains. “You gorge on rich foods, but the sweat is enough to burn it all off by the time you leave.”
While the meat dishes like chicken tikka and goat brain masala are plentiful, it's the sweets that truly captivate festival-goers, according to Badani. Special treats like phirni, a sweet rice pudding served in clay pots, malpua pancakes drenched in syrup, and mawa jalebi, crispy swirls of fried dough, are the stars of the show, available only during this festive season.
As Badani snapped photos of the festival, vendors eagerly posed for the camera, offering free samples of sweets while ensuring the line of customers kept moving. Many of these street vendors make more money in the span of a single Ramadan night than they do over the next half-year, Badani notes.
The market stays alive through the night, only winding down as the first light of dawn breaks. Street-food vendors continue to serve late-night patrons, night owls, and Muslims enjoying a pre-dawn meal before prayers. During Ramadan, this part of the city, typically overlooked, becomes a bustling hub for the khau galli. Badani finds it heartwarming to see Mumbai’s diverse residents coming together to share a meal.
Hashim Badani is a photographer based in Mumbai.
