Buzz
During Ramadan in Mumbai, a historic street near the Minara Masjid transforms into a vibrant food bazaar at sunset. Vendors from across the city welcome those breaking their fasts with barbecue and sweets on what becomes a khau galli, or 'eat street.' Everyone in the city is invited. Local photographer Hashim Badani, a long-time attendee of this annual event, beautifully captures the atmosphere for Dinogo.
With the onset of monsoon season in Mumbai, the weather is either rainy or humid. “I ended up drenched one way or another,” Badani remarks about the shoot. Sweating is inevitable as crowds of street-food enthusiasts and fasting observers flow through the bustling street, packed like a rush hour train. “You can’t just go to khau galli and stand still,” Badani adds. “You indulge in all this rich food, but you sweat it off by the time you leave.”
The offerings include plenty of meat, such as chicken tikka and goat brain masala. However, the real highlight, according to Badani, is the sweets, many of which are only available during festivals like this. At khau galli, food lovers enjoy phirni, a sweet rice pudding served in clay pots, deep-fried malpua pancakes soaked in syrup, and mawa jalebi, spirals of sweet, deep-fried dough.
As Badani captured the vibrant scenes, the vendors eagerly posed for the camera, offering free sweets and briefly pausing to keep the lines of customers moving efficiently. Many of these vendors earn as much during this nightly festival as they typically do over the next six months, Badani observes.
The market stays alive until dawn, after street-food vendors have served post-work diners, late-night visitors, and Muslims enjoying a meal before morning prayers. During Ramadan, this area of the city, often overlooked, attracts a crowd, and Badani appreciates seeing the community of Mumbai unite over food.
Hashim Badani is a photographer from Mumbai.
