Documenting The Street: A Personal Photography Project

After spending 10 beautiful years in Ahmedabad, finally, I feel that the city has accepted me and vice versa. The city of Ahmedabad amazes me. On one hand, it is growing and urbanising at breakneck speed. On the other, it preserves its centuries-old culture, traditions, and heritage so wonderfully. It is no surprise that is is named as a World Heritage City by the UNESCO and India's first heritage city! Proud moment for us 'Amdavadis'.

Being a working mother, getting time solely for yourself is something of a rarity. This may sound like an exaggeration, but my fellow mothers know what I'm talking about. This makes all the more harder for a solo trip enthusiast like myself! However, determination and a strong will can move mountains.

One fine day, I found myself walking through the narrow lanes of old Ahmedabad, asking directions, to strangers standing besides cracked walls and houses dating back many decades, to get to French Haveli - a recently restored 150-year-old heritage home.

          

French Haveli is situated in one of the ‘pols’ - gated communities existing since medieval times. These pols consist of residential structures three storeys-tall, with intricate carvings superimposed on their splendid exteriors, their architecture is intelligent and thoughtful. The central courtyard allows plenty of sunlight to enter the home yet keeps the rooms and corners cool under the blazing Gujarat sun. Heritage houses in the pols have entrances that open to a beautiful courtyard looking up at the sky.

On Saturday morning, I took the Heritage Walk tour through the Old City visiting temples, mosques, Jain derasars, tombs of kings and queens, a secret passageway, a dead poet’s home, multicoloured bird feeders, charming old homes, a famous alley lined up with bookshops, tea stalls, lemonade carts, and other captivating sights and sounds. The next day was spent mingling in the vibrant ‘Ravivari Bazaar’ (Sunday Bazaar) also known as ‘Gujri Bazaar’ (gujri meaning used or second hand).

The Ravivari Bazaar can easily be described as a chaotic mosaic of people, objects and experiences, that enrapture the viewer. Both sides of the winding street that stretch to the banks of the river Sabarmati walk us through a multicoloured tapestry richly woven with sights, sounds, smells, people and objects.

A kaleidoscope of colours tantalizes the senses by means of odd wares ranging from screwdrivers and tacks to antiques such as dialup telephones in red and black, glistening golden gramophones, abandoned typewriters, silver kettles, radios and polaroid cameras. As I walk on, I pass by vibrant displays of dry fruits, sherbet (lemonade), ice lollies, candy floss, sweetmeats, pickled tamarind, pan (betel leaf) and much more that add to this colour burst.

But the hallmark of this cultural sojourn were the the people whose warmth and authenticity struck a chord with my heart. I had the privilege to sit down with them, request them to pose for me and chat them up, and they happily obliged.

On display were scenes that tantalise the senses as they experience the wholesome, rugged, earthy, raw, authentic, dark, sweaty, real beauty of the one big human family. In the midst of all this chaos emerged unexpected warmth, curiosity, human emotions, connections and bonds. A sense of community, close-knit, committed to making the Gujri Market happen and continuing it decade after decade.

I captured these images with one objective in mind:

The street offers a myriad of elements that are important to document and make visible. They deserve to be valued for the incredible vibrancy and colour they contribute to the cultural landscape and social fabric. The aesthetic of the regular and the ordinary people on the street is natural, effortless and thus, fascinating. The people and their environment, the street, are unique, earthy and authentic. I scooted through the length and breadth of the 'Raviwari Market' or Sunday bazaar - a chaotic mosaic of people, scents, objects, community and drama. The market is a decades-old tradition that remains alive, thriving and constantly evolving - a very ecosystem in itself.

Relying on Home Cooks: A trend that is here to stay!

Photo by Stefan Vladimirov on Unsplash

In the past few years, my food aesthetic and sensibilities have swayed towards the soulful and authentic. A lavish 5-star buffet is of no interest to me anymore. It is too much work - getting dressed in high heels, for instance, to blend in with the ambience surrounded by people I have never seen and will never see after we pay the bill loaded with taxes for the costly meal.

Photo by Alice Kotlyarenko on Unsplash

Now, I relish tying my hair up in a messy bun, wearing my oversized pullover, putting on some lipstick and sipping wine, chatting away with my mum while my Dad quietly watches television, and our dogs and cat cuddle up close to us, creating the perfect atmosphere, one filled with warmth, joy and family time- the very essence of life! Pure bliss!

This year, I battled the cold, work, school and other excuses to celebrate the New Year with my parents who live in an art deco-style building in the busy lanes of South Bombay (yes, it will always be ‘Bombay’ for me). So, as soon as I realised that my daughter’s me and my 6-year-old daughter, who is more like a best friend and adventure partner to me, had been generous enough to grant their students a long weekend, I hurriedly booked my tickets on my favourite non-stop train from Ahmedabad to Mumbai (yes, it’s Mumbai now).

Scented candles named after colonial ports and exotic destinations, burn their flames dispersing their wondrous fragrance, bright lanterns sway in the breeze, our garden is dotted with hibiscus flowers in peach, red and white among other wildflowers, lichens and mosses are teeming with tiny snails.

I wanted to make New Year’s Eve as close as possible to a Christmas feast spread. So, what do you do when you are craving a wholesome New Year’s feast but don’t want to do the cooking? The answer is ‘home cooks”. Thanks to the power of Whatsapp and Social Media and delivery startups such as Swiggy and Zomato, home cooks have access to the market demand for home cooked food that is easy on the pocket and does not compromise on quality and quantity.

Aiya Patrao! is a home-cooked food venture started by a Malyali-Goan husband-wife duo in the warmth of their kitchen. After going through their Instagram profile loaded with sumptuous delights, I knew my work just got easier. I contacted Ms Marian, the Goan half of the duo, and she was most generous and patient in curating the festive menu. Simultaneously, I convinced my mother and father to experience the vibrancy of the Malabar coast and appreciate our country’s diverse heritage.

 

Photo by khloe arledge on Unsplash

Photo by allan ronson on Unsplash

I was excited to order the prawn balchao, an authentic Portuguese dish that has made a special place for itself in Goan cuisine. "We use Goa jaggery to give it a dull sweetness", Marian assured me when I let her know my concerns about overly sweet prawn recheado. Her other recommendations were the Goan kingfish curry and the chicken ishtu and appam to represent her Malyali husband's heritage. The combination sounded eclectic and she was confident we would love it."Learning about food is a lifelong process", she quipped.

Before we knew it, the blazing Bombay sun had subsided giving way to a pleasant afternoon breeze much like the extinguishing embers after a bright fire. The doorbell rang and a deivery executive from 'Porter' - a private delivery service home cooks swear by - was at the door.

As we unpacked the food containers and laid them out on our dining table, it came to life with a burst of colours and aromas - fresh seafood, the sweet spiciness of the calamari nestled in the Goan recheado sauce, subdued by the delicate balance of the fish caldeen curry. The chicken stew ‘ishtu’ and fluffy appams weren’t far behind. Only, the view of the foamy and playful sea seemed to be missing.

Photo by Prince Abid on Unsplash

Freshly baked plum cake with just the right dash of rum from the local bakery unearthed some delicious childhood memories. The sweet port wine concluded the most beautiful New Year’s Eve. In the past few years, people's food aesthetic and sensibilities have swayed towards the soulful and authentic. A lavish 5-star buffet is of little interest to those who want to explore the authentic flavours and make it about the experience rather than the place or the menu.

Aiyo Patrao delivers throughout South Mumbai and western suburbs. Give them a shoutout at @aiyo.patrao on Instagram and for some 'real' food!

Pickles for a cause

Wild Fiddlehead Fern pickle by Mahilaa Shweta 

I love supporting women-led initiaitves and businesses. Be it podcasts or pickles, blogs or breads, content or cakes - I love buying from women business owners, connecting with them, befriending them, helping them connect with each other and powering an ecosystem of feminine energy where women celebrate one another, and celebrate the magic that is womanhood. Being a woman is a celebration in itself.

A few years back, after giving birth to my daughter, I started my own venture singlehandedly and ran it as a one person company. However, the adventure didn't last long enough. No regrets either. We had a good run, that is what matters. 

'Mahilaa' (meaning woman in Hindi) is a woman-led initiative promoting women's Self Help Groups (SHGs) in the serene and idyllic state of Himachal Pradesh in Northern India. Women harvest the local seabuckthorn berries and make value-added products from it such as jams, pulp and herbal tea, others source the finest barley coffee, make pickles with wild fruits and plants, among other creations.

After connecting with them on Instagram and browsing through their catalogue of beautiful products and endearing quotes by Mahilaa's women, I knew I had to show my support. A few days back, I was happy to receive two cute jute bags with packets of blood red and rust orange seabuckthorn berries, that promise to keep you looking and feeling young, and a bottle of wild fiddlehead fern pickle. The cherry on the cake were the complimentary and thoughtfully gifted juniper leaves with medicinal properties. Gauri, the founder of Mahilaa advised me to burn the leaves in a bowl to ward off negativity and I did. 

Their pungent aroma was perfect for the wintry chill of Ahmedabad's evenings. I was even tempted to add some bay leaves to create the perfect blend for a warm and aromatic smoky cleanse. But that is for next time. The juniper cleanse was truly therapeutic, and the pickle for a cause, simply delicious!

Check them out on Instagram! @Mahilaa

The East Indian Bazaar: Experiencing Mumbai’s East Indian Food Heritage

East Indian exhibit owners engaged in conversation

While scrolling through my social media feed, hoping to find something interesting to do during my rare visit to Mumbai, an Instagram post by the Mobai Gaothan Panchayat caught my eye. The vividly coloured graphic screamed EAST INDIAN BAZAAR and voila! I knew I had to make a trip. 

Pickles made from meat and seafood are a staple in the East Indian diet

The East Indians are the original inhabitants of the island of ‘Bombay’ who were converted to Christianity by missionaries during colonial times. Over the centuries, their community has evolved, changed, adapted to the changing times and yet maintained their authenticity and distinct identity by conserving their culture and heritage - a blend of native, Hindu and Christian traditions. Their food exudes the textures, colours and aromas of this diverse blend that I was particularly excited to explore at the bazaar.

 

On a pleasant November evening, in the buzzing bylanes of Bandra West,  a steady stream of people looking their Sunday best made their way to the campus of the popular ‘Andrews’ college. In a humble enclosure, a dozen odd tables were lined up and vibrantly coloured with crochet handicrafts, shiny trinkets, colourful toys, books East Indian cooking and Christmas recipes, and pickles; others served hot food takeaway favourites like beef curry, tongue roast, pork vindaloo, mutton ‘paya’, potato chops, chicken hot dog rolls, fish balls; a counter or two was stacked with fugiyas (lightly sweetened flour balls fried and served warm), mawa cupcakes, and chocolate donuts, to coax parents and grandparents to take home for the kids. 

From Regina’s beef curry, pork sorpotel, and tongue roast, Susan auntie’s chicken and potato chops and pickles, to auntie Maria’s sweetmeats, visitors were spoilt for choice. As I browsed the setup, I was greeted by gregarious East Indian home cooks, entrepreneurs, uncles and aunties, mummies and grannies who beamed proudly at their displays, inviting the visitors to take a look. I made a dive for Susan’s potato chops generously filled with lightly - spiced and juicy minced chicken and mashed potato, and a few packets of fresh fugiyas. 

Potato chops: A favourite East Indian starter filled with minced chicken & potato

Regina aunty persuaded us to try her sun-dried fish and shrimp, a staple in coastal communities. My friend obliged and grabbed a packet of sun dried ‘bombil’ fish (Bombay duck) sticks, a box of mutton curry, and soft white sannas (dumplings made from rice - a common feature of coastal food that accompany savoury curries). The wide range of pickles was a sweet surprise displaying an eclectic mix of fruits, vegetables, meat and seafood. I could only imagine the number of delicious flavours that resulted from these well-balanced permutations and combinations. We were also introduced to the ‘letri’ - a sweet and colourful concoction of rice, coconut, and vermicelli which is made for special occasions. 

Books on East Indian cooking and delicacies by Abigail Rebello

The 'letri' - a traditional sweet dish

As we made it to our final table selling traditional and brightly-coloured East Indian 'lugda’ or saree, I concluded that East Indian food mainly consists of decadent dishes, and comfort food, rich in meat, grease, and fat, making it flavourful and wholesome. But, above all, it is the East Indian people themselves that made this whole experience wonderful thanks to their endearing personalities, cheerful vibes, and a great love for food!

 

 

 

Intimate Rituals

Getting "me-time" or time for self love and care is a rarity. On the very rare occasion, when I do get the time to indulge myself in just "being", I often sit at my modestly decorated and cozy desk in my home office. Fragrant candles accompanied by a dim lamp cast a warm glow around the room illuminating spiritual objects, works of art, handmade baskets and, of course, my books. All these characters on the stage, that is my desk, lend a beautiful and wholesome aura to my space.

Today being a Sunday, I started preparing for my weekly intimate ritual around 4 PM. This is the time when I'm all by myself stirring tea or coffee not because I crave it, but because it completes my ritual. The very sight of a piping hot cup of tea or a mug of coffee resting on my desk, while the sounds of thunder and rain play in my ASMR playlist, create an atmosphere that inspires me as an author, writer and thinker. The whole setup almost feels like a writer's retreat in an old cottage nestled away in the dark mountains while the monsoon rages away, and all one can do is simply write in the warmth and the chaos.

Today's intimate ritual also included the burning of juniper leaves sent to me, all the way from North India, by a kind woman who runs a collective promoting women small business owners. They make pickles and marmalades, source the best seabuckthorn fruits and barley coffee. The eco-friendly packaging read, "You are making an impact"and the juniper leaves were sent to me as a gift for being kind and honest. Indeed, karma pays forward. I was asked to burn the juniper leaves to usher out negativity. As I lit the juniper leaves with the flame of my candle, they crackled and burst emanating a fragrant and calming smoke much like the 'dhoop' or incense we utilise for our daily worship. 

I walked around my house barefoot carrying a bowl with the smoky juniper leaves, while the candles burned in my imaginary cottage, and the rain and thunder reached a crescendo signalling the success of my intimate ritual.

The Wise Queen

The Wise Queen

Once upon a time, there lived a wise and virtuous queen named Manekadevi. She was kind to her subjects and ensured there was law and order in her queendom. She never let anyone go hungry and made sure that children went to school.

One day, when Queen Manekadevi was busy discussing important matters with her Ministers in her magnificent palace, three men arrived requesting to meet her. They were poor and seemed desperate; one of them cried out, "We must see her Majesty or an entire village will die of hunger!", said one of the men. 

On hearing the commotion, the Queen immediately asked her guards to let the men inside the palace. "What is the matter?" she asked the men in a gentle voice. The second man said, "your Majesty, we live in the village behind the hills and there is no food to eat, please help us!". The three men fell to the Queen's feet and begged her to help.

Seeing their pitiful situation, the Queen immediately ordered her guards to give the men 20 bags of food containing lentils, vegetables, wheat, rice, and sweets for children. Indeed, Queen Maneka was very kind and generous. The men thanked her endlessly and were on their way soon after the guards loaded the bags onto five horse-carts and bid the men farewell. 

Three days later, the three men came to the palace again and said that some thieves had stolen the 20 bags of food. The Queen and the Ministers were surprised and angered on knowing this. They had ensured the food would last for three weeks at least. How could someone steal somebody's food and force them to go hungry, they wondered. But, the Queen didn't question the men any further. She asked her guards to load 30 bags of food onto the carts and bade the villagers farewell. 

Exactly three days later, the three men appeared at the palace once more with the same complaint. "Your Majesty, it is indeed embarrassing for us to come to you like beggars asking for food. Our food was stolen again!" The three men broke down and began crying.

The Queen asked them to steady themselves and assured them that she would help. This time the Queen gave the men 40 bags of food and asked them to keep a night vigil to catch the thieves. The men promised her they would be watchful.

On reaching the hillside, the men stopped the horse-carts and found a place to light a bonfire as the sky had turned very dark and it was cold. Sitting around the bonfire, the men began chatting and eating some food they retrieved from the carts. One said," Ha! We fooled the Queen again!" The other said, "Yes! yes! She did not suspect a thing! Now we can have all this food for ourselves!" "Yes! And make money selling some". The third man said sarcastically, "Oh we mustn't, or the imaginary villagers will go to bed hungry!" "Ha! Ha! Ha!", they all laughed in unison.

Just then, something moved amongst the horse-carts and startled the three men. They stood up and went to the carts to check what was wrong. As soon as they approached, out popped the Queen's guards from the bags and arrested the three lying men who were the real thieves. 

The three men took the Queen for granted, thinking she was foolish and naive, but they were wrong. Queen Manekadevi had suspected something was amiss and ordered her guards to hide in some of the bags and follow the men that evening. The guards put the thieves in prison, and Queen Maneka distributed the stolen food amongst the poor and needy in her queendom.

Dinner time

The Great Mansion's parlour was resplendent in its time. Its original owner loved to entertain his guests over lavish dinners and conversations that went into midnight and beyond. 

The parlour always fascinated me; it's beautifully carved furniture, the alfresco on the wall, the almirah now filled with modern books. I was admiring the scene when I heard my mobile ring by the poolside. I got back quickly to continue my admiration. To my surprise, the lights were switched on, the dinner table was set, candlesticks were lit in the centre and two chairs were pulled out...Seemed as if someone wanted to thank me for appreciating their home.

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