Making your way through old parts of Mumbai can be both exhilarating and chaotic; mainly because the narrow roads of the city have little space for walking without nudging the next person but at the same time it holds those ancient stories which have been missed in the age of modernity.
Located in the one of the crowded areas of South Mumbai - Crawford Market - is Mirchi Galli (also known as Marcha Galli) and as the name suggests its the place where you will find all kinds of spices (whole and ground) and dry fruits available in Mumbai. From variety of Kashmiri chillies to turmeric, cumin seeds, cinnamon, mustard seeds and much more, Mirchi Galli is the place that is lost in time.
Its a narrow alley close to Jumma Masjid and it is easy to miss due to the number of hawkers sitting outside it. As soon as you enter you would be convinced its the right place due to the variety of spices on display at the entrance of each shop. I was really keen to know a bit of history of this spice land, so the person who willingly shed light on this was Mahesh Parekh, owner of Shamaldas Jivandas & Co. "There were 110-odd shops in Mirchi Gali at one point, selling dry fruits, spices etc., and now there are only about 11 shops left. This is mainly due to the fact that the younger generation aren't interested in carrying on with their father's business. My shop has been selling spices for 84 years, handed down through four generations," said Parekh. Mirchi Gali has undergone transformation over the decades. Parekh informed that the shops use to be more like sheds with metal roofs and spices were stored in gunny sacks and sold by wrapping in paper. "By mid-seventies business began to develop, spices were stored in glass jars and sold in plastic bags. Gradually trade opened up with other countries and people from Saudi, Gulf etc., started purchasing spices from here." So where do all these spices come from? Its from all over the country, to name a few - turmeric is sourced from Sangli, cardamom from Kerala, the popular chillies from a village in Karnataka, jeera and saunf from Gujarat. You will find the prices to be a bit higher for some spices like Kashmiri chillies or even dry fruits are a bit expensive, as compared to other stores, but its the quality that one can vouch on. Another old shop that has been around for 80 years in Mirchi Gulli is Shah Gabharubhai Uttamchand, also known as Rainbow shop, and the owner refused to talk during business hours.
Also available here are namkeens, mouth fresheners, pan ingredients, sweets etc.
As I moved further ahead the shops changed and only one thing remained constant, the narrow size of the lane that makes it impossible for more than two people to walk side by side. Mirchi Gulli is not only about spices, there are several other shops that deal in imitation jewelery, toys, household items and so on. This particular shop, whose name I can't recollect but its at the end of the lane, just at the turn, sells household items at discounted rates. The owner, who choose to remain anonymous, landed in Mumbai from Sindh after the partition, and opened this shop, which is around 60-odd years now and is run by the owner's son. This was a short walk through the old, unknown alleys of Mumbai that took me back in time to showcase the actual essence of this city.
