Yesterday I was walking through Bhaji Gully when it suddenly struck me how wonderful it was to walk through a space that was so alive. Every day there is something new that is happening on this narrow street , one of the many side lanes which connect Nana’s Chowk to Grant Road Station. When this road was the road it was meant to be, I’m sure it was a discreet lane with residential buildings on either side. Somehow or the other ( I don’t know when) vegetable vendors started setting up stalls outside the building till gradually it became better known as Bhaji Gully.

As usual it was a mess with the road still slushy thanks to the occasional rain shower. The street was narrower than usual with the huge Pandals erected to welcome the neighbourhood Ganpati. The loudspeakers were blaring songs which though sang praises of the Lord were set to music more appropriate for the traditional folk dances (tamasha or lavani), the lyrics of which are usually raunchy replete with double entendre. In fact I first thought the music was distinctly inappropriate till the vegetable seller asked me to listen carefully – that’s when I realised that they were indeed playing “Godly” songs albeit with a distinctly un-Godly vibe.

But I’m not complaining because Bhaji Gully is truly a living almanac and reminds you of which festivals are round the corner especially during the festive season when it sells specialty produce for the festival to come. Special flowers meant for worship, garlands, bunches of fruit, incense sticks, oil lamps, brass trays, camphor pellets, cotton wicks, masks to assemble idols, bangles and beads, bells and all the stuff that you need to conduct a pooja.

So with today being Rishi Panchami, the vegetable sellers had all the veggies that go into making a special vegetable dish that is only eaten on this day. ( Read more on my blog  foodities)