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Mumbai they say is the melting pot of communities and within Mumbai, I am sure Bandra takes the lead.

Come Christmas and our neighbour’s grand daughter in our previous apartment used to come over to wish us with marzipan, Christmas cake, jejubes and guava cheese, all local sweets made by Christians.

During Ganpathi in our current apartment our Marathi neighbours send up modaks, laddoos, bhakar wadis and puran polis and other Marathi sweets.

During Durga Pujo the Bengalis of Bandra feed lunch to people of all communities who come to the Pujo grounds making sure that noone is turned back.

If you leave aside my time as a five year old in pre Khomeini Iran, then I had my first Muslim neighbours when we moved in to our second apartment in Bandra. Farida aunty next door would always come over with biryani and sheer khurma during Eid. I would look forward to it. When we finally moved out she made me a special pot of biryani for me to take to our new house. She was not alone. The Syed’s upstairs would send us kheer on Eid and Alu Bhai would share the luscious mutton from Qurbani which I would make kosha mangsho.

We no longer live in that building but we are still in Bandra and Eid continues to be festive for us.

Earlier today, Banu of Bunkin Banu and Banu’s kebab fame, who has looked after our house and cooked for us for ten years now dropped in with her grandson and daughter in law to wish us Eid and along with her got sheer khurma that she had specially made for the occasion.

The celebrations got off to a sweet start.

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Looking at folks tweeting about their biryani cravings on twitter I too felt that some biryani would be perfect to go with the sheer khurma Banu had lovingly got for us.

We were enjoying a hot chocolate at Birdsong in the rain when I suddenly got a call from Qader Bhai asking if we were home. Qader Bhai looks after our aircons for close to ten years now. I broke into a smile as I knew what was coming.

Sure enough, Qader Bhai dropped in and we quickly hugged before he gave me a pack of the most amazing biryani that his wife makes, which he has brought for us on two earlier Eids, and some more sheer khurma and sev.

Qader Bhai left and we shut the door when the doorbell rang.

Eid had assumed a Kolkata touch it seemed as Surjapriya of Bong Bong had sent over some Kolkata styled biryani and chaap/bharta made by a cook whom they have hired from Arsalan Kolkata.

So come over folks, join in in our Eid party and Eid Mubarak to you all.

Folks whom I call Finely Chopped Knights have had a chance to have the amazing Kebabs Banu makes.

If you need a reliable and expert aircon fixer in Mumbai then Qader Bhai is your man. His numbers are 9224181220/ 9867860545

Bong Bong is now in Powai’s Galleria 1st floor Food Court apart from in Bandra 16th Road and the number to call from is 02269990202/ 69992616

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  • Anonymous says:

    Hi Kalyan, Eid Mubarak to you too…I am a Bohri Muslim and read your post on the Bohri Mohalla walk with immense pride…That place has the best Muslim street food…You should sample the deliciously spicy channa batata with tilli (goat's pancreas) in one of the lanes…Ask the Tawakkal guy for directions…and a trivia – Bohri's eat saat handi with mutton kebabs (supremely delicious at the mohalla) with lamba pav (a different bread) for breakfast!!! Try and go there for breakfast one day…

    ~Shaheen

  • Eid Mubarak to you… Banu is not there with you anymore? Sad to hear that.

  • Toych wood, no, she is very much with us

  • SC says:

    That's so much love shared by all the people you've been associated with the past years! It is such a privilege, really. Is Banu's little grandson the child of the son whose wedding you attended a few years back (I remember the post – Banu, the mother of the groom)? Best wishes on the festive occasion. I'm in a new city now, but back when I was in Munich, my friends and I celebrated most festivals – Diwali, Christmas, Eid with much fervour 🙂

    SC

  • Where are you now? Wish you all the best. Yes, this is her grandson from her son who got married

  • Unknown says:

    Luv your articles Kalyan… it's always nostalgia for me. Would luv to do 1 of your food walks when I am next in Mumbai

    Shaheen / Dubai

  • Thank you for your support and wishes Shaheen, would be lovely to host you

  • SC says:

    Now in Berlin, since the past two months or so….

  • Unknown says:

    Much appreciate your response. Do let me know if you are hosting any food walks from 27th Dec to Jan 02.

    Shaheen/Dubai

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