Mangalore: Mumbai’s Chor Bazaar, a Distinct Locality to Bargain for Antiquities

By John V Tauro
Bellevision Media Network

Mangalore, 06 Jun 2013: As a frequent traveller, I visited Mumbai, financial capital of India to unravel the most daunted area ‘Chor Bazaar’ as it is known all over our country and the world.

 

I boarded Konkan Railway’s (KR) Matsyaganda train in Mangalore on Saturday June 1 and reached Mumbai on Sunday June 2.  I was greeted by my relative who took me to his flat located at Nerul in Navi Mumbai.  I stayed overnight at his accommodation and planned my visit to a distinct landmark of metro that is Chor Bazaar.

 

I planned to explore Chor Bazaar on Monday June 3 and asked my relative to accompany me.  We boarded Harbour train of New Vashi Terminus to Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) the erstwhile Victoria Terminus (VT) of British era at Nerul at 10.00am in order to avoid rush in local trains by early office-goers.  The fellow commuters told us if we can alight at Sandhurst station, one station before CST, we would reach our destination swiftly.  We alighted at Sandhurst station and reached the busy street where we have enquired the shopkeepers about Chor Bazaar.

 

 

We were astonished by vibrancy of street culture, the hard labour of cart pullers, street vendors and workmen immersed in their task.  We have realized it’s not the place for soft-bodied people. We walked through the lane to reach Mutton Street to find the Chor Bazaar, an area where you could get anything from antiquities, paintings, handicrafts, etc.  I took a few pictures of shops dealing in antiquities, when I was invited by a sixty-five-year-old Syed Mansoori, a shopkeeper to have a chat at his shop.  I was curious to know about why the locality was named as Chor Bazaar.  Syed Mansoori explained me that the area has history of over two-hundred-year, where anybody can sell their wares for a bargaining.  The haggle was such in the area that known to be Shor Bazaar, because Shor in Hindi is known as noisy / chatter place.  Mansoori said that he has been running his business at the locality since 3 generations and his son is keen to continue the business. I marvelled at the commitment of four-generations to run the business at that specific spot even at changing times, wherein the youth try to explore to find new avenues lacking interest in pursuing age-old trades.

 

Syed Mansoor said, ‘the politicians, bollywood celebrities and well known personalities visit my shop to buy their choicest antiquities.  I source antique paintings from 40 contacts from across the country.  I have customers who arrive from Middle East, Europe, America and Africa,’ said Syed.

 

He has 3 similar shops in the locality that as brass wear, wood carving, silver coins, jewellery, tin signs, paper items, bollywood posters, old glass, old TV, etc and etc.  I enquired Syed why the access road is known as Mutton Street, he said that it was during British rule in India, it was the only place where mutton was sold in north Bombay that was not thickly populated like now.

 

The shops in Chor or rather Shor Bazaar opens from 11.00am to 8.00pm daily except on Friday.

 

Meanwhile, when we reached a car park besides the designated Shor Bazaar and I tried to click a few pics the shopkeepers objected to prove that they are dealing in stolen goods and don’t want to be in focus fearing their trade.  We were happy that our visit was fruitful and hopped a taxi to CST that is just a few kilometres away where I clicked a few pics and returned to Nerul.To conclude, we recommend the antique lovers to visit Shor Bazaar to decorate your abodes with antiquities that you will be proud to display and cherish in life.