flower bazar, parrys corner, sowcarpet, george town, explanade, central

Sree Vasari traders, surrounded by stacks of colourful applams, vadams and spices. “Seventy varieties in total,” says proprietor M. Bhaskar proudly, “This is the business of my forefathers.”

Telling us how the store began as a provisions shop in Kothawal Chavadi “almost 100 years ago,” Bhaskar says he moved to the present premises about 20 years ago. “Now we import from everywhere: China, Thailand, Indonesia… We also export to Sri Lanka and Malaysia.” He pulls out a pack of purple chips. “Tapioca. Thailand. Quarter kilo, Rs. 60.” As we chat, clients trickle in and out buying everything from noodle packets to cleverly packaged sachets of herbs and spices. Profits on walk-ins are low, “If I buy at Rs 31.50, I sell at Rs. 32,” he confides, before getting into an animated conversation with a customer on how to fry sago vadams perfectly.

Mirror from Devaraja Mudali Street
Stortten Muthiah Mudali Street is associated with dry fruits, one also get dry fruits from Govindappa Naicken Street, primarily a stretch where light fittings and electrical products are sold.

One turn from Devaraja Mudali street and you’ll end up in Rasappa Chetty Street, where you can buy locks, garden equipment and artfully designed hangers for your swings and, if you are a do-it-yourself hobbyist, drilling machines.

Step into Mint Street and bring home the flavours of North India

Astrologists and henna artists are a familiar enough sight at Mint Street, Sowcarpet

At Kamal Chat, a stone’s throw away from the rakhi shop, you can pick up your ghevar. Laced with sugar syrup and rabri, it is delicious. lassi, bhel-puri, pav bhaji, badaam milk, jalebis are dunked into a pan of hot oil, encountering a miasma of warm, gooey syrupiness that lingers on my tongue long after I finished it.

 
Packets of deep fried farsaan — ghatiya, theplas, khakras, shev, bhakarwadis. Heart attacks waiting to happen but oh-so-delicious. Tall tumblers of lassi and buttermilk. Translucent pethas with their hard crust and soft core. Ream after ream of decorative lace, fancy buttons and embroidered patches. Slippers and bindis and bangles. Embroidered sarees in chiffon, georgette, lace and net are draped around absurdly skinny mannequins. Gold, silver and gemstones. And if you are broke (like me), you can still pick up relatively inexpensive but still attractive jewellery made of copper and coated with gold.