by There is no way to describe the colours and chaos of this market (yes, I know, how can anyone describe any Indian market?)
Here is the first part of (what I hope will be) a series on the markets of Bangalore on this blog – a walk through Gandhi Bazaar. In the heart of Basavangudi, Gandhi Bazaar stretches for a short kilometer or so, bordered on both sides by shops selling everything from saris and clothes to plastics and kitchen utensils, fronted by vegetable and fruit stalls.
First things first – and when in Gandhi Bazaar, that means breakfast at Vidyarthi Bhavan – khara bhath, crispy, dripping with oil (or is that ghee? oh, never mind) masala dosa followed by filter coffee and you will be tempted to agree that aal izz well with the world. I know many who call this the best dosa in Bangalore – I don’t know about that, but I can say that it is worth the wait and the agony of sharing the table with strangers (who are usually locals and look at you with disdain).
Friendly folk, ever ready to pose and smile (and what can a camera not do?), I had fun chatting with the vegetable and fruit vendors in Tamil.
The flower sellers are grouped together at one end of the market – doing brisk business of both loose flowers and garlands…
Then there is the occasional mobile pickle-seller… (door delivery of pickles – the thought of it makes my hyper-acidity act up!)
And finally, to keep the evil eye away…
Also read: this lovely post by Iyer Matter on Basavangudi and the charm of old Bangalore – another Bangalorophile pointed it out to me, thanks G!
ah thanks for the virtual tour of GB. Loved it .
Hi,
This article is really nice. Though I am a regular visitor of Gandhibazaar, I had not realised there are so many things. Usually we visit this place and just do our work and get back home. I wonder, there are much more things you could even cover including the occasional discount sales on the DVG road, the UD, Rotighar and Icethunder. These are just my suggestions.
Thanks for such a good article.
Deepak
I want to steal that van full of pickles. Great pics!
I’ve always tried to catch good snaps of gandhi bazar, but I just end up getting a car or a cow in the middle of my snap! Great pics,and a lovely post 🙂
The mobile pickle seller is too cool. Nothing like the colors of the fruit and veggie markets of India and in Bangalore, everything tastes so much fresher.
sreelu, thank you! glad you enjoyed this tour 🙂
Deepak, thank you! walking around aimlessly in a market with a camera is such fun!
Nupur 🙂 – that is the stuff of your dreams, I see!
kusublakki, keep at it – enough times when there are no cows 🙂
shalini, true – I end up wanting to buy everything in sight – my fridge was groaning for days after this!
Superb post..Gandhi bazaar is looking beautiful in these pics.That is the only place we shop in blore..Never tried in vidhyarthi bhavan juz becoz of rush.. i shud go there once.its my wish 😉
Nice to read about GB, where i stayed frorm my birth in 1947 to 1962. Next should be National education society (perhaps). thanks for the nice photogrphs
Nice crisp write up and pretty pictures.. The pictures speak a lot more..
am gonna taste that masala dhosa this week with coffee 🙂
Vidyarthi Bhavan was asked to open its shop in London….waooooo.