Mustafa Magic

One of the places I’d rather never visit in Bangalore is Big Bazaar. With the crowds and the constant shoving and pushing it seemed like the worst place to be in even on a weekday. And that is exactly what I thought about Mustafa when I first came here as a tourist in August. I wasn’t impressed at all. Much too crowded for my liking. The salespeople were indifferent. The goods on offer were nothing spectacular that I couldn’t find back home in Bangalore anyway. Obviously, I gave the vegetables & grocery section a miss.

And just yesterday, we went to Mustafa again. This time, it was to the groceries and vegetables section that I paid a visit. And it worked like a charm. The blues have blown over. The sights and smells that assailed me left me speechless. Never ever would I have thought in the wildest of my dreams that endless rows of packaged dals, pickles and spices would give me such a high. Asafoetida smelt like heaven. It brought to my mind memories of Amma’s sambar - my favourite dish. Feels like I’ve been away from home for ages. Coming to think of it, not even a week has passed and I’m homesick already. I picked up whatever was needed for my cooking needs that can be done in the minimal kitchenette of the serviced apartment we now occupy. It’ll be a while before we settle into a proper place.

We loaded ourselves into a taxi on our way back. I came away happy. Mustafa is no more the same. It is for me now much more than just a crowded place. It is a place that definitely reminds me of home. I’ll need more of that Mustafa Magic every once in a while.