Shopping in Allahabad

As a kid (read under ten years old) I enjoyed going shopping with my mother and aunt in Allahabad. We went by cycle rickshaw with me perched on one of their laps. My job was to hold the empty shopping bags and make sure I did not “dream” and leave them anywhere. Incidentally, we had a rickshaw man named Jumman who lived near bye so that helped. As items were bought, they were handed over to Jumman to put in the rickshaw and keep watch. He followed us faithfully from shop to shop. Looking back, there were two main shopping areas - The Civil Lines on Canning Road - later Mahatma Gandhi Marg was the sort of upmarket area & the other was the bigger market known as “Chowk”. There was another busy market called “Katra” but we never went there for some obscure reason. Katra and chowk were on opposite sides of the city. I was rarely taken to Chowk but on the few occasions I was, it thrilled and confused me .I was also a trifle perturbed about getting lost or left behind as I had no clue how to get home . We usually set out for the market just after lunch. Chowk was dirty, dusty, very congested and a trifle smelly. Various odors pervaded the atmosphere, and some were downright nauseating. Heaps of garbage were strewn all over - some of it rotting. Strangely I often saw people carrying garbage till the dump and then throwing it on the road. The roads themselves were narrow and filled with potholes – there were overflowing drains as well. Cars, scooters, cyclists, motor bikes, rickshaws , ekkas, tongas , trucks, vans and even large roadways buses all fought for right of way & to move forward . Everyone was obviously going somewhere, and everyone was in a tearing hurry. The noise of the vehicles was bad enough and then with everyone hooting and sounding their horns it was enough to wake the dead. Despite all the flies and the filth, roadside food stalls and juice vendors plied their trade with gusto & did a roaring business. I vaguely remember trying my luck, by once asking for a glass of sugar cane juice. I was told point blank that I would get cholera or typhoid. My argument that others were having it was countered with – “they have guts of steel” or “their parents are not bothered about them ‘’ I never asked again. Most of the roads had no partitions or dividers and so you could travel in any direction you so desired - you were also permitted to park anywhere , do a U turn , and even stop and chat with someone coming in the opposite direction . This was definitely not permitted but no one checked anyone and so I guess that was the crux of the problem. I did see the odd traffic police man in his white uniform and some others in khaki but they were invariably busy trying to coerce some poor soul to bribe them for some minor traffic offence or the other - quite a paradox if you ask me ! To add to the general pandemonium, there were dogs, goats, buffaloes, and cows moving around, butting people and frightening others who often either drove into ditches beside the road or were forced to jump over mucky drains, to avoid them. The cows and buffaloes often squatted in the middle of the road and dozed off or just sat chewing the cud while glancing nonchalantly around - this usually happened at the busiest areas as if they knew the chaos they would cause and then all the traffic had to maneuver round them. There were accidents galore and those led to arguments, threats and fights . To top all that, Chowk seemed to be a paradise for "paan chewers". Not only did they enjoy the best varieties of paan available but they spat the betel juice all over - on the walls , on the road, on to passing vehicles , out of windows of houses and vehicles and if one was not lucky then you could be spat on as well - in general it was a free for all – let’s all be happy kind of atmosphere! Most of the shop keepers lived in houses above their shops. I often wondered what those dilapidated houses were like from the inside. From outside they looked as if they were about to collapse any moment - had not seen a coat of paint for decades and were probably extremely old. Clothes put out to dry on lines of plastic rope , mops, brooms , long poles, broken old furniture , birds cages etc. were all visible on the minuscule balconies - at times you would see someone's toothless grandmother or grandfather sunning themselves or just standing and surveying the scene - some would smile and wave when I looked up. Mind you, I am sure that a number of these were well to do individuals so please don’t get me wrong. That was just their lifestyle and they seemed to enjoy it . Each area of chowk sold different items – so you had the utensils, brass ware, electrical goods, cloth, readymade garments , sarees, Knick knacks , toys , wood and carpentry items, paint shops etc . Then there was another area called ‘’Lok Nath’’ where one purchased all sorts of pickles, dried fruit and other eatables. We always came here, especially before Christmas to purchase items to put in the Christmas cakes. Tasting before purchasing was what everyone did and I loved tasting an item called Petha ! What struck me as strange was when my mother or aunt would ask the shopkeeper if the item, they were buying was fresh! I never heard anyone reply in the negative. In fact, that is my pet peeve when I go out shopping with anyone even today. Asking a vegetable vendor or a man selling meat or fish whether the items he is selling are fresh is so silly and quite unnecessary. For that matter asking a man selling shoes if the shoes will last is as funny. Anyway, we would return around six pm. I always believed that if we returned after sunset we would be mugged or attacked by goons or whatever. Not sure where these ridiculous ideas entered my head from but they were there ! On the other hand, going to Civil Lines was easy, less stressful and I knew my way back! Everything was in a square. The roads were wider, they had no potholes and there were pavements to walk on. Large trees provided sufficient shade . Above all it was clean, there was plenty of parking for those who had cars and the clientele was better. Those who chewed pan visited Civil lines as well but they spat the betel juice in the corners of corridors and roads and were a little more careful. And oh yes , the cows – they were there as well ! Nevertheless, although the Civil Lines was walking distance from our house in the Railway quarters , we never walked but went by rickshaw – now it need not be “our regular man” as we paid the guy off as soon as we reached the first shop and then strolled around – this was usually on a Saturday morning . I guess we humans are creatures of habit and so we invariably visited the same shops and often in the same order. So, it was Ladies Corner to start with – powder, make up, biscuits, gift items etc. were always purchased here. I would hover round the jars with sweets and the kind shopkeeper would always ask me which one I wanted and then give me two! Then we would buy two hundred and fifty grams of butter scotch paper sweets – I love them even now . Across the road, on the other side was a shop called Boxman – so it was buttons, needles, thread, ribbons, clips, pins, combs etc from there. If shoes were needed it was always Fitwell. The owner was a very jolly man and he talked nonstop. From a little square opening in the ceiling, boxes of shoes were thrown down and those below held them without even looking up – it was all one fluid motion and I was often bewildered at their dexterity. The shoes for school boys back then had very round toes and If I remember correctly they were referred to as Ball tossers ! What a vague name! At times I would run around the corner to Bata shoe shop to see the shoes there, but old Fitwell was such a glib talker that by the time I got back he had packed the shoes , thrown in an extra pair of laces, or a tin of polish for good measure and the payment had already been made . So much for choice. There were two other shoe shops – both owned by Chinese – Wanson and Fookson. For Christmas many people flocked to those two shops & I got my Christmas shoes from there too . They were definitely more fashionable! . Fooksons was then bought over by Chopra Shoes and I became a regular there. Mr Chopra was a great salesman too, so he attracted a lot of regular customers. Occasionally, we picked up some sweets from Lucky Sweet mart – a Bengali owner - great tasting sweets and savories. They also sold creamy cold lassi and sweet curd – both were in high demand. For Medicines it was always Kohinoor Chemist – there were two gents at the counter there One was a Parsee Gentleman called Nanavati and the other was a Mr Tandon. Mr Nanavati loved to talk and crack jokes and I found him quite funny. He would often ruffle my hair & was one of those who would always say I looked thin and then proceed to sell us a bottle or two of Feradol! Apparently it would fatten me up- it never did ! I do remember some other shops as well – B N Rama was a big, posh shop at the corner near Fitwell – I am not sure what we bought there – a gift or two for sure at times – but every time I passed by I inserted a coin in the weighing machine at the entrance . I was a feather weight for years. There were two brothers – one ran B N Rama and the other El Chico. They were the Roy brothers. Who can forget Universal book stall where we got our books from – it was a very congested shop but any book one needed was available. Another of my favourites was a Pen store at the entrance to that same compound. I do not recollect the name but do remember being a regular to that shop to buy Pens, pencils and rubbers, chart paper and even my first China pen & Geometry set ! Scented rubbers were a craze and I bought quite a few. Then there was Samsons for readymade garments – we always went there – bush shirts , vests, underwear, socks , thermal wear etc – he had the best and was very reasonable .Close to Samson and on the same side of the road was Flashlight the Photographer . In those days there were no mobile phones in any case – not sure whether James Bond had one back then either. Flashlight was always in demand to develop the film rolls – some rolls had just eight photos and some twelve – out of those, one or two were invariably spoilt . You got the negatives as well in case you needed copies later. I must not forget Beni Prasad – that was a shop like no other. A large shop with shelves upon shelves of items – all rather untidy and overflowing. There were goods all over – on the floor and on the counters as well and nothing seemed to be sorted or labeled. It was one untidy mess. Even the large fans had seen better days and they looked tired- quite like the owner. However, jokes aside, it must be noted that if you could not procure an item anywhere in Civil Lines- Beni Prasad had it . He did not specialize in any particular item but had everything under the sun. He would shout out the order to one of his workers and miraculously, what you had ordered would appear within the minute. If it were a rare item, it would be covered in dust, but he would wipe it and hand it to you, beaming. At Beni’s, unlike in other shops, you could try and beat him down for the price and indulge in a little bargaining. He did not seem to mind. I was usually told to pick up an item or two from Beni after I had a hair cut at the barber near by ( in the Palace Cinema building . He was called Bulaki (I hope I got the name and location right) . El Chico was the most sought-after and up market restaurant in Civil Lines, and we did not go there very often as it was costly. However, we did go once or twice on special occasions. The ambience, the food and whole atmosphere was a wonderful experience. I vividly remember that my mother loved the pastries and so pastries were often purchased for tea from there. I often went to St Paul’s book stall when I was a little older to purchase Holy Pictures – I had a collection of them and spent the little pocket money I received on adding to my collection every month. Sehgal stores was also a well-known grocery store and the shop was always well stocked. I cannot end without mentioning two shops - the barber I patronized as a teen and even later – He was called Up To Date. A friend introduced me to him, and he was my barber for years. I remember he had Leukoderma on his face, but he was a lovely man and we chatted a lot. The other was GUZDERS ICE CREAM- this large ice cream parlour cum Departmental store was owned by the family for years. I remember being taken there on many an evening and we sat out in the spacious lawn and were served by bearers in spotlessly white uniforms and fancy head gear .The funny thing was that I suffered with Tonsillitis and so could not enjoy the different varieties of ice cream ! I often had pastries! I have tried not to digress, but Allahabad has wonderful memories for me.