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What
is it that keeps the people of Pune going?
Here are this month's picks.
Amruta-tulyas:
Desperate for a hot cup of chai? Just head straight
for an 'Amruta-tulya'! These quaint tea joints promise
you some heavenly chai. 'Aadya Amrutatulya' , the
first exclusive tea shop in the city, was set up
in 1928 at Rameshwar Chowk. In no time, other chowks
got wind of this exciting business proposition brewing
in Rameshwar. Today
these chai joints can be found in not just chowks
but Peths, streets, squares et al.
The interiors of these shops are all very similar.
The wall is adorned with calendars that have seen
the light of days, months and even years. A host
of photographs of Gods, Goddesses and venerable
cricketers all share wall space. The shop has, on
one side, a couple of wooden tables and one long
bench for customers to sit and slurp. On the other
side squats the owner cum 'Amrut maker' surrounded
by his tools. Stove, copper kettle, pliers, straining
cloth, etc. The heavenly chai is flavoured with
cardamom, ginger and dry ginger. No wonder Amruta-tulyas
add flavour to the city.
Street Smart:
Shopping
has never been more easy for the new age consumer.
A press of a few buttons or a punch of a few keys
and hey presto, the goodies are delivered at the
doorstep. For the shoppers who wish to venture outdoors
hoping for a better deal, the city does not dissappoint.
Like most cities, Pune too has streets choc-a-block
with shops dealing in specific items. These streets
may not provide parking space or a great shopping
ambience but it sure makes life convenient for the
buyer wanting to check out the range of items before
he picks one to his liking. Though these streets
are in areas across the city, there are a few that
exist in the same vicinity. 
Bohri Ali is in Raviwar Peth, the city's oldest
commercial centre. The lane is lined with shops
dealing in hardware: iron and steel, the traditional
stronghold of the Bohri Muslim community. So at
Bohri Ali you can get pipes, powder-coated door
handles, taps, soap dishes and other such stuff.
Plastic products are also available in the area.
There are a row of shops that display the entire
range of colourful plastic items, buckets, mugs,
stools, nylon ropes - the works. Perpendicular to
Bohri Ali is Kapad Ganj, the cloth market where
you can pick up readymade clothes, dress materials,
hosiery articles, towels, napkins, etc., at wholesale
rates. Adjacent to the cloth market is the steel
and cutlery market where steel articles can be got
at, well, a steal! |
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