Shaikh is among the several others in Behndi Bazaar who set up stalls to sell kurtas and pyjamas for men during the holy month. "It is an honest business and brings in good money," says Shaikh.
On other days, Mohammed Ismail Shaikh is an "organiser for famous qawwals, film stars, orchestra and dancers, but during the month of Ramadan, the 49-year-old adds another feather to his cap – that of the owner of Bawa Collection.
Shaikh is among the several others in Behndi Bazaar who set up stalls to sell kurtas and pyjamas for men during the holy month. "It is an honest business and brings in good money," says Shaikh.
A stroll at one of the congested streets in the area reveals the kurta-pyjamas being sold in a dozen different colours, materials and patterns on at least 20 stands. Chinese-collared, spread-collared, pathani, jubba, chicken, cotton, synthetic, plain or embroidered variety – you name it and you-ll find it here.
Ranging between Rs400 and Rs1,000, the apparel is generally bought from wholesalers in Dharavi, Sion and Pathanwadi. "There is no way to tell what the public wants. Tastes keep changing every year," says Husain Khan, an in-charge in the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and owner of the Hazrat Waris Pak collection during Ramadan. Khan has been handling both lines of work for over two decades now.
These stall owners, most of them residents of the nearby Imambada neighbourhood, start setting up their rented wood and iron booths as soon as Ramadan commences. Customers start flocking the market after the 10th day of fasting. The week before the Eid is the busiest. The stall owners generally work from three in the afternoon to three in the night.
According to Shaikh, the clientele includes everyone from locals to TV and film stars to politicians. Khan says some people even ditch showrooms because they know they are bound to find similar products at one fourth of the price from him. "Most of us have fixed customers. We have seen them grow from five-year-olds to young men," shares Shaikh, who was among the first ones to start this business nearly a quarter of a century ago.
"There is a monopoly," Khan confesses, adding that newcomers find it hard to break in. Unlike Shaikh and Khan, who have fixed spots where they return every year, there are many who have to rent different stalls. "We don't have to worry about permits. The local MLA, Corporator, MP, police are all on our side," says Shaikh. He adds that over the years, they have become a close-knit community, which goes about its work harmoniously.
While Shaikh and Khan may come across as satisfied with what they are doing, they cannot emphasise enough that their children will not follow their footsteps. Khan (52), whose son is a BCom graduate, insists, "Our children must get other jobs."
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