Walking Around Matunga

Fashion Street @ Matunga

On the long weekend of Independence Day celebrations instead of heading to the hill stations or tourist spots like Lonavala and Mahabaleshwar and getting trapped in the logjam traffic we decided to explore south Mumbai with our kids. We had a gala time shopping for kiddies clothes for little Bhakti and trendy ones for Netra at the various shops near the Byculla Khada Parsi bridge and the road leading to Mumbai Central . A whole lot of options I never knew existed. Will elaborate in detail in my new blog later.

Next on our pit-stop was the heritage buildings of Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus earlier known as Victoria Terminus . With its stone carvings and old British façade making this building stand tall among all other similar heritage structure. Same of the other well know buildings in this area are the Brihan Mumbai Mahanagar Palika or the BMC HQ and the Times Of India Building next to it. On the occasion of Independence day these building were lighted with Saffron , White and Green the colors of our flag. The scene was awesome , truly heartening and lifted once spirit.

The missus wanted to relive the old memories of shopping for trendy and casual clothes so we headed to the famous landmark “Fashion Street”. Opposite the iconic Bombay Gymkhana , this long street is a conglomeration of box sized stalls selling trendy and latest clothes for college kids and young office goers. Here you will find T-shirts , Denims , Cotton Shirts , Skirts , Hot pants , Jump suits , One piece summer dresses and spaghetti tops in wide variety of colors , prints and cloth materials.

Bought some nice Girly tops and jump suit for Netra and even little Bhakti could find some Disney Princess and Frozen tee’s. The missus picked up some anodized danglers for her beautiful ears.

The whole shopping was done walking from one end of this street to the other end . Checking the new stuff , bargaining with the vendors and generally feeling proud of the savings achieved.

To let you onto a secret, all this can now be experience at our very own Matunga , though on a smaller scale but worth the visit for the paisa vasool bargains.

Just opposite the Matunga Market Post office on the footpath starting from Giri Store or Bata up-to Ram Ashray Hotel you have 5-6 stalls specializing in tops for working Women and college going girls. Each with his own niche. One shop keeps the latest and fresh Kurti’s , cotton and synthetic. Long or short he has wide collection for the Women he caters to. Nice ethnic prints , some with classic Koirey motiff’s others vibrant with bright colors like Mango , Red or Magenta and Pink. Then there are the much in demand Black and White or plain whites in Chikankaari. Great collection at decent prices.

The shop next door’s specializes in Tee’s and denims. He keeps the round necks , spaghetti tops and poncho’s in variety of colors and prints. The denim shirts and tops are his hottest selling stuff with Women flocking to pick up more than 2-3 tops at a time. The denim shirts come in standard light blues or dark blues or even in printed designs. Those with miniature flying airplanes or small snow flake designs being the fastest selling items as confirmed by the shopkeeper.

The next shop keeps denim pants , Capri and the cotton casual pants especially the XXL sizes for the plus sized women . The other fast selling item are the printed pants or leggings which can be mixed and worn with Kurtis or tops bough next doors. To cater to the young college going girls he keeps the latest fad – torn jeans and torn tops and in sizes from XS to XXL .All this at bargain prices.  

Shopping here can easily consume 2-3 hours if you need to update or change your ward robe and don’t want to burn a whole in your or your Husbands pocket. My advice though to the women would be to visit this Fashion Street in Matunga on a lazy afternoon sans your Husbands . A ideal place for all shoppers . Don’t be rushed , have the patience to browse through the huge stocks , pick up great looking stuff and haggle to your hearts content and walk away arms full with an assured pride of having got the best price.

And after the shopping spree you can always rest your feet and have a great time at the famous Ram Ashray eating the finest neer dosas , butter idli’s , rasam vada or even the sweet pineapple or butterscotch sheera..

Wish you all happy shopping at our very own version of Fashion Street @ Matunga.