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V. Gangadhar

This quaint store in Mumbai appears as timeless as its popular herbal remedies.

Lorraine Pereira, a middle-aged homemaker in Bandra, Mumbai, buys 250 gm of special-quality dried garlic to help control her husband's cholesterol levels. "He does take allopathic medicines," she explains. "But someone told me this variety of garlic really helps."

Other women were buying a variety of herbs for home remedies like harde, jethi madh, indrajau as well as powdered methi, jamun, karela and neem... all known to check diabetes.

The women are regular customers at the 106-year-old Kalidas Vishram Store adjoining the fish and meat markets of Bandra Bazaar. The store was set up by Kalidas Thakkar, who originally belonged to Porbandar in Gujarat. Today his grandson Manoharlal Thakkar and great grandsons, Jitesh and Jayesh, run the store.

The store exudes an aroma of herbs and other groceries. Jayesh, with an engineering degree and nearly 15 years of work experience, has vague memories of the store's origin. But his father is more helpful.

Many farming families from Saurashtra and Kutch in Gujarat migrated to Mumbai several decades ago and set up grocery stores thanks to their business acumen. This community, in fact, owns a large number of grocery stores in Gujarat and Mumbai even today. "We are among the oldest grocery shops in Mumbai," points out Manoharlal.

"I remember the days when Bandra was just a village. Land had not been reclaimed and seawater was much closer to Bandra Bazaar. There were some Gujarati families in the area and that, perhaps, influenced my grandfather to start the shop."

Started mainly as a provision store, how did the shop branch into herbal medicines? Even today, Gujaratis firmly believe in grandmother's remedies. "Like many Gujarati families, we prepared these homemade remedies for our use and then someone suggested we market them too." The herbal medicines attract customers even from the cosmopolitan Bandra area.

Racked by a nasty cough? Try a mixture of tulsi and adhrak (ginger) in warm water for immediate relief. For indigestion, have some harde or triphala. Shatavari is recommended for menstrual problems, while women who have just delivered babies are advised to chew suva. "The medicines bring relief and have no adverse side-effects," says Manoharlal. The herbs are bought at wholesale markets in Vashi and Bhuleshwar, and the medicines prepared at the store. "Formerly, nearly every Gujarati family knew about the efficacy of these medicines," says Jayesh. "But the younger generation is not all that well informed, and our store can help them out." Many customers even come from distant suburbs such as Virar, Vashi and Dahisar. The store also sells grains, pulses, snacks and household items.

While acknowledging the changing habits of shoppers, the Thakkars however are not too worried about the huge malls sprouting in the suburbs. "We have our customers, they have theirs," says Jayesh. "Our knowledge of the individual needs of each customer is our strength."

But they recognise the need to change with the times. There are plans to revamp the store and impart specialised training to make the staff customer-friendly.

Since 1898, Kalidas Stores has existed in an area which, despite having a mixed population, has always remained peaceful. "We were not affected by the periodic communal riots which gripped Mumbai. There are plenty of Muslims in the area, but we get along very well," says Jayesh.

"Everyone knows about Kalidas Stores," says Neville Lobo, a long-time resident of Bazaar Road. "It has become a sort of landmark and we are proud of it."

Agrees Parveen, after wrapping up a packet of khushbau (an aromatic herb used in Muslim weddings): "They sell everything... This is a mini-Mumbai store."

Picture by Shashi Ashiwal

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