Exploring Meena Bazaar in Dubai

Gulf News

Exploring Meena Bazaar in Dubai. Gulf News explores the busy streets of Meena Bazaar, one of the oldest shopping districts in Dubai. See more at: http://gulfnews.com/gntv

Transcript

00:00Imagine a narrow lane covered in brocade awnings lit up with jeweled lights with royal selling

00:10fabrics to nobles.

00:12This was Meena Bazaar at Delhi's Red Fort in 17th century India.

00:17Dubai has its own unique version.

00:21Businessmen from the region and the subcontinent built this market.

00:24That entrepreneurial spirit would go on to define Dubai itself.

00:29Setting up a shop then was not as easy as it is today.

00:59Meena Bazaar was more than a market place.

01:14It was an entire community.

01:16This is the very famous spot of Dubai, Dubai Museum which used to be one of our playgrounds.

01:22You know the ground here, we used to play football with all the locals and the Indians

01:28living here in this area and most of the place was sandy and the buildings were just

01:34made after the year 1990s.

01:36Today the bazaar is crowded with shoppers looking for a bargain or a quick bite at one

01:41of the many restaurants.

01:42But in an age of shopping malls and food courts, why still Meena Bazaar?

01:47Because this is the heart of Dubai.

01:49Everyone knows this.

01:50Today if you want pani puri, you know you will get the best taste in Meena Bazaar.

01:55The place attracts not just the South Asian crowd, but also shoppers looking for a subcontinental

02:06experience.

02:07I found a hundred things I like.

02:09I found one thing that I'm going to buy, yeah.

02:12Meena Bazaar especially, it's very well known, popular, like Indian traditional kind of dresses.

02:19Whatever we use in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, traditional wedding dresses, party dresses,

02:26you will find all varieties here, even better than India.

02:30It's imported from India, but you will get better than India here.

02:34So this is the big reason behind it.

02:36I came from Nigeria, so we heard Dubai is the best.

02:38This is my first time here and it's been lovely.

02:40My mom and my sister, they are the worst.

02:43Anywhere we go, they buy a lot, a lot.

02:45For shopkeepers, it isn't just about making a sale.

02:48We have a good relationship with our customers, we have a good rapport.

02:52It's the same abroad, UK, America, Canada.

02:55We have all regular customers for a very long time and we give very good service.

03:01The only issue we have is the parking, otherwise we would have probably come more often.

03:05This place is old and feels like it still has its soul.

03:10Every evening, vendors call out to shoppers with attractive bargains.

03:14Their voices merge into the bustle of the crowd.

03:17And the streets of Mina Bazaar continue to thrive and charm.

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