The Colourful Commercial Hub of Kozhikode
Photographs: Gokul Ramachandran
A walk through Kozhikode’s Mittai Theruvu is an experience by itself. Bustling with activity and christened with a delectable name by itself Mittai Theruvu is a must do when in Kozhikode. The street derives its name from the times when the shops along this particular street were lined with shops selling the famed ‘Kozhikoden Halwa’ or ‘Sweet Meat. Today the scenario is a little different. The shops lining this street now sell anything and everything from sweets, spices, electronics, handlooms, textiles to almost anything one can think of. Artefacts made of rosewood and buffalo horns sit sharing space with all other coir products including floor mats, brushes, snake boat toys etc which are quite popular with visitors to this side of town.
A treat for the eyes and a delight for those with a sweet tooth, the famed halwa sits decked in different hues – green, yellow, red and the staple black. The choice is difficult and a quick session of tasting one after the other of these soft, melt in mouth bits of heaven will ensure that one does not leave without having bought a one too many packets of these for family, neighbours and everybody you can think of just because it all seemed too good to be left out. Freshly fried banana chips are another speciality of this street.
Mittai Theruvu was the subject of the award-winning book Oru Theruvinte Katha by S. K. Pottekkatt. The book fetched him the Kerala Sahitya Academy award in 1961. The story sketches the lives of people who earn their living on this ‘street’. A statue of the writer welcomes one into the street at the very entrance of the street.
Although the shops on this street stand cheek to jowl for space their narrow entrances open up to vast interiors. Traffic is almost nil but the crowd a bit unsettling for some but that would be small sacrifice considering the fact the streets sell virtually anything one could Although the shops on this street stand cheek to jowl for space their narrow entrances open up to vast interiors. Traffic is almost nil but the crowd a bit unsettling for some but that would be small sacrifice considering the fact the streets sell virtually anything one could want original and otherwise, or amusingly virtually anything that was ever invented. Be it something as simple as safety pins to any ultra modern laptop or device, one can expect to find it all here. The competitions between the shops also help keep the prices under control and selection at its best.
Typical of most shopping streets throughout the country the sellers on the footpath cater to the demand of cheaper products while the glitzy stores offer branded items that appeal to the brand conscious. Due to the sheer amount of shoppers one can expect to find at any given time this area has also earned the reputation as being one of the most sought after venues among traders to base their business as well. Maybe this is why the street is also huge canvas for advertisers looking to tap into their audience in the floating crowd of shoppers as well.
It is said that during festivals and the holy month of Ramzan the street comes to life with lights and rows and rows of stalls selling all sorts of mouth watering delicacies. Mittai Theruvu is a shining example of unity. There exists a healthy sense of camaraderie among the sellers, some of who have had establishments here for many years with the next generation often running the show now. The relevance of Mittai Theruvu is much. The joy of walking down the lane, indulging in some friendly banter and haggling for a bargain are a few things one cannot derive out of the air-conditioned malls that are fast springing up all over.