Old things, new stories.
Chor Bazaar is less a single market than a knot of lanes, with Mutton Street at its heart and small shops stacked with antique clocks, wooden furniture, paintings and old film posters. It has been a market for second-hand goods since the days of British rule. Walk slowly, look more than you buy, and treat bargaining as a friendly conversation rather than a contest. The pleasure is in the rummaging.
Behind the shop shutters.
History · A noisy market, renamed
The name is usually traced to noise, not thieves.
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The market is said to have first been called Shor Bazaar, the noisy market, and British mispronunciation turned it into Chor Bazaar, the thieves’ market. It grew into one of India’s oldest markets for second-hand goods during British rule.
Continue reading at Wikipedia ↗Visiting · What turns up on the shelves
Antique clocks, wooden furnishings and paintings sit side by side.
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The city’s own guide points visitors here for antique clocks, wooden furnishings and paintings. Old film posters, Victorian furniture and spare parts for cars also turn up, and haggling is expected.
Continue reading at Mumbai City District ↗Significance · Lost and found
A popular saying gives the market its reputation.
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A popular legend says that if you lose anything in Mumbai, you can buy it back at Chor Bazaar. In practice, the market deals in second-hand goods rather than stolen ones.
Continue reading at Wikipedia ↗Down the narrow lanes.
The lanes are crowded and narrow, with handcarts, scooters and deliveries squeezing past, so keep your bag zipped and in front of you. Agree a price before you pay, and be wary of anything sold as a certain antique. Shops keep their own hours, so check current timings before you go, and ask before photographing shopkeepers.
A pause nearby
The market is known for its street food as well as its shops, including kanda bhajiya sandwiches. Pick somewhere busy and freshly cooking, have a cold drink, and keep an eye on the time.
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