Intense like its sigdis — that tirelessly churn out kebabs and tikkas, the spirit of Bhendi Bazaar is kindled by a lofty language and its weavers. But is the spirit spawned within the bazaar lanes alone? Zubair Azmi thinks, “It seeps through the chinks, to thrive in the corners of Crawford Market, Mohammed Ali Road, Zakaria Masjid, Dongri, Nagpada, Madanpura and Mominpura.” Azmi, who introduced the Bhendi Bazaar Urdu Festival in 2014, trusts his hopes and joys for the upcoming programme. His understanding of the neighbourhood parallels his idea of the nation — alike in their instances of syncretism.

Artiste Mujtaba Aziz Naza performs a qawwali