Inside Bohri Ali, memories of a market slowly changing

Bohri Ali, a 200-year-old market named after the Bohra community, has undergone significant changes in recent decades. Traditionally known for hardware, industrial and agricultural tools, paints, stationery, and agricultural goods, the market has seen the arrival of new traders. Shabbir Mulla, a third-generation member of the E. M. Mulla family, which has been operating since 1910, notes that nearly 70% of the shops once dealt in hardware.

Today, many of those businesses have vanished, replaced by shops selling plastic goods, perfumes, and decorative items. As seasons change, customers increasingly seek festive decorations, leading to a rise in decoration shops over the past eight to ten years. Although Raviwar Peth is often associated with Bohri Ali, shops on the opposite side of the lane belong to Shukrawar Peth.

Despite the changing tenor of the market, some old establishments continue to thrive, preserving a piece of Pune's trading history amidst the evolving landscape.