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
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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.