Unavu, Ooru, Makkal (Food, Place, People): Matunga Edition

"Unavu, Ooru, Makkal" in Tamil translates to Food, Place or Village, and People. This edition of the food walk by Pooja Ashokkumar and her personal research explores Matunga through its restaurants, eateries, food histories and community histories that have shaped the neighbourhood for decades.

Matunga is often seen as the 'South India' of Bombay. Its food culture has been shaped by migrants from across South India, particularly from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and by other businesses owned by people from Kerala.

People from the south brought with them recipes, ingredients and other culinary practices that slowly became part of the neighbourhood. The walk will explore foods and stories of how they travelled with people from the Far East, then South India and then to Mumbai city.

We will also look at the histories of labour, caste and identity that have shaped Matunga as well as the changes brought by gentrification.