To you, Mumbai

I moved through one of the many Khau Gallis (Eat Streets) scattered all over Mumbai in search for food that would be cheap enough for me to eat and clean enough for me to endure. I was hungry after a day of roaming around in Mumbai and broke after spending all my money on cabs. Khau Gallis provide cheap food to all those who, like me, cannot afford this city after a point in time. They are hidden from popular view with addresses only known to people who need them, like the followers of a cult shrine.
‘Lenin Fast Food’ written on a neon board in bright orange attracted me inside one of the stalls. It served various formations of Pav Bhaji, a local Mumbai delicacy made of bread (pav) and bhaji (curry). I ordered the ‘shezwan pav bhaji’ or schezwan pav bhaji which tried to imitate the Chinese taste, however with the Indian touch. While they were being prepared, I turned to the owner and asked him,
“Looks like you are inspired by communism?”
“Somewhat” he smiled. “We are from Kerala and Lenin is my nephew’s name too.”
A nephew named Lenin?
“Oh we thought it would be a good name. He was the President of Russia and a powerful man.”
The Shezwan Pav Bhaji arrived and I dug into the gooey buttery curry with the pav. I ate the two extra pavs and ordered for more bhaji and later calmed by burning mouth with a Coca Cola. While sitting in a cab for a ride back to the hotel, I pondered over the concoction of dishes I just had, had.
Some eunuchs knock at my window for money and a biker hits them from behind. They curse him full throttle.