subject: My Mumbai and my Wada Paav [print this page] My Mumbai and my Wada Paav My Mumbai and my Wada Paav
Wada paav (or the Indian burger as the foreigners call it) with cutting chai, Mumbaikar's favourite diet. In Mumbai, you will find Wada paav vendor at every corner. Wada paav is also known as "poormans meal". Many actors, who came to Mumbai and struggled a lot often say that, Wada paav's kept them on the go during their struggles to make it big. In the US a burger will cost you fifteen cents but a wada paav costs just seven rupees. In Mumbai at least 100,000 wada paav'a are consumed daily
Let's take a look at the history of the wada paav. Wada paav is known as "the special Maharashtrian food"; though it is not. In India people didn't have any idea about potato. The Portuguese were the first who brought potato to India. The word batata' (potato) is originally Portuguese word. And paav (bread) is British food item. So, how is the wdada paav Indian? It's because it has become Mumbai's favourite fastfood. It easy to make, easy to eat and you'll find it anywhere.
The Wada was very famous all over Maharashtra. But, wada paav never existed in the country. One of the wada sellers Mr. Vaidya, who had his business outside Dadar station, tried the wada with paav(bread) and thus the wada paav was born. So we can call Mr. Vaidya the father of the wada paav. And now this dish has become Mumbai's favourite snack. In Mumbai, you get wada paav everywhere; at the railway stations. You won't find single college in Mumbai where you don't get wada paav.
This wada paav has played an important role in the politics of Maharashtra. In 1990s Shiv Sena, one of the leading political parties in Maharashtra set up the wada paav stalls in Mumbai to give some work young Maharashtrian people. Two years back, Shiv Sena started chain of Wada Paav named "Shiv Wada paav".
Wada paav is being modernized. Now, we have branded wada paav. . Jumbo King and Goli Wada Paav are a few of these branded wada paav manufacturers.
Acoording to a poll conducted by Star News' these are the top three tastiest wada paav joints in Mumbai.
Wada paav outside Kirti College, Dadar.
Wada paav at the Elphinston station, platform number 2.
