Right in the middle of the madness that is Gulistan, there’s a man who’s been standing his ground for more than three decades, Shascchu Mama. Full name: Mohammad Shascchu Mia. For almost 35 years, he has been holding court at the same spot every evening (except on Fridays) serving up his legendary jhalmuri and haleem to anyone lucky enough to stumble upon him.

Shascchu Mia’s hands move with the speed and precision of a magician, tossing puffed rice, chopped cucumber, tomatoes, green chillies, onions, secret masalas, and — wait for it — chunks of chicken wings, eggs, and even whole pieces of spicy chicken into a bowl. The result? A jhalmuri that, as many swear, smells and tastes no less than biriyani!

His story reads like a page out of Dhaka’s own urban folklore. Born in Brahmanbaria, Shascchu Mia arrived in Dhaka as a seven-year-old, holding onto the shirt of his maternal uncle, who worked as a dishwasher in Gulistan’s Stadium Market. That was in the early ’80s.

The kid from the countryside soon found himself scrubbing plates, running errands, and learning the ropes of Dhaka’s street hustle. After years of washing, waiting, and watching, he took a leap into selling cholabut, ghugni, haleem, biriyani, you name it.

Then came the flood of 1988, the one that washed away much of Dhaka, including Shascchu’s little home in Islambagh, Old Dhaka. The family moved to Tikatuli, but Shascchu’s culinary dreams stayed anchored at the Stadium Market.

Over the years, he experimented, blending what he knew from biriyani pots and haleem cauldrons into his jhalmuri. A handful of this, a sprinkle of that until what emerged was a fusion so bold it had people stopping in their tracks.

It’s a family affair. Behind the small table where he does his magic, you will find his wife instructing him with military precision and his son collecting money and answering queries from office-goers, vloggers, and the occasional curious journalists like us.

As the city lights flicker on and the call to prayer echoes from Baitul Mukarram, Shascchu Mama keeps on mixing, serving, and smiling — a little scoop of this, a pinch of that, a wink here, a smile there — all right in front of the six-number gate of Baitul Mukarram Mosque’s market.

His prices start at Tk 30, but for those who want it all — the egg, the chicken, the spice, the story — it’s Tk 120 for the special!

By Jannatul Bushra

Photo: Jannatul Bushra