Horn OK please: Meet Qasim Bhai Hornwala, the Mumbai man who troubleshoots horns of all kind

Since the age of 8, Qasim Bhai Hornwala has been repairing horns that are used in yachts at sea and most automobiles plying on Mumbai roads.

Mumbai: An elderly person in Mumbai has become the go-to place to fix malfunctioned horns of any vehicle -- from those used in small cars to the ones installed in massive ships. Qasim Bhai Hornwala, 74, is always busy repairing horns at his well-equipped workshop in a ramshackle accommodation in Mumbai's famed Chor Bazar.

Qasim has established a trusted name for himself that has been drawing customers for over five decades. So proud of his profession that Qasim Bhai has allowed even his two sons to pursue the unique mechanical work - fabrication and repair of horns. Honking sounds constantly echo from Qasim's shop but nobody walking or driving through the street seems disturbed as those sounds merge with the hustle and bustle of traffic in Chor Bazar.

At regular intervals, the pandemonium in the market is only complimented by the honks emanating from Qasim Bhai's workshop. For decades now, Qasim has been repairing horns that are used in yachts at sea and most automobiles plying on Mumbai roads - cars, auto-rickshaws, buses, lorries and trucks. "I started this job when I was just 8 years old. This is the oldest shop in the city. Our apprentices moved to other places in Maharashtra but ours remains the oldest shop," Qasim told ETV Bharat.

The elderly mechanic wearing a skullcap and a flowing beard seemed to take a lot of pride in being associated with horns and sounds. "Today if the sound of a horn is heard in Chor Bazar, it comes from Qasim Bhai's shop," he says with a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction. Qasim Bhai has two sons and they also work as horn makers in the same shop. Horns for vehicles ranging from modest bikes to water boats and yachts are made here, he says.

Earlier, people used to come from far-off places to his shop for horn repairs. Should you require an old-fashioned vintage horn, Qasim Bhai's shop is the only destination. Chor Bazar is an area adjacent to the Two Tank Bhindi Bazar of ​​South Mumbai. Muslim community's mechanics and shopkeepers dominate the area. All kinds of goods are available at cheap prices in this flea market.