By Saurav Mehra Ask a Mumbai photography enthusiast where to hunt for a good secondhand DSLR at a fair price, and Bora Bazaar comes up. It’s a quiet, unassuming lane tucked into South Mumbai’s Fort district — sandwiched between the Bombay Stock Exchange and CST station — that’s built its reputation over decades on two very different specialties: paper, and cameras.
Bora Bazaar Street, Mumbai
| Quick Facts | Details |
| Location | Fort, South Mumbai (Borabazar Precinct, Ballard Estate) |
| Nearest station | CST — ~5 min walk |
| Alternate station | Churchgate — ~21 min walk |
| Best known for | Paper/stationery shops, secondhand cameras |
Where Bora Bazaar Street Sits
Bora Bazaar Street sits in the Borabazar Precinct, part of Ballard Estate within Fort, South Mumbai. It’s close to major landmarks including Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), Flora Fountain, Azad Maidan, and Dhobi Talao, placing it firmly in the historic heart of the city’s old commercial district. Pin code 400001 covers the area, and it sits near the Arabian Sea coastline that defines this part of South Mumbai.
Getting to Bora Bazaar Street
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus is remarkably close — around five to six minutes on foot, making CST the obvious arrival point for most visitors. Churchgate railway station is a longer walk, roughly 21 minutes, still workable for those already in that part of the city.
Beyond the main terminus:
- Train: Masjid station serves as another nearby option, around 19 minutes on foot.
- Bus: Multiple routes stop close by, with Khadi Bhandar just a two-minute walk from the street.
- Ferry: Gateway of India, roughly 24 minutes away, connects for those combining a Bora Bazaar visit with Colaba’s waterfront attractions.
Given the tight, historic lanes typical of Fort, walking is genuinely the best way to explore Bora Bazaar itself once you’ve arrived by any of the above — this isn’t a street built for vehicles to navigate easily.
Shops and What the Street Is Known For
Paper and stationery are Bora Bazaar’s most celebrated trade. Sun Enterprises, one of the market’s biggest and most popular shops, stocks an enormous range — handmade, printed, metallic, corrugated, and translucent paper among dozens of varieties, with prices starting as low as ₹4 and running up to ₹250 depending on the type. Other established names like New Kagaj Kendra and Shah Devji Shivji & Co. round out a cluster of both wholesale and retail paper dealers that has drawn students, wholesale printers, and stationery lovers for decades — some of these shops have been running for close to fifty years.
Cameras are the street’s other well-known specialty, particularly secondhand DSLRs sold at prices well below retail elsewhere in the city — a niche that’s earned Bora Bazaar a loyal following among Mumbai’s photography community. Beyond that, the street functions as a genuine everyday shopping stretch for anyone living or working nearby: groceries, dry fruits, sweets, restaurants, and a small vegetable market fill out the rest of the lane, making it as much a practical neighbourhood market as a specialty destination.
Nearby Areas Worth Visiting Together
Crawford Market, roughly a two-kilometre walk away, is one of Mumbai’s most famous wholesale markets and a natural extension of a Bora Bazaar visit for anyone willing to walk a bit further.
Flora Fountain, close by, anchors the Fort district and is a useful landmark for orientation.
Ballard Estate, the broader precinct Bora Bazaar sits within, carries its own colonial-era architecture and commercial character worth a look.
Zaveri Bazaar, Mumbai’s historic jewellery market in nearby Bhuleshwar, is another well-known specialty market within reasonable reach if you’re exploring South Mumbai’s cluster of old trading streets.
FAQs
Q1. Which station is closest to Bora Bazaar Street?
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CST), just five to six minutes on foot — the most convenient arrival point.
Q2. What is Bora Bazaar Street known for?
Paper and stationery shops, particularly Sun Enterprises, alongside a niche market for secondhand cameras and DSLRs.
Q3. Is Bora Bazaar Street crowded like other Mumbai markets?
Not particularly — it’s often described as a quieter, less crowded alternative compared to bigger markets like Crawford Market nearby.
Q4. Can I buy secondhand cameras on Bora Bazaar Street?
Yes — it’s specifically known among Mumbai’s photography community for affordable secondhand DSLRs and cameras.
How far is Crawford Market from Bora Bazaar Street?
About two kilometres, an easy combined walk if you’re exploring Fort’s cluster of specialty markets.