KARACHI: Surrounded by colorful bottles of syrup, nuts and fruits, Salman Qadir manned his stall in an old neighborhood in Pakistan’s Karachi known for a shaved ice dessert called ‘gola ganda.’
This is Saleem Qadir Uncle’s Gola Ganda stall, where hundreds come daily for shaved ice desserts drenched in sweet syrups and topped with canned, fresh and dry fruit, condensed milk and even ice cream. With over 50 carts set up on Ghazi Salahuddin Road in Dhoraji Society, Qadir’s is by far the most popular.
It is also one of the oldest, set up by Qadir’s grandfather in 1952.
“It’s been around 70 years since we started,” Qadir, who took over the stall around five years ago, said as he shaved off layers of ice into a disposable container. Behind him, colorful bottles of syrup were marked in Urdu and English with the names of the fruity syrup inside: Vimto, Apple, Lychee.
“My grandfather started it, then my father took care of it, and now I am in charge. Everyone knows Saleem Qadir in Karachi. The world comes here to have Saleem Qadir’s gola ... You will find ice cream anywhere in Karachi but a good gola ganda is only available in Dhoraji.”
Indeed, Qadir’s stall offers an array of flavors to suit every palate.
The photo taken on June 12, 2023 shows a shaved ice dessert called ‘gola ganda’ prepared by Saleem Qadir Uncle’s Gola Ganda stall in Karachi, Pakistan. (AN Photo)
The signature gola ganda, priced at Rs600 ($2.9), is the top seller.
“There are dry fruits, pineapple, jelly, almonds, coconut and ice cream in this special gola ganda,” vendor Muhammad Waris said as he prepared a serving.
There is also the plain gola ganda, available for Rs250 ($0.87) and meant for the purists who prefer the simplicity of shaved ice and syrup. For those seeking a little extra, the pineapple jelly gola and special stick gola offer a unique taste at Rs350 ($1.2) each.
Asked what sets his gola ganda apart, Qadir said it was the homemade syrups he used, carefully perfected by his father over the years.
“He makes it himself and only he knows the formula, because it is all about flavors. And we make the flavors ourselves,” Qadir said, adding that other gola ganda vendors in Dhoraji claimed to also make their own flavors but usually used store-bought products.
Customers also testify that there’s something special about Qadir’s treats.
“The taste is different compared to the one in my [current] locality,” said customer Abdullah Zahid, who lives around 8 kilometers away in Saddar town but visits Qadir regularly. “The taste, quantity and flavours are not available in my area.”
“We come so far [from Gulistan-e-Jauhar] to have it because we enjoy it here. Summers are the season to enjoy gola ganda, not winters,” customer Sumera Shahid said.
As the gola ganda business in Dhoraji has flourished and transformed over the years, shops have replaced roadside stalls and pushcarts.
“There used to be small stalls,” Qadir said. “Now, everyone has gotten hold of shops.”
