Al Souk Al Kabir ( ar, السوق الكبير), also referred to as Souk Al Kabir or '
Meena Bazaar
'', is a community in

Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...

United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia ( The Middle East). It is located at t ...

(UAE). Al Souk Al Kabir is located in the area of

Bur Dubai Bur Dubai (in Arabic: بر دبي) is a historic district in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, located on the western side of the Dubai Creek. The name literally translates to ''Mainland Dubai'', a reference to the traditional separation of the Bur ...

and is one of the oldest residential areas in the city with a predominantly

South Asia South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth descr ...

n population,

restaurants A restaurant is a business that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in appearan ...

and shops. The locality, referred to as ''Meena Bazaar'' by the local Pakistani and Indian community, also encompasses the historic

Al Bastakiya Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood ( ar, حي الفهيدي التاريخي; also known as Al Bastakiya) is a historic district in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The construction of Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood dates back to the 1 ...

district of Dubai. Al Souk Al Kabir, literally meaning ''The Big Market'', saw an influx of traders from

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

in the early 20th century who eventually settled in the area. Important landmarks in Al Souk Al Kabir include the

district, Al Fahidi Fort,

Dubai Museum Dubai Museum ( ar, متحف دبي) is the main museum in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is located in the Al Fahidi Fort ( ar, حصن الفهيدي), built in 1787 and is the oldest existing building in Dubai. The museum was opened by the Rul ...

Bank of Baroda Bank of Baroda (BOB or BoB) is an Indian public sector bank headquartered in Vadodara, Gujarat. It is the second largest public sector bank in India after State Bank of India, with 132 million customers, a total business of US$218 billion, ...

and the

Hindu temple A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hin ...

of Dubai.

History

Bur Dubai (in

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...

: بر دبي) translates to 'Mainland Dubai' and is the oldest historical neighborhood of Dubai. Al Souq Al Khabir (Meena Bazaar) is located in the north of the area, close to

Dubai Creek Dubai Creek ( ar, خور دبي, Khūr Dubay) has been described as a natural saltwater creek, tidal inlet, and watercourse or waterway in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). It extends about inwards and forms a natural port that has traditional ...

. The

Bani Yas Bani Yas ( ar, بَنُو ياس) is a tribal confederation of Najdi origin in the United Arab Emirates. The tribal coalition which consists of tribes from Dubai to Khawr al Udayd southeast of Qatar, was called the Bani Yas Coalition. The tribe has ...

tribe settled here in the 19th century, whom were of Najdi origin in modern-day

Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...

. Dubai creek served as a minor port for

dhow Dhow ( ar, داو, translit=dāwa; mr, script=Latn, dāw) is the generic name of a number of traditional sailing vessels with one or more masts with settee or sometimes lateen sails, used in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean region. Typically spo ...

s, a traditional wooden boat, coming from India and East Africa. This area also played an important part in Dubai's pearl and fishing industry.

Modern times

The area is well known for its many textile shops and markets, predominantly selling South Asian fashion and accessories. Amongst the majority of textile shops are tailors, gold shops, electronics and other small businesses. There are also various food outlets, restaurants and cafes. Two key roads called Cosmos Lane, its original name since the early 1970s, before becoming more popularly named 'Meena Bazaar' and Al Fahidi Street attract shoppers.

References

Communities in Dubai Pakistani diaspora in the United Arab Emirates {{UnitedArabEmirates-geo-stub