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India Today Conclave

Dateline Delhi

Story

Fun and food by the way...

Newly Paul

Delhi, February 24, 2008

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Whether it’s scouting for bargains at Lajpat Nagar or designer discards at Sarojini, at the end of the day, shopping can get tiring. Or boring, if it isn’t you that’s doing the buying. Happily, there are recovery and recreation zones in every market. Here’s where you can drop your bags and catch up on chat, and chaat. After you’ve got your hands dirty, that is.

Green day

Girl getting henna on her hand

A few plastic stools and a smattering of design books showing hands and feet hennaed in intricate patterns are all that the mehendiwalas at Lajpat Nagar market need to set up shop.

But even this basic setup has women scampering from all over the city to get their palms decorated with peacock patterns and floral designs.

At festival times, there are huge queues here and you have to patiently wait your turn. Patience and time are musts here, so please come equipped with both.

Cool feast

Roshan di Kulfi at Karol Bagh

Once you’ve emptied your wallet hunting for jootis, bags and electronic gadgets at the bustling Karol Bagh market, spare a thought for the palate—and head straight for Roshan di Kulfi.

As the name suggests, kulfis topped with falooda (at Rs 38 a plate) are the rage here.

No problem if you don’t have a sweet tooth, the five-decade-old store also serves spicy chaat, chhole bhature and aloo and paneer tikkis that are bound to make you join the loyals who keep coming back for more.

Little Lebanon

Lebanese food joint at Priya

How often have you been for a late night show at Priya and scrounged around for a walletfriendly snack afterwards?

Or stood around killing time waiting for your show to begin? It’s at exactly these moments that you should hop down to Arabian Nights, a tiny restaurant selling delicious Lebanese food.

The no-frills store with standing room only (it has a few chairs set outside), serves chicken shawarma (Rs 70) falafel sandwich (Rs 50) and other grab-and-run fare. Basic, but delicious.

Message in a bottle

People having banta drink

The banta wala with his tinkling cart of soda bottles and ice block may be a common sight at every street corner, but the ones at Sarojini Nagar market are extra special.

They’re the ones that Sarojini’s rabid shoppers rush to when they’ve explored and bought up every lane of the trinket-filled bazaar.

Nothing sounds better to the ears then than the pop of the marble top and the ‘fizz’ as the tangy soda is poured into plastic glasses.

The taste—with a sprinkling of salt, crushed ice and a twist of lemon—is heavenly.

Not to speak of the price. At Rs 10 a glass, it’s undoubtedly the best way to beat the heat.

Joy to jalebis

Juneja Sweets’ at Amar Colony

Juneja Sweets’ Pradeep Juneja’s hands are a blur as he picks up sweets from their glass-fronted cases, to weigh and pack them.

Juneja’s 50-year-old shop is the preferred destination for those picking up wedding lehengas and furniture from Amar Colony market.

The reason is not just the chairs inside this spacious restaurant that allow one to rest their tired feet, but also the milkcakes, mathris, gulabjamuns and jalebis, which are the most sought-after.

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from the chairman

What India needs is political vision and a leadership that has nothing at stake except India.

Aroon Purie
Chairman & Editor-in-Chief
India Today Group

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