Where the lights are still on

This festive season the buzz may be missing from malls and markets in the city but in old Delhi, the sparkle is still there. A bit dim perhaps, but not lost either.

The festive buzz may be missing from malls and markets but in Old Delhi, the sparkle is still there

This festive season the buzz may be missing from malls and markets in the city but in old Delhi, the sparkle is still there. A bit dim perhaps, but not lost either. Its lanes are all lit and its halwais are busy making the sweets that have made Old Delhi a foodie8217;s delight.

8220;You cannot bring in a festival without binging on some traditional sweets. It8217;s part of our culture and people still prefer giving authentic Indian sweets rather than anything else,8221; says one of the sellers at Chaina Ram. Judging by the number of customers his shop has, he8217;s probably right.

At the famous jalebi shop in Dariba Kalan, samosas and piping hot jalebis fly off from the counter the moment they are put down. The shop8217;s crowded as usual and owner Kailash Jain insists Diwali has not ushered in increased sales. Between taking orders and dishing out small change, he says, 8220;There has been recession in the US, it is a difficult time for the country and business is low.8221; The crowd of customers around his shop nod intelligently.

But Arvind Singh, who sits behind the hot iron-cast wok at the shop and serves jalebis and samosas every few minutes, is happy with the business. 8220;I8217;ve been doing this for 24 years now. During the Diwali season, we begin the preparations at seven in the morning and usually finish by 11 or 12 at night,8221; he says.

A few blocks inside Dariba Kalan, a jewellery shop has packed away its silverware. A makeshift platform has been put up. Ram Gopal and Sons have converted their shop into a kaleidoscope of colours with beautifully crafted idols from West Bengal on sale. Priced between Rs 20 and Rs 500, the idols of Ganesha and Lakshmi are decked in bright colours. 8220;Every year on Diwali we sell these idols. It is not just about getting extra income, it also brings good luck,8221; says Vinod Gupta.

Meghraj and Sons at Fatehpuri Road, who specialise in cashew pastries, have layered the corners of their shop with decorated gift boxes. 8220;We usually get gift orders and store these packaging in advance,8221; says one of the sellers. At Jain Sweets, kaju barfi is priced at Rs 220 a box and 700gms of Karanchi halwa at Rs 74.

Story continues below this ad

At Khari Baoli, the famous dry fruit bazaar, the pavement is pockmarked with local fruit sellers who have taken to selling paper boxes and gold embellished fancy gift bags for the season. For anything between Rs 50 and Rs 1,000, you can get beautifully decorated boxes and pack them with dryfruits.

For Akram Qureshi, a fruit seller, Diwali is the best time of the year. His kiosk, a temporary structure made with cardboard boxes, is heaped with coconuts. 8220;During the festival we sell just dry coconuts that we source from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. We sell about 2,000 of these,8221; says Qureshi who has been putting up his coconut stall since 1972.