The event, “FOREVER IN QUEST” is being held at Convention Foyer, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi from 1st April 08 to 4th April 08.
‘Pehalwan da Hotel” – translated literally, means ‘Wrestler’s Hotel’ ! Another one of the innumerable success stories of the die-hard survivors of the partition (of India in 1947). The story of Lala Hansraj Tandon, who had to abandon his belongings in Pakkhoki, Sialkot (now in Pakistan). He started selling goat’s trotters also called ‘paaya’, in Paharganj in front of New Delhi Railway Station. Initially, he used to sell them on a cart for four annas a piece. A year later in 1948 he started a proper dhaba, when the refugees were allotted shops in front of the New Delhi Railway Station. One of the sons, Keemti Lal who now runs the family business in partnership with his brother recollects that The New Delhi Railway Station during those days used to be just a two track station under the supervision of Punjab Police.
Goat’s trotters or paaya is an unconventional part of the mutton. 
So it took some time for the local population to get used to the taste. But those who got fancy for the taste kept coming again and again. It is the consistency of the quality and taste that the business for Tandons has flourished with time and still after sixty years they are going strong. Third generation of the family has now entered the family business. And the owners, very proudly mention that there is a third generation of customers too that still come to eat there, once in a while !
Deepti (24.10.1959……….)In my school days, there was a chapter, in the book of prose, by the heading, “The Light has Gone Out”. It was a broadcast from the All India Radio by Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru on the demise of Mahatma Gandhi. He had said, that the light had gone out of their lives and there was darkness every where…….their beloved leader, was no more…….they would not run to him and seek solace and that was a terrible blow. Then immediately he corrected himself and said that he was wrong in saying that the light had gone out, for the light that had shone was no ordinary light and it would be seen for many more years.
As a twelve year old student, I could not understand the crux of the emotions behind the speech. But today every word of the speech, perhaps reflects my feeling.
My friend and the spirit behind the venture of this site is no more. She passed away. There was darkness for me for quite some time and I had abandoned the idea of carrying on. But then the undiminished light of her spirit (true to her name – Deepti) showed me the path to carry on the venture.
As a mark of respect, and also till I absorb the shock, there may be no activity on this site for some time. I will come back as usual in a couple of days. The show must go on !
Rest in peace, Deepti, wherever you are…..
There are many success stories from the period of partition when people fled from Pakistan and sought refuge mostly in Delhi and the northern part of India. Most of these were Punjabis. Sitaram Diwan Chand, popularly known as Sitaram bhaturewala, is one example. After coming from Pakistan, they were alloted a small shop at the end of the Main Bazaar of Paharganj in 1948, where they started selling Chhole Bhature (a North Indian food item, it is a very popular snack for breakfast among Punjabis. Sumptuous and filling, it gets you going in the mornings. ‘Chhole’ is the garbanzo beans or the chickpea .”Punjabi chhole” refers to the preparation in a way typical to the region of Punjab in the northern part of India. ‘Bhatura’ is a deep fried flat bread made with a leavened dough of fine flour and generally filled with cottage cheese. 
Topped and garnished with carrot and green chili pickle and with some chopped onions on the side, it makes an unbeatable snack.)
The popularity of Sitaram Diwan Chand grew in leaps and bounds and still after 60 years they have not looked back. Though it is a road side eatery, still a dozen odd tables laid outside the shop are full at any time of the day and many people can be seen standing, waiting for their turn. Many customers come in plush cars and take away the Chhole Bhature by dozens. Being famous among Delhiites, many offices, (some as far as 10 kms. from the venue) fondly come all the way to Sitaram Diwanchand, to take away Chhole Bhature, whenever they are having a staff party to celebrate someone’s promotion or a raise.
Mention the name of Sitaram Bhaturewala to a Delhiite who has settled abroad and it is for sure that his mouth will water for a moment at the thought of the taste !
The owner also runs another restaurant by the name of ‘Tadka’, which is a furlong down from the German Bakery
Chandni Chowk, Paharganj, Karol Bagh, Sadar Bazaar are the four most crowded and famous markets of Delhi. But one of these is out of place in this group. If you ask a delhiite which one is it, he would tick Paharganj. And if you ask a foreigner, who has been to Delhi, he too would do the same. Indeed, Paharganj has a peculiar characteristic about it which makes it very different and unique. A seedy underbelly section of New Delhi, located just opposite to the New Delhi Railway Station, Paharganj has seen a constant cavalcade of life in various stages of evolution.
Once, a suburb of the Walled City of Delhi, Paharganj finds a special mention in the mutiny papers of 1857, when it was also known by the name of Jaisinghpura and Shahganj. Muin-ud-Din Hussain Khan, a cousin of Mirza Ghalib was the Thanedar or the Head Police Officer of the Paharganj police station during that time and is supposed to have helped in saving Theophilus Metcalfe’s life during the uprising, by sheltering him in Paharganj. That was the period when the Mughal dynasty in India was on the decline and the British empire was strengthening it’s foothold in the country. In 1920, when Lutyen was assigned to build New Delhi, Paharganj saw a facelift of sorts. Imperial Theatre, an archaic landmark in the vicinity of Paharganj, was built in 1930.
Paharganj saw the bloodiest Hindu-Muslim riots during the partition of India in 1947 – a metamorphosis for Paharganj – with one community forced to desert it’s roots and flee to Pakistan and the other fled from Pakistan to make a new beginning here. The refugees from Pakistan (mostly Punjabis) were allotted shops in Paharganj. With the dire need of making a fresh start many took up the business of eatery and soon became famous for their products. Some of the famous names established since 1947-48 in the business of eatery are still doing brisk business even when the third generation has taken over. ‘Pehalwan da Hotel‘ (earlier known as (Pehalwan da Dhaba) and ‘Sitaram Diwan Chand’ (popularly known as Sitaram Bhaturewala) are the two names in particular which almost every Delhiite is aware of.
Paharganj saw another sea change in the early 70s, when ‘hippieism’ took over the world by storm. The convenience of being in proximity to the New Delhi Railway Station and it’s accessibility to Cannaught Place, Paharganj became famous with the foreigners who travelled on a shoe string budget. Many dingy and small time hotels mushroomed in Paharganj to cater to the bohemian lifestyle of these foreigners. And as a
complement to the theory of ‘demand and supply’ several shopkeepers changed over to the business of tour operators, travel agents and PCOs with STD and ISD facilities. Keeping pace with the changing times, now internet cafes have also come up in abundance. Paharganj is the only market in the city of Delhi, where the internet cafes are open 24 hours. A number of hotels like Hotel Namaskar, Major’s Den, Hotels Vivek and Vishal have found a mention of credence in the prestigious ‘Lonely Planet‘; and so have some eating joints. One of the most sought after eating joints is the German Bakery, Khosla Cafe and Sam’s Cafe.
With the influx of foreign tourists, the vices connected with the tourism industry inevitably crept in with this changeover. But a stern and constant vigil by the police has always kept them under check.
Presently, Paharganj is a picture depicting a ‘mini-world’. Tourists of different nationalities mingle conveniently with each other. Language does not seem to be a barrier here. Foreigners express their demands and requirements in broken Hindi from the phrases they have crammed from various tourist guides and studied them intensively over a short period of time just before reaching India. The illiterate hotel boy conveniently and convincingly talks in broken English and at times even in French, German, Spanish (!!!) that he has picked up during his acquaintance with various tourists.
The traffic scene on the road of the main bazaar of Paharganj presents a scene of a whole and undivided integrity of all sorts of modes of transport. Bullock carts compete with the latest models of Honda Citys and Opel Astras, sharing the road with cyclists and jaywalkers – making no fuss about it.
Now, an interesting piece of information which is sure to raise everyone’s eyebrows ! In 1982, JFK Jr. the son of John F Kennedy, former President of USA, stayed in Paharganj in a run down dingy hotel called Shivalik Lodge. He had to write a paper on the functioning of Indian democracy, while studying at Brown University for his graduation. He kept his identity discreet to avoid to gain an advantage of his status. So much so that even the owner and staff of the lodge didn’t know who he was. Now, isn’t that interesting ?
Spread in an area of around 20 acres in the village of Said-ul-Jab on the Mehrauli-Badarpur road near Lado Sarai, The Garden of Five Senses was developed by Delhi Tourism with a theme to stimulate the five senses – touch, smell, hear, sight and taste.
Well planned and nicely landscaped with rocks and pools of water, The Garden of Five Senses grows a variety of Indian and exotic flowers and vegetables for the purpose of exhibition and sale. It also has a food court with a variety of snacks for the visitors.