NEW DELHI: The aroma of Rajma Chawal, Kadhi Chawal, and Chholey Chawal during lunchtime once kept the iconic protest site at Jantar Mantar in central Delhi bustling with people enjoying their meals with a plate in hand. Since Saturday, however, the area has been deserted after police barricaded it, preventing protesters from reaching the site.
For nearly four decades, Sunny’s shop has stood witness to the changing political landscape of the capital, watching protest after protest unfold on the streets outside.
From the Anna Hazare-led anti-corruption movement to the recent Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests, its owner has seen crowds swell, slogans echo, and political movements take shape. But amid all these changes, he never imagined that the day would come when he would have to move his 40-year-old shop.
“We have seen all the major protests here, from the Anna movement to the CJP protests, but we never thought we would have to shift our shop from its original location. My grandfather started it 40 years ago, and I am the third generation running it. We know this shift is temporary and we will return to our original spot, but keeping the shop shut for days was not an option, so we have shifted temporarily to keep the business running,” said Sunny, one of the shopkeepers.
He said that the major customer base for the shops consists of staff members of nearby offices, ministries, etc., and mentioned that the protest crowd was an additional bonus for them.
Sunny said he had temporarily relocated his shop to a kiosk on Sansad Marg. “We have reduced the prices of our lunch items by Rs 20–30 while operating from this temporary location. Once we go back to the original spot, we will continue with the same earlier prices,” he stated.
Sunny stated that their best-selling items are Rajma Chawal, Kadhi Chawal, Chholey Chawal, and Dahi Bhalle. He opens the shop from 10 am to 8 pm.
“For the first time, the shop has been shifted from its original location. My grandfather had started with Rajma Chawal and Chholey Chawal, etc. Now I have added a few things, including papdi chaat and gulab jamun; however, the taste that people have loved for years remains the same,” he added.