Dilli Haat by Ria Arora

Dilli Haat at Night

In the hub of South Delhi lies Dilli Haat – a beautiful Indian food and crafts bazaar that truly captures the soul of India. Dilli Haat never fails to transport one to the magical and mystical world of India’s vibrant heritage and culture through an intriguing amalgam of cuisine, crafts and cultural activities. Spread over a spacious area of six acres, beautiful landscaping, innovative planning and traditional village architectural style together create the perfect ambience of a village “hatta”. The complex, paved with stone and brickwork and skillfully interspersed with shrubs, towering trees, small thatched roof cottages and kiosks is not only artistic, but also recreational in nature.

 It is a place where one can unwind in the evening and relish the delectable flavors of a wide variety of cuisine. As many as 25 stalls offer savoury dishes from across the country at not-so-exorbitant-rates. My personal favorites? The tantalizing aroma of the momos from Sikkim house, the scrumptious bamboo hot chicken from Nagaland, the kahwa and kebabs from Jammu and Kashmir and the keshar jalebi from Maharashtra numbs ones senses to seduction. The taste is ethereal.

Also a paradise for shoppers, this complex boasts of nearly 200 craft stalls selling native, utilitarian and ethnic products that truly typify India. A wide variety of skillfully crafted handicrafts, intrinsic to each part of the country are available at exquisitely decorated kiosks in this market. Sophisticated fabric and drapery, embellished camel print footwear, kolhapuri chappals, beautiful mirror work beads and trinkets, intricate rosewood and sandalwood carvings, metalwork, Tanjore paintings, gems, beautiful ethnic lampshades and hangings ….the range is limitless and unparalleled. Every product is unique and a fine example of India’s craftsmanship.  Where on the one hand it gives exposure to the artisans of the country, on the other it preserves the heritage and culture that defines Indianness.

Open stage for cultural programs, frequent food festivals and cultural events provide tourists, foreign and Indian alike with an opportunity to experience the charm of exotic India and provide an insight into the rich heritage that has blossomed over the centuries and continues to be an integral part of our society.

Providing a kaleidoscopic view of India’s diversity, Dilli Haat is indeed a window to the world of cultural vibrancy. It brings distant ends of the traditional threads closer.