Mar 27, 2025 03:55 PM IST
In Old Delhi, Aqil’s unique summer sherbet returns yearly, while Anil’s lively sugarcane juice stall in Gurugram operates year-round.
This stall serves a summer-friendly drink. That stall also serves a summer-friendly drink. This stall’s pale gold sherbet is rather uncommon. That stall’s pale green juice is fairly common. This stall has been in existence for 75 years. That stall has been in existence for 25 years. This is in Old Delhi. That is in old Gurugram. This one is stitched into the hyperlocal tapestry of Pahari Imli. That one is seamlessly weaved into Sadar Bazar’s fabric. This stall’s owner is named Aqil. That stall’s owner is named Anil.
Every year, the Pahari Imli sherbet exits its Pahari with the start of winter, and returns with the start of summer. Indeed, the stall owner relaunched the sherbet just this Sunday. The drink is made of gur, or jaggery. The sherbet is considered to be very cooling to the body, and in fact sells the most during heatwaves. The generous stall owner freely shares his recipe’s ingredients (water + ice + jaggery + tukmeera) but never the preparation method. He insists that he makes the drink afresh every morning while setting up the establishment by the street. All day long, the drink lies in a cauldron, covered with a protective plastic sheet.
Now, head to the underground Chawri Bazar Metro station, which is a moderately long but leisurely walk from Pahari Imli. Board the Yellow Line Metro to the Millennium City of Gurugram. Go straight to Sadar Bazar in the old town. The sugarcane juice stall is positioned near the Kamla Nehru Park. The stall’s juice machine produces drama. It comprises two metal rollers, fixed one upon another. As the electric rotating wheel is activated, the twin rollers start to move simultaneously, but in opposite directions. On forcing the sugarcane into the thin gap between the rollers, it instantly squashes it, the juice flowing out into an ice-filled pan. (The sight resembles the famous Chaplin scene of a factory machine swallowing the worker.) The juice is viscous, frothy, filling, and energising.
The Old Delhi stall operates most of the year, but in winter, it discontinues the juice, instead, selling—of all things—diapers! The old Gurugram stall operates throughout the year, winter included. Both stall serve from morning to late night.
PS: The sugarcane juice photo is from another season.
