Table for many.

[Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi]

The menu of the day is nearly as long as the table itself. This afternoon, a row of pans claiming most of the table holds kali masur dal, makhani dal, matar paneer, chhole masala, aloo gobhi, and anda curry. There is also a choice of chawal and fresh rotis.

Lakshmi Dhaba, on Central Delhi’s Humayun Road, beside a cab stand, has all the basic features of a roadside eatery. Yet it feels unusually welcoming. Is it the long table and the scattered chairs around it, which give the place an informal, relaxed atmosphere? Or is it the fact that despite the sweltering June heat, it remains comfortable enough for tired and hungry citizens to sit here and eat in peace? Perhaps it is both, and something more.

The dhaba takes its name from its owner, Jayalakshmi, who has run the eatery for many years. It was founded by her parents, Sohan Lal and Shobha Devi. They had arrived in the city decades ago from Ambala town. Jayalakshmi says she began helping her parents manage the dhaba when she was 11. She is now 60, she says, her hands hanging low, clasped. “Most of our customers are drivers and labourers.” She unclasps her hands, as if out of an instinctive showing of hospitality, clasping them again.

Jayalakshmi says that Kamlesh, the dhaba’s karigar, or cook, prepares everything himself. Though shy, the cook readily explains the day’s dishes.

As for why the eatery feels less hot than it does just a few steps away, there are a couple of possible reasons. A dark blue tarpaulin stretched above the tables shields the seating area from direct sunlight. Jayalakshmi adds that the large peepal tree beside the dhaba also helps. She points upward. The peepal’s branches spread over the tarpaulin, offering relief from the heat. The shadows of the leaves tremble across the tarpaulin’s blue surface as a slight breeze passes by.

The chairs for the diners are dispersed casually around the long table, suggesting the ambiance of anny intimate gathering when guests split into smaller groups for gossip.

An auto-rickshaw driver in the customary grey uniform walks into this scene. He takes a seat, staying quiet. His easy manner marks him as a regular at the eatery.

The dhaba serves food daily from 12 noon to 4 pm and from 6 pm to 11 pm.