Gali Parathewali, Subji Mandi and other Delhi locales that were named after food

Photo credit: 
Sushant Sinha. Shot at Subji Mandi.
Binge's picture
Binge
November 13, 2016
Not all of these sell the food they were named after—at least not at present—but did at some point during their existence.

Places that top tourist itineraries for street food settle among areas that dedicated themselves to manufacturing food in other ways—factories, or wholesale. We take you on a visual tour of Delhi's streets and districts named to pique both interests and appetites. 

Gali Parathewali

Find holes-in-walls selling varieties of parathas unlikely to be found elsewhere, like lemon, tomato, and even papad. Although recently dismissed for being tourist-pleasers and commercial, the cooks in these places have earned iconic status over the years.


Photo credit: Sushant Sinha

Subji Mandi

A busy wholesale vegetable market to this day, the original Subji Mandi was shifted to Azadpur during the Emergency in 1975. The clock tower in the area also led for it to be called Ghanta Ghar.


Photo credit: Sushant Sinha

Gur Mandi

There's no gur being sold here and the origin of the name is so old that it's hard to trace it through people who live and work there presently. They claim even their fathers and grandfathers had no clue. A lot of Pakistani refugees are known to have come in and settled here after the Partition.  


Photo credit: Sushant Sinha

Pan Mandi

Again, the people in the area claim there might've been a market for pan here at some point, but no one's sure. 


Photo credit: Sushant Sinha

Teliwara

'Telis', who manufactured cooking oils, lived and set up shop here. Even now, stores selling cooking oil exist, and people may carry sesame with them for the mills there to produce fresh sesame oil. The area also has a wholesale toy market along new Qutub Road.


Photo credit: Sushant Sinha

Acharwala Bagh

Next to Subji Mandi, it's now called Singh Sabha Road (because of the Gurudwara nearby) with no trace of a pickle market. 


Photo credit: Sushant Sinha

Baraf Khana

An ice factory originally gave the area its name, and is still around. 


Photo credit: Sushant Sinha

Singhara chowk

Although water caltrop isn't specific to the market (in fact, none can be found even during the singhara season), there was a pond here that was used to grow them. 


Photo credit: Sushant Sinha

Pul Mithai

Five halwais near a bridge gave the area its name. They no longer operate, and no other mithai shops exist either. A wholesale spice market sits right under a prominent board instead. 


Photo credit: Sushant Sinha

*No names. No directions. Only vague locations. Binge photo guides challenge you to find these spots using only the photographs and brief information we give out. We haven't made it too hard but you might need to go exploring a little bit: high-five us if you manage, and write to us if you don't.