Daawat-e-Purani Dilli served on a dastarkhwan

The illuminated dome and minarets of Jama Masjid set a striking backdrop for a recent iftar soiree, Dastarkhwan-e-Jahaanuma. Curated by Abu Sufiyan Khan, founder of Tales of City, the evening unfolded into a heartfelt baat-cheet, with attendees reminiscing about childhood, food, and festive traditions.

Historian and author Rana Safvi spoke about the significance of Ramzan moments before a cracker signalled iftar. “This month detoxifies your soul. It is like a thirty-day school of life, and its teachings, akin to Gandhi ji’s ‘bura mat dekho, mat bolo, mat suno’ and bura mat karo, must be carried through the year,” she said.

‘It’s a mehfil celebrating flavours, stories & memories’
Setting the tone, Sufiyan said, “Purani Dilli mein dastarkhwan par saath baith kar khaane ka culture raha hai. Through this, we want to bring the community together and share a glimpse of our shared heritage. Dastarkhwan sabke milne se banta hai. It’s a mehfil celebrating flavours, stories and memories.”
Malavika Gopinath, an attendee from Kerala shared, “Having moved cities often, food has become my way of connecting with a place, especially during festivals.”

Daawat-e-Purani Dilli
Seated on gaddas around a hand-painted yellow dastarkhwan, guests savoured a spread inspired by dishes from Purani Dilli homes. For Zayyan Shah Khan, the setting was deeply nostalgic, “Yeh peela dastarkhwan mere liye bahut khaas hai. Meri dadi kehti thi ki iss par saath baith kar khaane se barkat hoti hai. Aaj mujhe apna bachpan yaad aa gaya.”

Prepared by bawarchis from Shahjahanabad, the spread featured melt-in-mouth shami kebabs, aromatic biryani, haleem, hari mirch keema with rawa aur maiday ke parathe, and pasanday. A highlight was muttanjan, a sweet rice dish cooked with meat, topped with nuts and khoya, usually reserved for weddings.
“Maine apni bachpan ki yaadon ko piroya hai. Jo khaane bazaaron se gayab ho gaye hain, unhe hum dastarkhwan par laaye hain,” Sufiyan said. Adding context, Rana Safvi noted, “Texts like Alwan-e-Nemat and Nuskha-e-Shahjahani document a balanced diet in royal kitchens, including dishes like aloo ka bhurta, baingan ka bharta and cholai ka saag.” Alpana Srivastava, an attendee, added, “There is something truly special about Jahaanuma – not just the meal, but the conversations and shared moments.”

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