Quench thy thirst: Delhi’s popular sharbat fest is back!

When the temperature crosses 40 degrees nearly every day, the best companion to help one beat the heat is a glass of a summer drink — be it thandai, lassi, jaljeera, mango shake or aam panna. If you are wondering which varieties are available for you to try, head to the popular Sharbat Mela, which is making its comeback in the city.

In the pre-Covid times, the mela used to witness more than 20,000 visitors, tasting and relishing delicious drinks. “I was once a regular at this mela,” says Shilpa Dawar, a Delhi-based finance analyst, adding, “When it’s summer, all you think about is how to quench your thirst, and that’s what led me and my friends to this mela for the first time. After that, there was no looking back. We got to enjoy plenty of options, which we would also bring back home. Now, as the mela is returning, I do wish to check it out with my husband and kid, who is a big fan of juices.”

What’s more? Foodies can savour kulfi, faluda, cold coffee, a variety of ice cream flavours, and other cooling foods at the fest. With music and dance performances in the evenings, the cultural aficionados are in for a treat, too. “We have had live music performance featuring Bhav sangeet and folk performances from different states. There is a bhajan and qawwali performance on June 11. On June 12, there will be Rajasthani folk dance performances and other regional folk dances for the visitors,” informs Monica Priyadarshini, secretary, Sahitya Kala Parishad.

In addition to these live events, there are permanent stalls selling handicrafts and handlooms from various corners of India. Organised by Delhi Tourism, the festival has almost everything under one roof to enjoy with family and friends. Ratan Singh, chief manager, PR and publicity at the department, says, “Humara yeh festival kaafi large scale pe hota hai. We curate it at separate locations so that Delhiites from different parts of the city can enjoy it over different weekends.”

Catch It Live

What: Sharbat Mela

Where: Dilli Haat Pitampura (June 10-12; 10am to 9pm)

Dilli Haat Janakpuri (June 18 to 19; 11am to 9pm)

Garden of Five Senses (June 25 to 26; 10am to 7pm)

Nearest Metro Station: Netaji Subhash Place on Red and Pink Lines, Janakpuri (East) on Blue Line, and Saket on Yellow Line

Author Tweets @Nainaarora8

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