JOIN USWith the mercury peaking and the city reeling under the heatwave, a welcome relief was provided by Delhi Tourism which organised a three-day ‘Sharbat Mela’ at Dilli Haat INA, to quench parched throats. True to its avowed intent, the Sharbat Mela brought an amazing blend of traditional ethnic drinks such as thandai, lassi, jaljeera, aam panna apart from chuski, kulfi , faluda, ice creams and many more, over the weekend.
“June is the time when people experience the worst of the summer months. To get relief from the sultry heat that saps one of all energy, cool and healthy drinks are good options. So every year we organise this sharbat Mela,” says Neelchand, organiser of the event.
Various companies, which manufacture Ayurvedic and natural Sharbat, were in attendance at the fair with their products. Despite a craze for fizzy cold drinks and junk foods among the people, it was heartening to see the visitors thronging stalls selling natural and Ayurvedic drinks.
Roohafza, one of the oldest drinks in the country, also sweetened the mela. “Many customers love the flavour of Roohafza, and so I make good combinations by mixing it with ice cream, which is beneficial in summers,” says Asif, product representative.
Hitkary, a city-based company which deals in natural and delicious series of sharbat was also at the fair with its full range of products. Company representative Nitin Suri claims that his company’s products are “completely natural and there are no additives and chemicals, either in colour or taste, that have been used to enhance the taste. Now people are getting attracted towards natural and Ayurvedic products,” he adds.
Hitkary drinks include traditional drinks and juices like aam panna , kala khatta, litchi, root vegetables which includes carrots and their speciality, the pan flavoured sharbat. Other summer thirst quenchers on offer included the Milk-o-mix, a healthy
instant milk powder, Sipp by Simbhaoli Sugars, Mother Dairy and Navdanya products.
Regular summer drinks like aam panna and jal jeera, which are a staple in many
Indian households during the hot season, occupied prime position at the mela.
Dilli Haat is a favourite hang-out of Delhizens and tourists alike and many of them were found purchasing packets of instant mix and sharbat. “I like the idea of this mela, where people can find all kinds of drinks and moreover, which are naturally made,” says Lizanne D’souza a tourist at Dilli Haat. “We would hardly buy these drinks earlier from the market as we did not know much about their health benefits earlier,” she said, appreciating the fact that the mela was completely dedicated to natural, Ayurvedic and Unani products, which are not only “healthy but also tasty
and hygienic”.