Take a walk through the boho chic Champa Gali this weekend and immerse yourself in its eclectic culture and gourmet experiences, says Saimi Sattar
Tired of drinking binges at Hauz Khas Village and its brand of commercialisation marketed as kitschIJ Time you headed to some place else, no not the 80s discotheque but the new age hipster hangout, Champa Gali which is as hip and happening as the millennials.
What makes this slip of a village, which resolutely refuses to get an urban finish, an eclectic hangout is the frequency of cultural events and dialogues held here. There could be an anjuman, an open mic where people read their poetry, a salsa night where people who know how to dance can display their talent, a personality development class or even a sale of recycled products. What’s interesting is that unlike other spaces, no money is charged from the people organising these events. “They get exposure and we get footfalls, so it helps both of us,” says Shailesh Mehta, owner Morellos cafe. There are at least one or two events every month and in June they had the Jugmug Art and Culture Project’s Underground lab Sounds, which was an exploration into Delhi’s underground subculture. It had three indie music producers playing a spectrum of original mixes ranging from lo-fi to hip-hop to techno.
There are elements which make it stand out from a Khan or a Shahpur Jat. While it is dotted with eclectic cafes and outlets, it is strictly a no drinking zone for the owners of different outlets have tried to make sure that the area remains clean, literally and metaphorically. “We do not want it to go down the Hauz Khas route and want it to be a safe place. So we have decided consciously not to serve alcohol. Even the residents of the area are in agreement on this point,” says Mehta. Vehicles are not allowed inside on the weekends to avoid over-crowding. Saturday and Sunday afternoons often see queues at the cafes.
If you are hooked on to the idea of visiting it, do not be deterred by the unpaved and uneven road with gravel lining it which gives it a raw feel. It seems to meander into nothing but ask a local, the best resource if you are ever exploring a new neighbourhood and you will be guided to an invisible turn. And it is best to proceed on foot from here. Definitely sounds furtive and cheesy but move further and you won’t be disappointed.
First to come in the line of vision are two restaurants — Pata Cafe, which from the imprints outside is clearly a Tibetan place, and Pho King, a pan Asian restaurant, whose walls are plastered with yellow and green graffiti on one side bordering a lane. One more turn and you would have strayed into a boho chic enclave around a curling lane, which is photogenic in a rustic sort of way. There are fairy lights, hanging plants, arty signages and a green canopy covering a part of it. There are unpolished wooden seats and tables strewn about where you would find groups of friends as well as couples eating delectable and unusual snacks as well as fine teas, gourmet coffees or even real fruit ice pops. The benches look inviting where one can curl up with some snacks to read a book undisturbed for hours and oblivious to the world. The loud honking of horns, blaring music and over-the-top conversations that so typify public spaces seem to be a part of another world. It’s like suffusing yourself with an old world charm that’s priceless and fiercely guarded about not letting it slip through and be preyed upon by urban chaos.
It is a raw and unblemished feel that comes through and Jiten Suchede, owner, Jugmug Thela, who was one of the first people to move into the space says, “We just responded to the context of the environment. There was no attempt to replicate any place, whether it is Hauz Khas or Shahpur Jat,” says Suchede and adds, “It was a collaborative effort to make sense of the place and encourage creative expressions.”
A designer, who is also a hobby carpenter, Suchede moved here to set up his studio so that he could practise his carpentry skills without disturbing others or getting distracted.
Incidentally, the place was christened Champa Gali after Blue Tokai, a cafe, brought in a lot of champa plants. Old-timers recall that the land, whose postal address corresponds to Khasra number 258, was dotted with hen farms, cow sheds and furniture workshops. Says Raj Kumar, an employee at the eclectic People Tree store, “This was a hen farm before the store came up. We had a store at Hauz Khas Village but since the place has been overrun by cafes and is completely commercial now, our owner wanted to shift out. He felt that this place would be just right for the kind of clientele that we prefer and the mindful business we are into.”
The place came up bit by bit. Jugmug Thela, which sits next to People Tree, was essentially a back kitchen for the pop-ups that the outlet organises. Says Suchede, “People landed up expecting a cafe and it was embarrassing. So we decided to open a small window.” This has now expanded to accommodate an al fresco eatery.
Jugad, which has a store adjacent to Jugmug Thela, has an assortment of colourful bags, stationery, clothes, jewellery and more. Rachna Pradhan, who works with the organisation, says, “The owner, who is a friend, offered us this space and we liked its fluidity. Moreover, the kind of things that we do, which are hand-made, recycled or reused, appeals to a certain kind of people and there are plenty of them in this part of town.” The brand has been retailing from multi-brand stores for 15 years but this is where it seems to have found its feet.
For those who would prefer to spend a lazy evening hanging out with friends rather than indulging in shopping, there is the Morellos cafe which has an assortment of board games besides shakes and snacks. A blackboard outside proclaims a 15 per cent discount on food for all those who leave their electronic gadgets to catch up with friends. “That is something I do with my children as well,” says owner Shailesh Mehta with a laugh. He had dropped in for coffee at the nearby Blue Tokai and fell in love with the place. “It took me three months to convince the tau who owned a warehouse that had been shut for years to help me put it to good use,” he recalls. The place, which is known for its shakes, has regulars from the nearby start-ups who stay here for hours together. To add to the hip ambience, there is colourful graffiti on the wall and Mehta says that it was done by a Jamia arts student who wanted to doodle on the wall. He is encouraging it as a free canvas of ideas, free of the clutter of opinions, and engaging and interactive conversations.
The ambience is clearly a hit with like-minded owners. Jamyang Gyari, whose nephews run the Pata Cafe, zeroed in on this place as it was “peaceful and not so crowded.” The cafe offers Tibetan and most significantly, cuisine from the Himalayan region. “This was just land and we built upon it which took seven months,” she says. During the 20 odd days that the place has been up and running, both customers, who are familiar with the cuisine and the experimenters, who do not know much about it, have landed in search of something different. So what are you planning to do this weekendIJ A stroll through Champa Gali might just be up your alley.