Nikita Saxena

With Ramzan being observed, chances are you might find

yourself in the galis of Purani Dilli, looking for delectable delicacies to gorge on. Don’t restrict yourself to kebabs and tikkas only and head towards the age-old bakeries that offer delightful options of rusk, ‘fain’ or fan and tabarak roti. Check out these pocket-friendly options and your tea time won’t be the same again.

RUSKRusk is the most popular offering of the area, with shops making it around 60kgs to 100kgs daily. Better known as pappe, these are made using semolina, wheat flour, sugar, poppy seeds, cardamom seeds and salt. To make it, first the bread is prepared. Once it cools down, it is cut into shape of rusks and baked again. The process takes around 16-24 hours. Instead of using yeast, a masala is used. “Hum subah 5 baje rusk banana shuru kar dete hain. Usko bana ke rakhte hain sham 5 baje tak,” says Abdul

Rashid, the owner of Diamond bakery.

FAIN OR FANFain or fan, a kind of puffed pastry, is the most popular offering after rusk. The ingredients for fain include wheat flour, sugar, vegetable oil and salt, sugar or garam masala, depending on the type

of fain. The process of making this pastry is simpler than that of rusk. The ingredients are first made into dough and then flattened using a rolling pin. The dough is then cut into rectangular shapes and baked for around 45 minutes. “Fain 4 type ke bante hain — plain fain, marodi, ajwain fain, sugar fain aur masala fain. Rusk ke baad, logo ko sabse zyaada yahi pasand hai,” says Muhammed Rizwan, of Al Madina bakery, located at Chitli Qabar.

TABARAK ROTI OR SAUNF KI ROTITabarak roti is a baked roti

made of semolina, milk, wheat flour, poppy seeds, fennel seeds and sugar. The items are made into dough and flattened using a rolling pin. Rotis are then cut out from the dough using a round cutter. The rotis are baked till they get hardened and garnished with fennel seeds. “Waise toh tabarak roti pure saal milta hai, par Rajab ke mahine mein ye bahut bikta hai. Tab hum isko specially banate hain. Rajab Islamic calendar ka saatva mahina hai,” adds Rizwan.n nikita.saxena@hindustantimes.com

Etti Bali

Spoken word poetry has taken new wings and is changing the way poetry is being

composed and recited in the country. Often regarded as hard-hitting and in-your-face, this kind of poetry is much more than teenage rebellion. With themes as varied as sex education, gender identity and women objectification, these poems raise important questions about the society. Slam poetry movement is on the rise in the Capital and there are many organisations and individuals, who are spreading this revolution across masses.

Saumya Choudhury, of Delhi Poetry Slam, feels that during its inception, Delhi was just about ready to accept this platform. “Delhi has a rich cultural history. Audiences are uninhibited and much more passionate here,” she says. The way the verses are conveyed in this kind of poetry is what sets it apart from other perfromances. Shivani Gupta, a spoken word poet, says, “The poet recites the poem with his expressions, intonations and gestures.

Though the mood is set by the poet, he changes his presentation according to the vibe of the audience.”

At Performers’ Consortium, spoken word poetry is a medium for bringing about cultural democracy. “Poetry is in our veins. We are trying to increase the scope of social narrative among different art forms,” says Divya Dureja, founder of the organisation.

Aina Singh, a member of Performers’ Consortium,

brings to light a core problem, saying, “Spoken word poetry is seen as a form of rebellion. The audience try to adapt it according as per their conservative sentiments.”

Delhi’s cultural map is ever-changing and it is easier for budding poets to get heard now. Madhu Raghavendra, founder of Poetry Couture, says, “We have created free art spaces in Delhi where poets across classes and masses can interact.” The themes of the poems

change from zone to zone. Aditi Angiras of Bring Back The Poets, says, “We perform on mild themes at South Delhi, while at an event in DU, we go ahead with themes on student activism.”

However, keeping the audience engaged is challenging. For this, innovations are a must. Diksha Bijlani of Slip Of Tongue, says, “We experiment by mixing slam poetry with other art forms.”n etti.bali@hindustantimes.com

16 htcity MY CITY ADVENTUREEVENTSCAMPUS CULTUREHINDUSTAN TIMES, NEW DELHI

SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 2016

ME AND MY CITY

Resting like a royalA peacock rests atop the roof of Haus Khas Fort. These beautiful birds, a common feature in the area, make for a pleasent sight. PHOTO: AMAL KS/HT

THROUGH THE LENS

CAMPUS CHIC

Phenham Loham of Miranda House keeps it casual with a zipper skirt.

PHOTO: SHIVAM SAXENA/HT

Check shirts are all the way, says Mehak Gulati of Hindu College.

PHOTO: WASEEM GASHROO/HT

SLAMMING IT WITH SPOKEN WORD POETRYSlam poetry movement is raising concerns on hard-hitting issues such as women objectification and gender identity in the Capital

Divya Dureja during a spoken word performance PHOTO: PERFORMERS’ CONSORTIUM

Madhu Raghavendra at a performance PHOTO: ANANTH KUMAR

Navjyot Sudan at a poetry session organised by Delhi Poetry Slam PHOTO: DELHI POETRY SLAM

If you are one of those who love having their tea with rusk, the galis of Purani Dilli are a treasure trove for you

Rusk ke baad, logo ko sabse zyaada fain pasand haiMUHAMMED RIZWAN, AL MADINA BAKERY

Top to bottom: Rusk; Marodi fain and Tabarak roti or saunf ki roti

MORE POETRY CLUBS n Bazmn Pach (Poetry

and Cheap Humour)

n Poet’s Collectiven Poets and Pints

LIVE POETRY VENUESn Potbelly

Rooftop Café

n Kunzum Cafen The Piano Man Diksha Bijlani performing at

Gargi College PHOTO: SUSHMITA SINGH

Old Delhi’s baked goodness

The process of making rusk takes around 24 hours PHOTOS: SHIVAM SAXENA/HT