Being a core Delhiite, I found CP in the centre of my heart too. The inner and the outer circles of Connaught place are backed by the years of British lineage, followed by the heaven of palatable street food.
Among those glossy global hotels, cafes and scrumptious menus you’ll find Delhi’s first mall, the ‘Mohan Singh palace’ an old architectural masterpiece. Technically disabled lift, which can now barely handle the weight of people in it, hardly works now . Palace’s first floor is the home to “Indian coffee house. The decline of Mughal rule and advent of British raj, brought the need for coffee in the 19th century which was intimate to the British palate. They started growing it in south India with the purpose of exporting it and by the end of the 20th century everyone loved their “Kapi”.
Advocate Rajan, one of the frequent customers from the past 50 years at the coffee house, himself has witnessed the gigantic glory of revolutionaries with different ideologies discussing politics, resistance with one common physical place. Political leaders ,intellectuals, artists, journalists, students made the coffee house an “autonomous zone” to resist against the ongoing totalitarian urge in the country in 1970’(emergency) as author Kristin Victoria refers. Without the physical presence of these places, the resistance wouldn’t have been possible, claims advocate Rajan.
The coffee house played a significant role in spreading political awareness, by not being a geographically political space. House provides you the literary atmosphere, unlike other chic and fancy cafés’ it not only offers you food but a table for conversation to take place, things to be discussed. House’s existence is backed by cultural heritage and is no less than a museum, as mr.Rajan sums up. The “golden era” became golden with the coming of personalities like MF Hussain and Vishnu Prabhakar who gave the coffee house an intellectual space and ambience. Had the youth come here , the discussions would have been about money and business. Doesn’t it sound alarming?
The ratio of customers the coffee house has, is most of their patron customers who feel a connection, peace and memories with the house a than the young people. Seeing their old and same menus, one can easily imagine that place is boring and smells of constancy and sameness. But it’s more than just food for ICH.
Few of their best dishes to order are mutton cutlet, mutton dosa, grilled sandwich and hot espresso. Old style coffee machine brewing the hot water into steamy and frothy espresso reminds you about the era when coffee used to be the epicentre of discussion and debates. It reminds you how food holds an emotional value for us. Some of the obvious reasons can be the constant menu, which shows how still and constant time is for the coffee house, and their ‘not so happening’ and ‘luxurious aura’.
With the growing trend for fusion foods and reflection of the west’s soft power in the form of food chains like Starbucks and barista, there is an upcoming shift in consumer behaviour where people would love to spend not for a good cup of coffee but an atmosphere it brings along. On the contrary the oldies love to come and chit chat on the open roof area for hours with hot espresso, which remains their constant order. They resonate with the environment, people, memories and clearly refuse to welcome the change in form of some jazz music maybe. House believes that the type of coffee they sell, the plantation seed, which is now manufactured in Delhi itself is so addictive that a customer is bound to come back here. The love for serving a hot cup of coffee to their customers, keeps the old glory intact and alive.
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