In Delhi’s Muslim localities, food culture has been shaped by religious segregation
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The most crowded public spaces in Delhi’s Muslim neighbourhoods are not parks, libraries or plazas. They are shawarma stalls, kebab shops and roadside eateries. At these food outlets in densely populated neighbourhoods, customers can seldom find an empty table to sit and enjoy their food. Most of the patrons often eat by the roadside.
This is not because Muslims love food more than others. It is because leaving these neighbourhoods is perceived to be dangerous due to the violence they may face in Hindu-majority areas. By flocking to shops located on tightly packed streets, Delhi’s Muslims are seeking safety in numbers.
To some, these food streets are where Muslim culinary traditions live and thrive. But they also represent the general lack of public spaces in the ghettos where Muslims live.
With no parks or walkable streets, Muslims wishing to spend leisure time have few options but to visit food shops. This has contributed to the development of a unique food culture among Delhi Muslims, a factor that is often ignored, while being regarded as a characteristic of these neighbourhoods.
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