Loknath ki gali...fruit cream & lassi..

Visit to Loknath ki Galli

Winter chill setting in and a visit to Allahabad is incomplete without a visit to the Loknath ki Galli. After a sumptuous dinner at home, all the children insisted that we should visit the galli famous for its sweets and lassi,

The excitement and the buzz about the place made me eager to visit the place. We reached the place half past eleven in the night. The small bylanes made progress difficult as hand driven cycle rickshaws and animals flocked the streets. We parked our car 200 metres away from the market and walked towards the lane.

During our walk, cows on both sides of the road and tricycles honking were music to the ears. The language spoken by the common man on the streets was Hindi (Khaike Paan Baneras waala) style and it was not easy to to pick the language. It was very different from what you hear in the metros.

Our first stop was Loknath Kulfi Bhandar. From the exteriors it looked like a ordinary sweet shop but as the owner got into the groove and served us the first lassi, it dawne don me why people in the house insited that I should visit the shop.

We requested him not to put rich cream in our lassi and that did not amuse the shop keeper. However he did not say anything to us and went on making his lassi. Rohit’s joined us and seeing the local boy with us made the shop-keeper open up and warn that he will not serve lassis without the cream. The Poor soul was offended and wanted his guests from Delhi to enjoy the lassi as he prepared it best.

He put some extra cream some Kesar essence as topping. We did compliment him for making such tasty lassi and told him we will make a mention to our friends back home?
He was silent and was happy to taste us some fine White Cheese (Paneer) with some salt. The Paneer just melted in our mouths and for once we felt that we were eating boiled eggs.

We promised to visit him everyday during our stay and before we left the shop did ask him whether he will put some special stalls during the Ardh Kumbah Mela next year in January. He retorted negatively and assured us that he had no plans to put stalls near the Ganges. He assured us that his business will be roaring during the 45 day period and people visiting Allahabad will come to his shop to enjoy the delicacies through word of mouth publicity. We enjoyed our lassi and before saying goodbye to him praised him for the lassi. He was overjoyed but did not find time to enjoy the compliments as another bunch of kids landed up at his shop to enjoy some badam milk and lassi.