East mein feast

If the crowded streets of Old Delhi are not your type, try the Lakshmi Nagar market in east Delhi.

If the crowded streets of Old Delhi are not your type, try the Lakshmi Nagar market in east Delhi. The market is abuzz with eateries and host of shops selling apparel, electronics, books, home furnishings and much more. We take you on a tour through the market, exploring the pet hangouts there.

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For high-end stuff
Take the Metro and alight at the Nirman Vihar Metro station. Exit from Gate no 1 to enter the only glitzy mall in the market — V3S East Center. The mall is a haven for those who hate the summer sun. It has its fare share of branded showrooms and eating hotpots such as McDonalds and Fast Trax, to name a few. The mall also has a multiplex.
When here, try the masala chuski at Kabulliwala (it’s made from mineral water) for Rs40 and the flavoured stick kulfi (priced at Rs20), available in six different flavours including paan and butterscotch.
Adjacent to the mall is PSK — a banquet hall and restaurant hub, which is mostly frequented by families.

So much to sip on
The market is known for the variety of tummy-pleasing options available here. Especially during the summer season, these shops are very crowded. One thing that we noticed here was that the market is good for health freaks — you are likely to spot a host of juice shops.

Try one of the 12 flavours of soda from Simco soda shop, which is a hit at this market. While we would suggest the Cola-T flavour, available in two sizes and prices — Rs5 and Rs10, one could also try the kala khatta and green mango.
Move on to find Shyam Lassi Wale. A trademark shop at this market, the sweet lassi here, served in a clay kullad, is available at Rs22.

Just adjacent to the Lakshmi Nagar Metro Station is Shri Ganesh Corner. The elderly owner of the shop has been selling hot kachoris with potato gravy for the past 20 years now. Priced at Rs15 for two, the dish is a must-have. Don’t miss the jaljeera vendor who has been putting up his cart there since many years. It is called Rajasthan’s special tabadtod jaljeera, and the vendor claims that the cool summer drink drink has 64 masalas, which enhance its digestive properties.

For the shopaholics
The market is a shopper’s delight. There are lines of shops selling clothes — saris, shirts and kidswear. For such stuff, visit the Mangal Bazaar lane on Vikas Marg.Another attraction here is the electronics bazaar, with hundreds of shops selling everything from branded mobile phones to home theatre systems. Also, don’t miss the Chinese stuff available here, if sasta and stylish is what you’re looking for.

For those who want to buy some inexpensive books and note pads, this is the place. If the quality of the page is not your concern, get a long book for Rs10 only!It requires a whole day to explore the market, so go on an off day. But remember, the market is closed on Mondays.

Tips to survive Laxmi Nagar
Parking is a menace here, so take the Metro.
There are two Metro stations here — for the V3S mall, alight at Nirman Vihar, and for the main market, from the Laxmi Ngr station.
Don’t click around — people here are not camera-friendly.
Nearest metro station: Lakshmi Nagar on the Blue Line.