“Yeh Sheher Nahi, Yeh Ek Mehfil Hai”
A city as old as Delhi is not defined by skyscrapers or the number of large-scale industries. Of course, the citizens celebrate when a new mall opens and the media is filled with joy when a new tower is inaugurated.
But for the people who have lived in this city since childhood or the ones who call Delhi their “home”, Delhi is all about its antiquities and its simplicity.
I am one of those people who is in love with this “Mehfil”. People badmouth it for its bad traffic, high crime rates, and of course, suffocating pollution. But only people like me love it for what it truly is – its grandness and soberness that are overshadowed by its rise as a metropolitan.
For me, Delhi is defined by Lotan ke chole kulche, Appu Ghar, Wenger’s in CP, Chanakya’s mouth-watering momos, and of course, Full Circle and Cafe Turtle. Appu Ghar was closed down in 2008, making us all teary-eyed about losing our favorite amusement park.
Now, another one of our favorite places, Khan Market’s Full Circle and Cafe Turtle, is going to be shut down and the people cannot keep calm. And frankly, how can they? It is not easy to see our favorite places being shut down like this in front of our eyes, is it?
Why Is Full Circle And Cafe Turtle Shutting Down?
On Sunday evening, the owners of this iconic bookstore formally announced the shutdown of our favorite place.
Due to the prevailing confusion and uncertainty about the business’ future post-COVID-19, the owners were left with no choice other than closing this place that houses our childhood memories and the sweet souvenir of our youth.
Renting a place in Khan Market burns a hole in one’s pockets. The only chance of survival exists if the business blooms. However, during this lockdown, with everything closed down, it became difficult for the businessmen to continue paying such high rent.
While many landlords did agree to waive off the rent, there were a few who were not ready to cut a deal. Our cherished bookstore, unfortunately, could not survive this pandemic as the landowner belonged to the latter group.
Read More: Why Did Ghantewala Halwai; One Of The Oldest Halwai Shops In Delhi Close Down?
The Shutdown Of Sidewok And Smokeys BBQ & Grill
Full Circle and Cafe Turtle is not the only hangout destination that suffered the cruelties of the current situation. Remember Sidewok?
Yes, the pan-Asian restaurant that has been serving us since 2006 and we loved gorging on its takeaways also closed in May facing the problem of high rent.
Similarly, Smokeys BBQ and Grill, a barbeque restaurant in Khan Market, which was loved by millennials like me also closed its shutters permanently.
It truly feels like the end of an era, with our favorite places being forced to shut like this. Sure, new places can always open up, but the classic old places cannot be replaced so easily, definitely not in our hearts and minds.
The Reaction Of Customers
Delhi is a paradise for book lovers and foodies. Full Circle and Cafe Turtle was one such spot in the city that swept you off your feet by their service and aura.
It was immensely popular among the locals and was one of our favorite spots. So, when the news of its closing down surfaced, its customers were dismayed and resorted to social media platforms to express their feelings.
A Twitter user recalls her old days spent at the Full Circle with a heavy heart. She mentions how she has shared this space with her close friends and how it was her haven on bad days.
Kartik Dhar, a Facebook user, reminisces about the time spent in this place with a broken heart. He mentions how he has spent hours here in his 20s, just like all of us who resorted to Full Circle in good times and in bad.
He remembers the smell of books and espressos, and how he enjoyed this all with the people closest to him.
The bookstore’s Instagram page is also flooded with people’s comments, who are deeply saddened by this shocking news.
An Instagram user has requested the readers to buy books from a bookshop rather than the online platforms to keep the culture of bookstores alive.
Full Circle and Cafe Turtle would always be defined by its wooden interiors and the quaint aura that could mesmerize people and bound them to stay in there for hours. It is not the closing down of just a place with doors and walls, but a place which has endless memories echoing in the silence.
Image Sources: Google Images
Sources: Hindustan Times, Times of India, Indian Express, Scroll
Find The Blogger At: @TinaGarg18
This post is tagged under: Full circle book store, shutting down, shut down, closed, Khan market, rentals, rents, unable to pay, businesses closing down, Cafe turtle, Delhi, Delhi joints, landlords, waive off rent
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