Guptaji Serves Poetry and Khoya Kulfi on the Streets of South Delhi

For the past 25 years, a local vendor named Guptaji has cycled through Andrewsganj, Bhogal, and Ashram in South Delhi every day to sell affordable khoya kulfi from a blue cart decorated with hand-painted Hindi poetry. Operating under the name Gupta Kulfi Bhandar, Guptaji brings a unique blend of street food and literature to the local community from 11:30 AM to 10:00 PM.

Each morning, Guptaji wakes up at 5:00 AM to prepare the day's stock. Working alongside his wife, Pushpa Devi, he makes approximately 100 fresh kulfis using khoya, milk, almonds, cardamom, and pista. By 11:30 AM, he wheels his cart out of his home in Andrewsganj to begin his daily route.

The blue cart, which is attached to his bicycle, features white hand-painted Hindi couplets. These verses have traveled with Guptaji for decades, offering free poetry to passersby before they purchase any food. The kulfi itself is sold in portions priced at 10 rupees, 20 rupees, and 30 rupees.

Among the verses painted on the cart is a business policy couplet: "Nazuk hai zindagi, pareshan hai zamana, Tumhe udhar dekar, hame kya kamana" (Life is fragile, times are tensed. Lending you credit, what will we earn?).

Another couplet highlights the ingredients of his product: "Phool hai gulab ka, khushboo liya karo, Kulfi hai khoye ki, maze liya karo" (This flower is a rose, do take in its scent. This kulfi is of khoya, do take in its joys).

While the kulfi business thrives during the summer and monsoon seasons, the onset of winter forces a temporary change. During the colder months, Guptaji shifts his business to selling vegetables, loading his cart with potatoes and cauliflower (aloo-gobhi). However, his winter vegetable cart does not feature any of his signature poetry.