GURUGRAM: Jag Mohan Singh’s father set up a jalebi shop in Sadar around seventy years ago. Hidden behind a tree in the middle of the market, its crispy, juicy jalebis attracted people even from far off localities in the national capital region, including celebrities.
Over the years, it turned into a landmark in the city and the family business weathered many storms. But in April, the pandemic forced the family to shut their shop for two months for the first time in several decades.
“We opened again in June and customers started trickling in. But we couldn’t sustain with the low daily footfall,” said Singh.
He added boastfully that this is the only shop in the entire market which is a registered business. Singh runs the business with his son Gurdeep who often looks after the shop now.
The family was hoping for business to pick up pace during the festive season but that turnaround has not arrived yet. “Around seven Ramlilas used to happen in and around Sadar which attracted large crowds to the market. Any other year, this footfall would converted into sales. But this year, only one Ramlila is taking place,” Singh told TOI, as he handed over the hot jalebis to the couple of customers who turned up.
Singh has also had to ask some of his workers not to return from their hometowns. “I had eleven workers earlier, and now I have only seven. The other four had gone home during the lockdown and I asked them not to return until there is more work,” said Singh.
Plans of expanding the business and opening another branch in the city that excited Jag Mohan and Gurdeep till this March, are on hold for now. Singh, however, is hopeful that the festive season will turn more favourable for them and the country, in general, will move back to normal, and with that his regular customers will return satiate their cravings for the shop’s sweet delicacies.