“India-Afghanistan bhai-bhai.”
The phrase is heard often in the crowded lanes of Lajpat Nagar II, the South Delhi neighbourhood long known as “Mini Kabul.” The Friendship Cup between India and Afghanistan, which concluded on Thursday, brought fresh attention to a community that has lived here for years.Thousands of Afghans who left their country during periods of conflict and instability have settled in the neighbourhood. Over time, they have built a vibrant community of restaurants, bakeries and shops that keep the taste of home alive.
In a city as vast and diverse as Delhi, Lajpat Nagar II stands out for the way Afghan culture remains woven into everyday life, through language, the goods lining the shelves of its small stores and above all, in its cuisine.Food remains one of the strongest bridges between the two countries. Walk through the narrow lanes and the aroma of freshly baked bread and slow-cooked meat is never far away. Restaurants and bakeries here serve both the Afghan refugees and Indian customers who have come to appreciate the distinct flavours of Afghan cooking.One of the better-known establishments is Maazar, a restaurant serving Afghan cuisine since 2009. The place draws both Afghan families and Indian customers throughout the day. Its best-known dishes, Qabuli Uzbeki Pulao, Mutton Chopan Kebab and Sheer Yakh, regularly appear on tables shared by people from both sides of the border.
Almost every table had a serving of their bestseller Qabuli Uzbeki Pulao, tender pieces of lamb served beneath a mound of delicately browned basmati rice, accompanied by Afghani rajma, brinjal and bread. The restaurant offers traditional Afghan-style seating, with cushions, patterned carpets and wooden railings, while handwoven Afghan rugs adorn the walls, giving the space the warmth and feel of an Afghan home.
The Afghanistan cricket team’s presence in the national capital brought an extra layer of excitement. Afghanistan were in Delhi for a three-match T20I series against India, but the visitors were unable to register a win as India completed a 3-0 series sweep.“Some Afghan players and their friends came here on Monday evening,” said Ahmed Faizal, whose family runs the restaurant. “We usually close by 11:30 pm, but since it was them, we kept the place open.” The gesture was simple, but it reflected the easy hospitality that has become part of the neighbourhood’s character.Just next door, Sulaiman Mohammadi’s Afghan Bread House fills the lane with the aroma of freshly baked date kulcha, sheermal, kunafa, croissants and cakes. Mohammadi arrived in India in 2017 and set up the bakery to give a reliable taste of home. For him, the relationship between Indians and Afghans goes beyond the plate.“India and Afghanistan are bhai-bhai,” he said simply. “There is so much love among them.” He added a quiet observation about the two cuisines: Afghan food uses a little less masala, while Indian food uses a little more, a small difference that never seems to get in the way of shared meals. Customers, both Afghan and Indian, move in and out of the shop throughout the day, picking up bread still warm from the oven or cakes for later.
Outside, autos and cycle-rickshaws line the narrow lane, offering an easy way to get around the neighbourhood and explore some of the other Afghan establishments nearby.
The three-match Friendship Cup placed the sporting relationship between the two nations in the spotlight. Yet in Lajpat Nagar II the connection feels older and more ordinary. Here, the relationship is measured not only in matches and results, but in the bread coming out of the ovens, the food shared across tables, and the simple, repeated belief that the two countries remain, in the most human sense, brothers.