The shopkeepers at Majnu Ka Tilla live with the pain of being refugees. But they set their pain aside when they welcome shoppers to 'Little Tibet,' the Tibetan refugee colony in north Delhi's Majnu-Ka-Tilla. The place is not only known for its winter clothes but also some authentic Tibetan food and beverages.
When the mercury levels drop, the market hots up at Majnu Ka Tilla. With the winter firmly setting in, the market is pretty active these days. Starting from Rs 50-100, a wide variety of winter wear is available here. After your shopping, enjoy a hot samosa and you can return contented.
The refugee colony was set up in 1960s. It is believed that a Sufi saint named Abdullah, who was also known as Majnu, used to live there during the time of Sikandar Lodi in the 14th century. Also known as New Aruna Nagar, the place is popularly known as Majnu Ka Tilla (MKT). The colony is home to refugees who came from Tibet in 1959-60.
Majnu Ka Tilla is the best place for budget shopping. Good quality clothes, footwear, bags and jewellery can be yours at reasonable rates. Products of big brands are also available here. Besides these, you can also scout for perfumes, some great food, a huge collection of Korean-Chinese films, honey, beauty products, handicraft, and decorative items and paintings, among others.
Foodies frequent the place for la-phing noodles, a spicy cold mung bean noodle dish, devil momos of Rigo restaurant, the Tibetan soups of Dolma House, and the likes.
While we were roaming around, a shopkeeper called us after hearing our Malayalam. The Tibetan refugee named Totler wants the Malayalam song 'Niranja mizhiyum.' He had looked up Youtube for it but the jumbled spellings had played spoilsport.
He was given the exact lines of the song. He still loves the Malayalam songs he learned from his Malayali classmates during nursing studies in Bengaluru. When asked why they discontinued their studies, the answer was just a smile.
How to reach
The closest Metro stations are Vishwa Vidyalaya and Vidhan Sabha. From there an e-rickshaw will take you to Majnu Ka Tilla for Rs 10. The road is a bit narrow and parking facilities are bare minimum. Ideally, roam around the place if you are a first-time visitor just to soak in the sights and sounds. There is a Buddha temple inside the colony, besides, a Sikh pilgrimage centre is nearby. The market is open till 10 pm only.
