NEW DELHI – Historic Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi's bustling commercial hub, is undergoing significant preparations to extend a warm welcome to international delegates attending the 18th BRICS Leaders' Summit. Scheduled for September 12-13 at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, the summit has spurred local businesses to enhance their hospitality and infrastructure.
Language Skills for Global Guests
A key focus of the preparations involves local shopkeepers learning conversational phrases in various foreign languages. According to reports, traders are picking up greetings and essential phrases in English, French, Chinese, and Japanese to ensure delegates feel understood and valued.
- Satyendra Jain, a local jeweler, shared that his family is actively learning English, Japanese, and Chinese, while also curating product lines specifically for international tastes.
- Rishabh Jain, another trader, noted the existing strong export demand for Chandni Chowk's jewelry in the Middle East, where Arabic is prevalent. Now, the emphasis shifts to French to cater to European visitors.
Many shopkeepers are leveraging their school-going children to master these new linguistic skills, believing that even a small effort to communicate in a visitor's native tongue can build trust and enhance their experience.
Market Beautification and Enhanced Services
Beyond language acquisition, market associations are coordinating extensive efforts to elevate the overall shopping experience. The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI), in collaboration with local trader bodies, is working with city authorities on comprehensive cleaning and decoration drives across the market.
Gurmeet Arora and Ramesh Ahuja, CTI general secretaries, confirmed plans to deploy language-capable and English-speaking tourist guides for four days during the summit. This initiative aims to remove any potential language barriers and ensure delegates have seamless assistance. Social media influencers affiliated with trade associations are also rehearsing foreign phrases to interact directly with visitors on site.
Culinary Delights and Traditional Hospitality
Chandni Chowk's renowned food establishments are also upgrading their facilities and packaging. Ramakant Sharma, who operates a 110-year-old shop famous for its jalebi and rabri, highlighted the neighborhood-wide makeover.
“Our shop is known for jalebi and rabri, with the jalebi prepared using desi ghee,” Sharma stated. “If President Xi Jinping or other leaders visit, we will serve them special jalebi-rabri and show them our best work.”
Sharma, who communicates in English, hopes that delegates will find time to sample these traditional Indian delicacies, which are known to stay fresh for several days. The summit, hosted under India's chairmanship with the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability," represents a significant opportunity for Chandni Chowk to showcase its rich cultural heritage and commercial vitality on a global platform.