ISLAMABAD, July 21: In what used to be quiet and calm city after late evening a few years back, almost every major corner of Rawalpindi now turns into eatery after midnight which is especially visible in Ramazan when the restaurants offer Sehri as well.

A large number of people enjoying the cool nights of the city turn to these food outlets.

However, for any old timer resident of Rawalpindi the change is visible especially during Ramazan.

“Traditionally, we the people of Potohar had never been fond of eating out, and having food at restaurants, etc., was mainly for the travellers, labourers or those living without families in the urban areas,” said Abid Abbassi, a resident of Pindora.

The eating out habit in Rawalpindi was initially introduced by migrants from India, who lived mainly in old city, and that is why all night or late night hangouts offering tea and food were located at Jama Masjid, Raja Bazar, Bhabra Bazar, etc.

However, the recent wave of having Sehri at restaurants has cropped up in the city due to the influence of Lahore and Dubai on the natives, and the major spots for Sehri in Rawalpindi are Saddar, Commercial Market, Double Road, Benazir Bhutto Hospital and some areas at Jamia Masjid Road but ‘Kartarpura’ has developed into a night food bazaar during Ramazan.

For those who have never been to Kartarpura at night in Ramazan, the sight is amazing not only due to massive rush but the availability of food varieties is more than just mouth watering.

At the same time the visitors to Kartarpura have to struggle for space first to park their vehicle and then for themselves to sit so that they can eat, but as people come and go ultimately each of the hundreds, possibly thousands who come to the place for having Sehri leave satisfied.

“I never ate paya, nihari even these spicy chole in this month, but here I am not being able to resist the aroma of these great dishes,” said Azhar Rizvi, resident of Pindora, who came to the place with his family.

Kartarpura is a downtown neighbourbood near Banni Chowk which offers desi Sehri items including paye, nihari, channas, parathay, kulchay, doodh patti and lassi, kulfi faluda, etc

But the greatest attraction is the variety of tastes of each items, like there are half a dozen kinds of chana or paye.

Kartarpura has been famous for the high quality white gram called the ‘khoye chole’ but the most prominent delicacy is niahri of ‘Kala Nihari House’.

This outlet was established by a cook belonging to Ambala (East Punjab) soon after independence, and now his grandson Abdul Lateef, is managing the family business.

He claims that the taste and quality has been maintained the same way as started by his elders and the ingredients were a family secret.

The demand for Kala Nihari is so high that within two hours all the stocks are wiped out after starting at around 12;30 midnight. But there are a lot more for the late comers at Kartarpura.

Like every year this time too a large number of caterers and master chefs have arrived from Lahore to Kartarpura, as their varieties are welcomed by the residents of Rawalpindi.

“We have a fairly good business in Lahore but coming to Rawalpindi is exciting – here people treat us like heroes,” Ustad Nadeem, selling nihari at Kartarpura, he has a regular Nihari business in Bilal Gunj Lahore and gives his visiting card to almost all his customers.

“The people of Rawalpindi are very friendly,” he added.

The fans of these delicacies continue to grow over the years and so has the number of food sellers.

The culture of eating Sehri has developed significantly in the recent years in Rawalpindi and continues to grow mainly due to the fact that Ramazan is falling in warmer months since 2006-2007.

The safe and peaceful atmosphere of the city has added to the growth of Sehri culture in Rawalpindi and one can see families coming to places like Food Street- Cricket Stadium between 1 and 2am.

However, despite being so close the culture of staying out at night or having Sehri at an outlet has not developed in the federal capital. The local residents of Islamabad apart from the labourers or those living without families prefer to stay indoors for Sehri.

“One possible reason is that most of the food outlets in Islamabad have expertise in western varieties or sell fast food,’ said Mehdia Ali, resident of F-6 sector, “But we like to eat the traditional Sehri items.” There are quite a few hangouts frequented by the youngsters at night in Islamabad who stay, eat and drink and smoke there up to the morning payers time, but the general impression one gets is that most of them were more of merry makers and Sehri eaters.

“I am here with friends and to chill out,” said a young visitor at a high-end hangout in Islamabad, and he also said that he was not fasting this year due to some medical reasons.

While it is less likely that the ‘Sehri culture’ is coming to Islamabad in future but it is growing and becoming more festive in Rawalpindi.

With addition of a new spot every year it is expected that more mid-level restaurants are likely to advertise family Sehri offer to capitalise on the new market that has been developed at the street level.