Photo:Prakhar Pandey
While most of the ‘new’ Gurgaon residents seem to prefer dining in new age pubs and restaurants in the posh malls of the City, there are still good options for those who wish to savour their food the traditional way. At a time when even the neighbourhood halwais have become commercialized and gone ‘corporate’, Sangam Sweets in Palam Vihar still offers an old world charm, and a personal service touch of the owner. Mahesh Kumar, a first generation entreprenuer who hails from Gwalior, set up Sangam Sweets in 2002, after graduating from Delhi University. Mahesh, who lost one of his legs in a rail accident when he was in Class 10, says that cooking has been his hobby and he has always loved to prepare and offer both new and traditional dishes to his friends and family. He is very happy that Sangam Sweets, despite an initial struggle, has become very popular, especially for people living in and around Palam Vihar (such as Sectors 21, 22 & 23, Bajghera, Carterpuri, Daultabad and Bijwasan. Mahesh says that that his mother has been his greatest support and inspiration. "One thing that I have always ensured is the quality of milk supply, as well as the consistency in the taste and quality of the sweets and the food. We source our milk from Sohna," asserts Mahesh. In his opinion, the jalebis (piping hot, crunchy, not dripping) and a few other sweets are unmatched in Gurgaon. His samosas, another speciality, are filled with peas and paneer. Another popular dish at Sangam sweets is the special Bedami Poori (crunchy, non-oily), which is offered with aalu ki sabzi and achaar – it has many fans. Mahesh Kumar employs 25 people and is planning to set up two to three more such sweet shops-cum restaurants across Gurgaon. "We want to ensure that the middle and lower middle class clientele is able to enjoy quality sweets and authentic Indian food. We have many regulars here," he says. He is committed to the welfare of his employees. "I help them in whatever way I can and that is why several have continued with me for years," he says. The only competitor he sees in Gurgaon today is Om Sweets. Recalling how he named his establishment, Kumar says that after much brainstorming he and his friends hit on the 'Sangam' name as they wanted this restaurant to be a meeting place of people, cultures and tastes. He promises that more variety and cuisines will be added in the years to come, and Sangam will truly become a confluence of tastes.
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