The Stoves Must Not Go Cold

THE geopolitical situation in the Middle East has shaken global energy markets, with its effects now being felt in the kitchens of Delhi’s working class.

- S KEERTHIVAS

As ongoing conflicts disrupt international supply chains and maritime trade routes, India is grappling with a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) crunch. Commercial LPG cylinders are becoming scarce, straining supply lines. But in the national capital, where feeding the hungry is both a daily necessity and a long standing practice, kitchens continue to function with cooks, vendors, and community groups adapting to the shortage.

'None leaves hungry'

At the Bangla Sahib Gurdwara in Central Delhi, the rhythmic clatter of stainless-steel plates masks the anxiety inside one of the city's largest community kitchens. Usually fuelled by a high-pressure bank of commercial LPG cylinders, the langar which feeds hundreds of people daily, has had to pivot its operations.

“People ask if the shortages will stop the langar, or if we will turn them away. We just tell them it’s fine, the Guru’s kitchen never closes,” says head sewadar Manjeet Singh. When the commercial gas trucks failed to arrive, the volunteers did not panic; they adapted.