AYES FOR PIES, BUT IT'S GREEN GOALS NOW

WITH the winter chill settling in, thousands of Delhiites gathered on the vast lawns of the PSOI Club in Chanakyapuri recently to enjoy the German Christmas Market in its 25th year.

- AKASH CHATTERJEE

An annual event organised by the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce to strengthen the bond between the two nations through cultural celebrations, it is a high point in Delhi's social calendar as the year draws to a close.

This year, the grand German fair witnessed the participation of more than 100 exhibitors and a large enthusiastic crowd that immersed itself in celebrating the Indo-German relationship—cultural, culinary, and recreational.

“The nice thing about India is, the people are very open-minded to everything that means having a good time. And Christmas, although it is not celebrated by the majority of the Indians, they are pretty much open to it. They like Christmas Eve and the season and that is why they are here,” said Philipp Ackermann, the Ambassador to India and Bhutan, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, at the event.

The unusually high footfall also made Shivani Chaturvedi, regional director of the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce (IGCC), visibly happy.

After her busy schedule of welcoming the guests and accompanying them in describing the cultural essence of this event, she spoke to The Morning Standard about how the event has evolved over the years.

A variety of exhibits

“To bring the festive spirit of the Christmas market of Germany to Delhi, the management, back in 1998, decided to organise the German Christmas Market for the first time in the city.