Zubaan-e-Dilli: A Baithak on the Social Dialects of Old Delhi | Fouzia Dastango

Step into the heart of Shahjahanabad — the city that once pulsed with the dreams of India’s architect-emperor, the very hands that built the Taj Mahal. Behind its grand domes and red sandstone arches lies a different story — one that speaks not in marble, but in the zubaan of its people. This is Old Delhi, where history hums through every crumbling haveli, every call from a chai-seller, every story whispered in the shaded lanes of Chandni Chowk.

In the textbooks, we often meet the kings and the monuments. But what about the karigars, rekhtaywalas, and bawarchis — the ordinary people whose daily rhythms shaped the extraordinary identity of Purani Dilli? Their language — rich, humorous, layered with idioms and warmth — is a heritage of its own.

Join us for Zubaan-e-Dilli, an intimate baithak that celebrates this vanishing world. We gather within the atmospheric embrace of the Partition Museum, that itself feels like a story waiting to be told. Here, the evening will unfold through the enchanting conversations and narrations by Fouzia Dastango — India’s first woman Dastangoi artist, as well as an Old Delhi-waali herself who has grown up listening to these witty and fun dialects!
A world-renowned Dastango she will bring alive the grounded voice and wisdom of Shajahanabad's (Old Delhi) social dialects in her signature scintillating style!

Through her spirited storytelling and engaging conversations, Fouzia takes us beyond words — into the humour of rehmat, the nostalgia of bazm, and the rhythm of zindagi that still echoes through these mohallas. Expect laughter, longing, and a rekindling of memories you didn’t know you carried.

A recipient of multiple awards — including the Karamveer Chakra Award and the REX Karmaveer Global Fellowship (in partnership with the United Nations) — Fouzia has dedicated her life to reviving the lost art of Dastangoi and the linguistic treasures of Old Delhi. Recognized by the Ministry of Women & Child Development as India’s First Woman Dastango and named among SheThePeople’s 40 Over 40 she is a storyteller who bridges centuries — from the lanes of Shahjahanabad to the voices of today.

So come, sit haal-e-dil style, sip on chai, and listen as the language of Delhi — once spoken in poetry and affection — comes alive again.
Because the Zubaan of Dilli is not just words.
It is memory. It is rhythm. It is home.

DATE, DAY & TIME: 30th Nov 2025 | Sun | 4PM - 6PM

BOOKING LINK: https://my.allevents.in/zubaan_e_dilli

CHARGES: Rs.800
*Group of 4 or more get 25% off