Baba Ka Dhaba became an overnight sensation after a video of him went viral.
There is no denying the fact that the coronavirus pandemic has paralyzed many small businesses. Among the most affected are those in the catering and food industry. Street food vendors and roadside stalls are left with little or no profit, and people rely heavily on their savings for their daily needs. In the midst of the crisis, a video on social media has given a ray of hope to one of those food stalls.
Baba Ka Dhaba is a 30-year-old food stall in Malviya Nagar, New Delhi, run by an elderly couple. The couple have been struggling to make money due to the ongoing pandemic. His plight was brought to the fore by food blogger Gaurav Wasan in a video that went viral on social media. Have a look:
(Also read: Delhi government starts ‘hunger helpline’ to ensure food supply during shutdown)
In the video, the owner of the stall, Kanta Prasad, 80, explains how they are barely making ends meet due to the reduction in footfall. It showed dishes like Dal, Paneer Matar and Aloo Soya which are reasonably priced in the Rs. 30 to 50. While explaining his condition to the food blogger and when he tried to comfort him, the owner burst into tears.
Food blogger Gaurav Wasan told NDTV: “When I came here yesterday, I had goose bumps hearing about their plight. They had made just 70 rupees a day. They had come at 6:30 am to set up the shop and had spent Rs. 500 but even after lunch they had made only Rs. 70. So I decided to record and share the video to help them. I am overwhelmed with the kind of support you have received since then. It’s great that so many people they want to help this man who is fighting for poverty. “
The moving video received more than 9 million views on Instagram in less than a day since it was shared. The hashtag #BabakaDhaba is one of the biggest trends on Indian Twitter. Several celebrities like Sonam Kapoor and Ravichandran Ashwin also reached out to find out how they could help and do their bit for the stall owner. Take a look at the reactions:
I can’t send you a message, but is there any way I can help that man? I would like to contribute.
– Ashwin ???????? (@ ashwinravi99) October 7, 2020
Hello, could you send me the details?
– Sonam K Ahuja (@sonamakapoor) October 7, 2020
Cud I have details of this baba ji pls
– Divya Dutta (@ divyadutta25) October 8, 2020
Wooohoooo! ???????????????? Twitter can work well too! ??????????????????????????????????????????? #BabaKaDhaba#MalviyaNagarhttps://t.co/yyJNbJwGhy
– Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) October 8, 2020
Please help this respected dhabha elder connect with Swiggy too ????, he may get more clients! Killing paneer looks so yummy! Her honest tears from hard work with desperation her spirit to continue serving delicious dishes, touch my heart ????! Will visit your dhaba
Promoted
– pri (@ priyaprasad26) October 8, 2020
This is actually our India. Our culture supports each other in difficult times. God bless India.
– Mohammed Sajjid ???? (@sajjid_mohammed) October 8, 2020
The power of social media has revived the position that is now awash with people. Contributions are also flooding online for the elderly couple. We hope to see more such positive moves on social media in the future too!
About Aditi AhujaAditi loves to talk and meet like-minded foodies (especially those who like vegetarian momos). Plus points if you get your bad jokes and sitcom references, or recommend a new place to eat.
.
