New Delhi, March 17 -- At 10 pm on a Monday -the 27th night of Ramzan 2026-the narrow lanes and bylanes of Zakir Nagar are buzzing with activity as crowds spill out for late-night shopping and street food. Twinkling garlands, hanging fairy lights, and illuminated crescents strung between buildings add to the festive ambience ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr later this week.

Mohammad Salman, a middle-aged worker at one of the many roadside eateries, plates biryani while his staff serve customers seated inside the basement dining area.

"Bhai, aaj dukaan kholi hai, cylinder ka jugaad kar liya itne din baad (I opened shop today after many days. I finally managed to get an LPG cylinder," says Salman, who managed to source a cylinder from a relative to r...