The space behind the light turquoise, paint-chipped doors in the middle of Hauz Khas Market used to be rented out to a confectioner.

The archaic doors stand in contrast to the market’s comparatively modern, tubelight-lit grocery stores and the temporary shopping stands selling christmas trees and books.

When the space was still occupied, there wasn’t much furniture around the black karahis — thick, deep cooking pots with oil that the confectioner used for puris, ladoos, jalebis, and other sweets.

A tailor working nearby said that for many years, the shop was rented out for Rs 250 — about $3.40 — per month. When the landlord eventually increased the rate, the confectioner had to leave.

To put that into perspective, Lajpat Nagar’s monthly rentals are Rs 250 per sq ft. However, there wasn’t really a way to measure the area behind the doors.

There doesn’t seem to anyone permanently stationed here except for the blue paint, yet.