Can we love a physical space so much that going away from it or losing access to it is like the demise of a loved one? I think we can. I know I did today, when I heard the news that Hotel Broadway, Asaf Ali Road had closed as a result of the Corona virus pandemic.

I started my career 25 years ago with a company called Old World Hospitality-based out of Hotel Broadway and for years 4/15 A, Asaf Ali Road, New Delhi-110002 was registered address and working office . Because for the first year of our training, we worked out of Broadway.And for ever after, I at least, loved it. And will forever, cherish its memories.

I formed an instant affinity to the hotel. As personalities get shaped, this space tucked away in the heat and dust of kind of Old Delhi played a key role in shaping mine-in making me realise what I liked and didn’t.In the lessons of human interactions I learnt there. What I can articulate very firmly now as a liking for all things kitsch, old and fun started here.

A quaint lobby, a really old elevator and the framed posters of Broadway musicals on each lobby landing going up. The offices in the basement were richly panelled in wood and looked regal to a young 22 year old just starting out. The ground floor had the quirky and fun Chor Bizarre and my zany sense of fun absolutely fell in love with the mismatched concept. Till date, to describe similar scenarios I use the tagline for the restaurant- “Nothing matches, everyhing jells.” To say nothing of the Chaat mobile-our 1927 Vintage Fiat which Mr. Khattar apparently drove down Asaf Ali Road from a garage where it was purchased before it became our “Gaadi”. “Gaadi laga do” is what was said when the chaat had to be laid out on it. We had little brass replicas in which saunf-supari were served after the meal- our “Supari-mobiles”. Guests could buy these and I did too, though not a guest.We played old Hindi film music and that was the icing on the cake for me. A description of CB as we called it, needs an entire blog of its own, but many of you reading this know what I mean when I say it was one of a kind and beautiful with a sense of humour.

“Thugs-The Pub-Not The People” on the first floor was as much fun with the villains of Hollywood and Bollywood looking menacingly at drinkers as they ordered from the funnily written menu- “chote mote chor ucchake”were peanuts and wafers. Right next to it was a Banquet hall-where I remember many many “wazwan”-traditional Kashmiri sit down meals being served.

The main kitchen opened into an exciting lane and it was here that I saw my first t-shirt clad goat-chewing benignly on the rope it was tied with. I was told a complete whopper that our meat supply order is shouted through the door and completed switftly by owner of one such goat. I think I even believed it then!

This verbal tour of Broadway is a bit up-down as I will now take you straight to the terrace, where laundry was done in traditional ways, using several large vats of water-houdis and then drying right there. It also had the lady running the laundry presiding benignly over proceedings and at stray management trainees who landed up there. One could see scores of pigeons doing their flying number in flocks. Eventually, it also housed an updated air-conditioning unit.

The first floor housed our miniscule bakery but the artist running it made the most delectable chocolate truffle cakes ever and so many during festivals, that in hind-sight I know he did have a magic wand. And I am not exaggerating about the deliciousness-ask anyone who ate them.

I had my first taste of Kasmiri food here. The joy of goshtaba and rice with tamatar pyaaz ki chutney are unmatchable. Our menu in Chor Bizarre was also imaginatively named and Sharabi Kababi Tikka Masala -flamed with brandy will remain integral to the taste buds and the flashback of life.We used to urge friends and family to dine here and then pre-decide the entire meal for them, because hello-we knew best!

It is thanks to Broadway that I got to know and then show people Chandni Chowk and Old Delhi. Always ahead of the times, these first heritage walks of the old city were curated and started by us- as in Old World as far back as 1995. These walks took people through the lanes and monuments of Old Delhi and then culminated at Chor Bizarre for a meal. I loved every bit of doing the walks and infact now conduct them on my own. But my learning ground was the hotel and I have gone there often over the past few years, even after I was no longer an employee.

To realise that I can no longer walk in there is heartbreaking for me. A personal loss.

Hotel Broadway is 64 years old. I have known it for 25. Multifaceted, a true thespian, it has rolled with the changes and given it’s best performances with dignity and elan. Awash with Old World charm (yes, that where it started) and courtesies and young vibrant energies. A versatile space of options.

A hotel where generations of eminent families stayed and generations of the same family also worked.

A hotel of many firsts- Chor Bizarre -iconic restaurant with a car in it, Thugs-The Pub first serving draught beer, India’s First ISO 9002 Hotel . I still have with me a front page advertisment which was published when we got the ISO. Every single employee’s name was on it and we all got a medal for achieving the certification too.

My thoughts have rambled a bit as they flowed on to the page. I have shed tears and like me, every person who knew Broadway, is mourning.

Reincarnations happen in films but encores are real and I fervently hope that after a pause, the show will go on for Hotel Broadway.

Until then and always-thank you for starting off my journey in life.