MOTI MAHAL Aligarh

kundan Lal Gujral was born in the first decade of the twentieth century in Chakwal, Undivided Punjab (now in Pakistan). Having lost his father at the tender age of ten, he started looking for avenues to support the family. Kundan Lal was the first in Peshawar to dig a tandoor right in the middle of the eatery. Since then, Peshawar was introduced to the culinary art of Tandoori chicken by Legendary Kundan Lal. This was a grand success. Soon Kundan was in demand for Tandoori delicacy at social gathering and wedding feasts where he would use an improvised tandoor.

However, 1947 brought the tragedy of partition, forcing among others Kundan to flee to India. Uncertainty faced him as he had neither money nor resources to start afresh in life. Kundan dropped off in Delhi to try his luck. Roaming the streets, he chanced upon an abandoned Thara in Daryaganj, and then considered a newer part of old Delhi. Some inner voice told him this was the spot, which would not only rehabilitate him but also, who knows, the Dilli wallas would see merit in his Tandoori chicken.

Thus was born the now internationally acclaimed Moti Mahal restaurant, which contributed significantly to putting India on the food map of the world. Our leaders like Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Former President Zakir Hussain among various world leaders like Bhutto, Former American President Nixon, Kennedy, Shah of Iran etc have visited Moti Mahal to sample Kundan’s innovations – its Tandoori delicacies on various occasions.Later in 1970`s Kundan Lal son Mr Nand Lal Gujral expanded Motimahal in south Delhi to establish Motimahal Delux Chain of Restaurants.