Chandni Chowk, Delhi
"Are sahab Dilli aae aur chandni chowk nahi dekha to kya dekha?"The busiest and most happening area within Delhi is the Chandni Chowk. Located right in the center of the city, and just a little distance away from the Red Fort, this market was first set up during the rule of the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan. He planned the market as part of his kingdom when he shifted the capital from Agra to Delhi. Now the market holds the title of being one of the biggest wholesale market within Asia, and is always crowded with people looking for a wide range of products for an affordable price. Especially famous for its collection of various types and kinds of clothes, this is the place where people gather to shop for any occasion as it also has got every matching accessory. This spot is moreover, famous for the various kind of food which are available as snacks and north Indian treats are also available in plenty within the location.
Shopping Destinations in Chandni Chowk
Shopping in Chandni Chowk offers a staggering range of goodies ranging from books, clothes, electronics, shoes, leather and consumer goods. Walking along this jostling street can get quite intimidating, so be prepared to get stunned. Each area of Chandni Chowk has different markets, which are known for various things.
Nai Sadak
Nai Sadak is mainly known for books and stationery items. It is perfect for the students and bibliomaniacs who will find everything they need here, ranging from books for competitive exams to second-hand college textbooks, fiction novels and even Hindi fiction and non-fiction.
Dariba Kalan
Dariba Kalan is known for jewellery, especially silver and gold items. The highlight here is the availability of hand-crafted jewellery. The best part about shopping at this market is the cost of the items is usually around 25% less than the other markets. You will also find kundan and meena kari jewellery here, along with shops selling perfumes and oils.
Chawri Bazar
Chawri Bazar is your go-to place if you are looking to get wedding cards printed in bulk. It specializes in the sale of paper products. You will find all kinds of wedding cards here - simple and subtle to fancy and extravagant.
Kinari Bazar
Kinari Bazar is a haven for your wedding shopping. It is a narrow lane known for selling the best zardozi items such as laces and frills. Apart from this, you will also find Parsi borders, motifs, ribbon laces and all the embellishments for your wedding lehenga.
Bhagirath Palace
This is Asia's largest wholesale market for electrical and electronic items. Right from simple light fixtures to fancy decorative lamps, you will find everything you need to decorate your home. That too at dirt cheap prices!
Ballimaran Market
This market is known for selling shoes at affordable prices. There are all kinds of shoes available here, ranging from formal shoes to dress shoes. You will also find a lot of opticians here, though don't depend on their eye testing skills. You can find a huge variety of frames and sunglasses at a throwaway price.
Chor Bazaar
Chor Bazaar is one of the biggest thrift markets in the city and offers things like Books, clothes, shoes, gym equipment, camera, stationery and antiques, you name it, and they have it.
There are plenty of other markets in Chandni Chowk selling various knick-knacks:
- Khari Baoli is a street dedicated to spices, nuts, herbs and dried fruits. Located at the western end of Chandni Chowk, there is no spice that you won't find here.
- Fatehpuri Market is a wholesale trade market for khoya and paneer. You will also find plenty of eateries here.
- Kucha Choudhary Market is also known as the photo market. You can get all types of cameras and its accessory at every corner of this market.
- Katra Neel is the wholesale market for all kinds of clothes. The first franchise of Raymond from Old Delhi is also located here. There are plenty of shops selling sarees, lehenga, salwar suits and men's wear.
- Moti Bazar is known for shawls in a myriad of design, colour, style and type of wool. It is called as the Moti Bazar as it specializes in the sale and purchase of pearls.
Food at Chandni Chowk
The first thing that hits you when you enter Chandni Chowk is the intoxicating aroma of food. It is nothing short of heaven for gastronomes around the world. It is the home to some of the oldest and most famous restaurants and confectioners, many of them dating back to fifty or hundred years ago. From an assortment of sweet shops to the parathewali gali to roadside kebabs near Jama Masjid, this place has something to offer for everyone. Tea and pan shops are to be found at every turn of the road.
Another specialty of this place is the variety of chats fruit delicacies on offer. Some of the famous shops are Natraja's Dahi Bhalle, Paranthewali Gali, Gianiji ka Falooda, Kanwarji Bhagirathmal Dalbijiwallah, The jalebi wala, Chaatwallah, Tewari Brothers Confectioners, Bikaner Sweet Shop, Meghraj and Sons, Chainaram, Annapurna Bhandar, etc.
Paranthe Wali Gali
The food trail of Chandni Chowk begins and ends at Gali Paranthe Wali. Even before you enter this calorie-filled foodie's lane, you are hit by the aroma of hot oil and sputtering spices. You can't miss the sight of stuffed parathas laden with oodles of butter. This lane has been the haunt of many celebrities over time. Out of the 20 paratha shops established here, only 3 remains today - Pt Kanhaiyalal Durgaprasad Dixit, Pt Gaya Prasad Shivcharan and Pt Baburam Devidayal Paranthewale.
The paratha served here is entirely vegetarian and do not include onion and garlic. You will find almost all varieties of parathas here filled with every possible stuffing - lemon, chilli, Kaju, badam, carrot, radish, paneer, aloo, cauliflower, rabri, matar, khoya, etc. If there aren't enough to sate your love for something new, you can even try the unusual stuffing of papad, banana and khurchan! The parathas are served with sweet lassi, minty chutney, sweet tamarind chutney, mixed pickle, potato-paneer curry and a mash of sweet pumpkin. The shops remain open from 9:00 AM - 11:00 PM. The parathas are cheap and usually cost INR 150 for two people.
History of Chandni Chowk
The area was first established in the mid 17th century, designed by the favourite daughter of Shah Jahan (he of Taj Mahal fame), Princess Jahanara Begum. The name Chandni Chowk itself refers to a half-moon shaped square which once had a pool of water in, that would itself reflect the moonlight – the name Chandni Chowk literally means moonlight square. The pool was replaced by a clock tower in the 1950s.
The bazaar she originally designed had shops also built in a half moon shape, and they were originally known for their silverwork. Some still call the main street Silver Street in memory of this. The streets would have also originally been tree-lined, adding an air of calm and sophistication to the area.
Princess Jahanara had the entire area carefully planned, with a network of three bazaars, havelis (mansions), kuchas (streets) and katras (houses). More recently, temples and mosques have appeared in the vicinity, including the Sri Digambar Jain Lal Mandir, a Jain temple which has a bird hospital attached.
Mughal imperial processions traditionally passed through Chandni Chowk, and this was tradition was kept by the British, including during the Delhi Durbar.
Tips For Visiting Chandni Chowk
- Be careful about your purse and belongings when roaming through the busy streets of Chandni Chowk.
- Beware of touts and duplicate items while shopping.
- Carry your water bottles as walking through the crowded streets can be immensely tiring.
- Do not miss out on the chance of bargaining. You can easily get your chosen products at excellent deals.
- Wear slippers or sandals to the market as many shops would not allow you to enter without removing your footwear at their doors.
- Many shops in the market do not allow you to take photographs. So, ask for permission prior to clicking pictures.
Best Time to Visit
Chandni Chowk can be visited any time of the year as the markets and food joints here are open all 365 days, except on Sundays. That being said, it is advisable to avoid visiting the place during the summer afternoons in order to prevent the scorching heat.
It is suggested to visit Chandni Chowk during the evening hours as the place looks immensely beautiful and inviting with elegantly lighted up shops and bustling streets. You can also visit the place during the morning hours when the crowd is less and a peaceful shopping is most expected.
How to Reach Chandni Chowk
By Metro: Chandni Chowk market is situated pretty close by to the Chandni Chowk Metro Station on the Yellow line. If you want to go any deeper into the market after getting down from the metro station, walk down or take an electric rickshaw or a cycle rickshaw.
By Auto/taxi service: Like all the other parts of the Delhi city, Chandni Chowk is also well connected with the auto rickshaw and taxi network. Try services like Ola, Uber or Jugnoo, if you don’t know how the local transport works.
By Bus: DTC buses number 138, 442, ML-96, ML-11, 567, 861A, 753 and 159 ply to and from Chandni Chowk to different parts of Delhi city.
No comments: