Connaught Place, Delhi
Its impossible to explore Delhi without having visited the famous area of Connaught Place. The centre of the city in terms of location (its pin code which is 01 will justify that), this area was developed by the British as their official centre. Built in 1931, this financial hub displays British architecture and design, reminiscent of the colonial past. Strolling around Connaught Place will simply introduce you the city’s culture and fashion. The presence of a number of brands and all kinds of eateries make this place an important shopping arcade that bustles with vibrant crowd and Delhi’s innate charm. When established, this largest circular sprawl was one of its own kinds in India. This colonial heart of Delhi was named after George V’s paternal uncle, and was designed after the colonnades of Cheltenham and Bath for the British people so that they could not miss their home in India. The outer circle which is divided into blocks G to N is technically called Connaught Circus, and the inner circle which is divided into blocks A to F is Connaught Place. Today, vibrant in many ways, Connaught Place was once closed for the native Indians to visit and was meant exclusively for British people to stroll around for business and recreation purposes.
Connaught Place Shopping
The area in and around Connaught Place is a shopper's paradise. The market is divided into two circles - Inner Circle and Outer Circle. The Inner Circle comprises of Blocks A to F. The major brand outlets here include Allen Solly, Bon Ton, Cantabill, Lee, Louis Phillippe, GAS, Nike, Park Avenue, Pepe, Filla, Roopchand Jewellers, and Wills Lifestyle. The Outer Circle of Connaught Place consist of Block G to P having showrooms like Lacoste, Omega, Rado, Digjam and Tag Heuer.
Apart from these, the main markets in Connaught Place are Janpath and Palika Bazar. Janpath which starts out at radial road number 1 at CP stretches for around one and a half kilometres. Most famous for Pashmina Shawls from Kashmir, it is one of the largest and oldest street shopping localities not just in the city, but the entire country. Street vendors with handicrafts, jewellery, wall hangings, Himalayan arts and musical instruments are aplenty. One needs to up their bargaining skills because the vendors readily offer a discount of about 60 - 80 percent of the asking price. Palika Bazar is another street shopping locality near Janpath, particularly dominated by electronics shops. It attracts a lot of foreigners and nationals and houses more than three hundred shops with stolen goods, illegal products, fake designers and unlicensed software and CDs.
Connaught Place Restaurants
The Connaught Place is one of the most popular destinations in Delhi when it comes to restaurants and bars. This place is known for its excellent dining options right from budget to high-end. Those people who want to have a relaxing dinner or lunch at a fine restaurant can visit Ambrosia Bliss (one of the largest places to eat in CP featuring a restaurant and a nightclub), Berco's (serving authentic Chinese and Thai dishes), Parikrama (not only the highest restaurant in the city but also revolving), White Waters (one of those spacious American classics restaurants), Excuse Me Boss (for those barbecue hangouts with friends) and Castle 9 (serving comprehensive world cuisine).
Connaught Place has something for everyone. It houses not only these high-end restaurants but also the budget ones serving mouth water delicacies. For the random hunger pangs and easy-on-the-pocket hotels, you can head over to Hotel Saravana Bhavan (serving Delhi's best thaali), Nizam's Kathi Kabab, Coffee Home, Wenger's, Sagar Ratna, Kake-da-Hotel, Rajdhani, Veda, Zaffran, Swagath, United Coffee House and Zen.
Khan Chacha, 38 Barracks, Zabardast Indian Kitchen, The GT Road, Caffé 9 and Farzi Café are a few other famous restaurants. Prices range from INR 600 to 2500 for two people depending on the place you choose. Other famous food joints like McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, Subway and Dominos are also available in the complex.
Connaught Place Nightlife
Connaught Place is the ultimate place to experience the party scene of the capital, listening to live music, while sipping your favourite drink at a swanky nightclub. It houses severals bars, nightclubs, discotheques, restro-bars and pubs which are popular among the party people. The best places to soak up the energy in Connaught Place are My Bar Headquarters, My Bar Square, Lord of the Drinks, F Bar & Lounge, Ssky Bar & Lounge, Monkey Bar, QBA, Rodeo, Agni, Aqua, Warehouse cafe, Vault Cafe and House Of Commons. The best part about these bars and pubs is the happy hours where you can get huge discounts on food as well as drinks. Housing a myriad collections of bars and pubs, choosing a joint is definitely going to be tough!
History and Architecture of Connaught Place
Old villages like Madhoganj and Raja ka Bazaar were demolished to build the place, and people were relocated to nearby sites. These villages were in the route of the historic Qutb Road which connected Qutub Minar to Old Delhi. Named after Prince Arthur, the first Duke of Connaught, it was designed by Robert Torr Russell, chief architect of PWD at the time. The construction was completed in 1931. Built on a Georgian architecture, the complex is very identical to the Royal Crescent in the city of Bath, England. It was initially planned to be a massive 172 meters high but was later reduced to two-stories
Best Time to Visit
If you visit during festival season, you can find numerous souvenirs and interesting traditional items. If you are looking for shopping experience, visit during evenings. Winter would be quite easier for exploring shops without sweating a lot.
Connaught Place Traveller Tips
Connaught Place has a range of eating options to suit every palate. From international fast food chains like KFC and McDonalds to Indian eateries like the famous Sarvana Bhavan, you can find a place that will meet your needs.
How To Reach Connaught Place
By Air : Delhi is well connected with domestic and international flights, to all the major cities within and outside India. Almost all the major airlines have their flights operating from Indira Gandhi International Airport of New Delhi.
By Train : The railway network connects Delhi to the all major and, nearly, all the minor destinations in India. The three important railway stations of Delhi are New Delhi Railway Station, Old Delhi Railway Station and Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station.
By Road : Delhi is well connected, by a network of roads and national highways, with all the major cities in India. The three major bus stands in Delhi are Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT) at Kashmiri Gate, Sarai Kale-Khan Bus Terminus and Anand Vihar Bus Terminus. Both the government and private transport providers provide frequent bus services. One can also get government as well as private taxis here.
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