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Chandni Chowk

RenukaManghwani

A Walk through the Streets of Chandni Chowk

Nestled in the middle of the walled city of Old Delhi, located opposite the Red Fort, with Jama Masjid in the vicinity,one of Delhi’s busiest, grandest and oldest shopping markets, “Chandni Chowk” was built in the 17th century, whenEmperor Shahjahan shifted his capital from Agra to Delhi. It became the heart and soul of the commercial activities ofthe Moghul Empire and the legend continues till today. The market was once divided by canals to reflect moonlightand that’s how it earned its name, ‘Chandni’ (Moonlit). Once famous for its fountains and shops, gradually thefountains of the chowk disappeared but the shops remained and continued to grow.

Apart from the grand historical background, Chandni Chowk has been highlighted in various bollywood films likeKabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, Delhi-6 and Chandni Chowk to China making one want a dekko on what is this place allabout. A few months into Delhi, I made my first visit to Chandni Chowk, typical ride in the hand rickshaw, a walkaround the crowded street and feeding the souls at the famous Parathe Wali Gali (which I feel is over hyped), left usquite disappointed.

Somethingseemedamiss, itwas notwhat weexpected.In my nexttrip lastyear, wewalkedalong a rowof shopshunting forsomeartifacts,but thechaotic anddustydisplayensured wedidn’t buyany, justended uppicking up acopperglass, aswe had

Credits: Saad Akhtar

heard of the benefits of having water stored in a copper vessel. (That’s another thing that the glass was used for 2weeks and now lies in the far corner of my kitchen, feeling highly underutilized and unappreciated.)

We then visited ‘Karim’s’ at Jama Masjid, its a famous eatery established in 1913 that serves the best kebabs,curries, roti and has even found a mention in the famous Lonely Planet. Have visited Karim’s at Nizamuddin andGurgaon, but the original, humble and basic setup at Jama Masjid is captivating. Proudly, yet shyly located in an alleyoff a narrow side lane, almost impossible to not miss, stand a bunch of small eateries, all wearing the same name.We actually enquired which was the authentic Karim’s, only to realize that all the same joint. That outlines andhighlights the steady growth in the increasing popularity of the eatery over the years, which made the owners acquireadditional neighboring shops to showcase yet another ‘Karims’. It’s amazing to find people from all walks of life- rich,poor, foreigners, teenagers, families, wanderers, locals, sharing tables and tucking away the delicious meal with theirhands. Many clicked their snaps with the name ‘Karim’ or with the huge handis the food was cooked in. Highlyrecommended for the non- vegetarian tummies , be assured of a delectable meal at a modest price. This second tripto the market neither disappointed, nor intrigued me.

It was the third trip lastmonth, that caught myattention and fascination tothis place, like a final connectand I found my answer,(though I never had aquestion) on the hype anddrama about “ChandniChowk”. And when I reflectback on why did this non-glamorous, crowded, oldplace intrigue me, thereasons are plenty….

It is an unusual street thathas several famous religiousshrines, belonging to differentreligions, that coexist, lendingthe street a genuine culturalharmony. Starting from theRed fort, the area has JamaMasjid, Sri Digambar Jain LalMandir, Hindu Gauri ShankarTemple, Christian Central Baptist Church, Sikh Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib, Muslim Fatehpuri Masjid dotting thelandscape. Almost felt like they had planned to spread around in a sequence, each holding the responsibility to guard& protect a section in the chowk. I could almost visualize an invisible thread connecting them, with which they sharedthe news and updated each other of the well being of its respective visitors.

The market is far from the conventional air conditioned malls and gorgeous shops with plush interiors in poshmarkets yet its importance can be boasted. Even though Chandni Chowk appears choked with congestion, it retainsits historical character. I felt like I had gone back in time, to an era which the mind had fabricated about the place onhearsay. The simple and small shops in the bylanes magnetize an ardent shopper. Hordes of shoppers throng thecheek-by-jowl shops in the narrow lanes. The market, divided in several bylanes, is flooded with vivid varieties ofclothes, perfumes, electronic item, jewelers, sarees, idols of deities, furnishings and silverware. There are lots ofnarrow lanes with little margin to spare, selling books, stationary, clothing, shoes, leather goods, electronic goodsand whatnot. The market offers everything that shoppers might think to buy for embellishing oneself and home as

Credits: Michimaya

well. One great thing about this market is that you will get all goodies at highly subsidized rates, that’s if one has thetime, patience and energy to look around and bargain.

Walking through the lanes, Icould not help but notice thatthis place was a world initself, like it didn’t know anddidn’t care that a worldexisted outside ChandniChowk too. Buzzing withactivity and hyper energy,seemed like this place hasnever stopped to breathe, likethe clock never stops for asecond, like the sun cant sethere, ever. Even in thecrammed chaos andcommotion, there is a methodto the entire madness- thetiny shops, the name boards,the goods on display,vehicles, hand rickshaws,pedestrians all seem to befighting for space anddemanding their presence be felt, yet do so without disturbing each other or trying to overpower over the other, theyseem to wriggle uncomfortably, nevertheless coexist in harmony. One can stop at a corner and spend an entireevening watching people move about their work, its fascinating. Another striking feature of Chandni Chowk are theoverhead wires, some strong and sturdy, while some thin and fragile, a bunch of them suspended by poles, runningthrough a balcony, jumping across the narrow lane, attaching itself to another pole, hanging just above a shop, risingup till the wall of a house, settling back to a pole. My eyes tried following the entire route of the life of a wire, lost myway in between and gave up. Yet, there is an order in this disorder, unconscious and unaware of the chaos below,they seem to take pride in their unique formation and enjoy their privileged view up there.

Amidst the religious places and the shopping bouquet, the place also houses some of Delhi’s oldest eateries anddelicious sweet shops. The street side food is worth travelling all the way, bump and push thru the human maze,scramble and nudge to find your space, to taste a variety of mouth watering tikkis, dahi bhallas, phirni, chole kulcheserved piping hot in plates made of dried leaves woven together or mud pots, back to basics. It surely does enhancethe flavor of the food being served. Apparently you can find 1,000 kinds of authentic Indian sweets in Chandni Chowk.Gastronomical delight!

Having travelled from the rich, luxurious history till today’s practical, commercial era, Chandni Chowk has covered along tireless journey… countless hidden stories, captivating experiences, everlasting hopes all silently placed in thisenchanting and charming habitat. Lots has been said and shared about Chandni Chowk, yet it will always have asubtle mysterious aura around it, for every thirsty traveler to unravel.