New Delhi: From 1947 till date, India has been witness to many changes. If there is anything that still reminds people, especially tourists, of the country's old-world charm, it is its heritage monuments, buildings, and other such areas.
Most of these monuments and places have witnessed the Mughal era as well as the British empire. From the 1857 revolution to the freedom struggle, these monuments and areas are still part of everyday life. One such buzzing place is Chandni Chowk in Delhi.
Chandni Chowk has a significant place in the annals of the national capital as it saw rulers come and go but never lost its sheen.
Chandni Chowk: A gateway to old-world charm According to historian Swapna Liddle, it was Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan's daughter Jahanara who established Chandni Chowk bazaar in the 17th century in Old Delhi, which then was called Shahjahanabad. Later, the entire area around the bazaar came to be known as Chandni Chowk.
Not just the market, Jahanara also constructed several buildings in the area including Hammam and Sarai and many smaller markets.
After the revolt of 1857, the British demolished some of these buildings and constructed buildings like Town Hall and Ghantaghar.
"Jahanara Begum herself had ordered the construction of shops, and a resting place (Sarai) in Chandni Chowk," the historian said.
Shah Jahan's dream of changing the capital of the Mughal empire was fulfilled in 1649. A year after that, Chandni Chowk came into existence.
The road from the Red Fort to Fatehpuri Masjid, which people know today as Chandni Chowk, once had a canal emanating from the Yamuna flowing through it.
In 1911, when the British made Delhi their capital, trams started plying on the same canal site. After the partition of the country, the refugees, who came to Delhi, started running shops here. Due to which Chandni Chowk started to be identified more as a place of business than a residential area.
"The refugees who had come from Pakistan wanted a place where they could set some business and restart their lives. Soon they started running their shops from the existing Havelis in the bazaar," said Swapna.
Chandni Chowk begins from the Red Fort and then covers the area up to Fatehpuri Masjid via Jain temple, Gauri Shankar temple, and Gurdwara Sheeshganj.
Apart from being a place of commercial activity, Chandni Chowk has also been a hub of food, art and literature. Whether it is Ballimaran Gali, Khari Baoli, Kinari Bazar, Moti Bazar, or Paranthe Wali Gali, all make Chandni Chowk special.
The wide range of shops in Chandni Chowk are the place's specialty giving it a unique identity in the vast gamut of the country's history and culture. The famous Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib lived in the Ballimaran area, adjacent to Chandni Chowk.
Delhi's Chandni Chowk, which witnessed the changes after the revolution of 1857, has seen it all from slavery to the golden dawn of Independence. Once a beautiful Boulevard, Chandni Chowk safeguards India's cultural heritage. Delhi is proud of this cultural gem.
