What is So Special about Chandni Chowk in Delhi?

For those who do not know much about Chandni Chowk, the place is meant for mouth-watering food only. And for those who know the inside-outs of the area, they explore much more beyond food. I have been going to Chandni Chowk for innumerable chores for more than five years now.

Every time I go there, I become overwhelmed by a few things that are characteristic of the place. The first thing that anyone would observe about the site is the presence of at least a thousand people in front of the eyes at any point in time. I have never seen the roads empty in Chandni Chowk, even if it is a Sunday when the market is officially closed. Another thing that catches the attention is the long queues of shops that display a huge array of their products. I can find anything from the pin to plane in the market, which is the reason people from all over the country come here to buy stuff. Some of the most common things that I can find here include wedding cards, stationery items, paper products, hardware equipment, electronic goods, books, clothes, decoration material, and raw material for practically everything I can think. 

Once I was there in Chandni Chowk eating Dahi Bhalle at a roadside joint. Luckily, there were not many people around me, and I struck a conversation with the shop owner. He told me that the market was established when Shah Jahan had transferred his capital to Old Delhi (then Shahjahanabad) from Agra in the 17^th century. Although the present day Moonlit Square or Chandni Chowk does not resemble anything from the past, several havelis and shops still ring a bell about the history of India. If I try to observe a building, I can clearly notice the things that jog my memory, and I can visualize how things and places must have been three centuries ago at this place.  

Jahanara Begum was the eldest daughter of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan, and she had designed the markets of Chandni Chowk. She had created four sections of the area: Johri Bazar, Urdu Bazaar, the Fatehpuri Bazar, and Ashrafi Bazaar. When the Mughal era used to be at its peak, the Chandni Chowk bazaars had their popularity spread wide across the world. The merchants from Europe and Asia would be the frequent visitors of these souks, and take goods to their home countries.  

Chandni Chowk got its name because of a unique feature. The Yamuna River would pass through the middle of the souk, and it gave a reflection of the moon, which was an exemplary sight to the visitors. The streets would be lined with the banyan trees, and wide platforms fringed the river. The residents and shopkeepers of the market would sit on the platforms for hours in a row, lost in their conversations and hobbies. It would be a common spectacle to see the royal processions going by the Chandni Chowk. In just a span of 1.3 kilometers, more than 1,500 businesses were set up beginning from the Red Fort concluding at Fatehpuri Masjid. All the shops were lined in the outline of a crescent or half-moon. What a delightful view it must have been at that time!

Presently, even though I have to take the Car Rental Delhi to visit Chandni Chowk, there seems hardly any space for a car. The place is best explored on foot, especially when I want to taste the delectable foods of the market. The site is one among the major commercial centers of Delhi, but there is hardly anything from the charming history that I can see today. Only the narrow by-lanes swarming with people and products are the only thing that are visible. Still, I can say that Chandni Chowk is close to my heart, and it will always be.