Chandni Chowk- Shopper’s Heaven and Foodie’s Delight

If you ever wish to see how utter chaos looks interesting and would not mind being struck on the huge market streets that are flanked by shops, selling a wide range of commodities; straight away head towards Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi. Nestled in between the famous monuments of Red Fort and Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk is one of the biggest, oldest and busiest markets in Old Delhi and was built in 17th century, when Emperor Shah Jahnan changed the capital of India from Agra to Delhi. The best way to explore the place is on foot, as most of the time you have to pave your way through the narrow alleys that rise as capillaries from the main market street. A large number of shoppers carrying stuff that is mostly more than they can carry, a complicated nexus of overhead wires, consumers that excel in bargaining skills and street hawkers selling delicious delicacies, altogether make up the entire scenario of Chandni Chowk at any time of the day. In a remarkably fast-paced contemporary world, Chandni Chowk is the tell tale in history that is still untouched and untarnished. It strictly defies the norms of orderliness, and in doing so many a times disappoints those who have acquired the taste of the civilized world. Let’s talk about what all you will find if you spend a day in the ages old market.

Food Fiesta for Foodies

If Delhi is called the kingdom of street food in India then undoubtedly, Chandni Chowk is the King. Whether it is the Chat and Dhai bhalle at Natraj sweets, the Kebabs at Karim’s, Chole Bhatoore at Gol Hatti or swirly goodies at old Jalebi Wala, nothing can match the street food in Chandni Chowk that is brought to perfection over the years. After relishing a small bit from huge variety there will be much more that would be difficult to taste in one single day like famous paranthas from Paranthe Wali Gali and other gastronomic delights.

Historic Reverence

Delhi is an old historic state that is speckled with monuments and historical landmarks all over, especially in Old Delhi area. Besides Jama Masjid and many shops that depict mughal architecture, Chandni Chowk has many religious edifice and buildings that lie in shattered condition like havelis of Mirza Galib, Begum Samru, and Zeenat Mahal. The oldest and still most visited Gurudwara, Shish Ganj Sahib is the place of great religious reverence and similarly is the Sri Digambar jain lal Mandir and Gauri Shankar Mandir. Here you will also find Khajanchi Haveli that connected Red Fort through an underground tunnel.

Shopping Galore

People fling this market in large number, almost daily as this market offers everything in large variety that anyone could think of. Stretched at great length both vertically and horizontally with a plexus of thin roads that are called galliaras, the market offers a wide variety of clothing specially wedding stuff like sarees, lehngas, suits, sherwanis, shoes etc, books, stationary, furnishing material, crockery and glassware, electronic goods, eatables and dry fruits. The asset of this market is that you will get a large array of almost everything that one can buy for self, home and as gifts for others at subsidized rates but it requires a lot of time, patience and off course great bargaining skills.

Being acquainted with the rich grandeur and enticing attractions of Chandni Chowk, anyone would feel a sudden desire to witness by self and believe whether all that has been told about this ‘Moonlight Square’ is true and authentic or just an exaggeration of things. To visit this shopper’s heaven and foodie’s delight just book your air tickets to Delhi and board your London to Delhi flights.

Nikee Kapoor, a graduate in tourism management from Delhi University, loves travelling and has acclaimed loads of accolades to his name for being an expert in establishing brand India in the Travel and Tourism market.