A Sunday in the streets of Old Delhi

When I say Chandni Chowk what is the image that pops in your head? A bustling crowded narrow road not even wide enough to fit two people at a time, with rickshaws, motor bikes, hawkers, peddlers all in the same road at the same time. Or the one seen in Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gaam through the eyes of KJo, a cleaner and wider chowk with Kajol and gang dancing their way. Well, surprisingly it can be both if it is a Sunday. There was space to walk and breathe, sun light that reached the ground, but the tangled electrical wires since the time of Edison I guess and intricately carved haveli balconies still are the heart of Chandni Chowk.

Chandni chowk or the ‘moonlight square’, oldest market in Old Delhi, was designed by Jahanara Begum, the oldest daughter of Shah Jahan in the 17th century. With its old Mughal charm, chandni chowk has mandirs, a gurudwara, a church and a few masjids living in peace in close quarters. This is where the beauty of chandni chowk lies, in its new facade of modernity over the old and the archaic beauty.

Not knowing much about Old Delhi, let alone chandni chowk i still had a few things in mind which were mostly food related. Anyway, I along with my friend took the metro and got down in the Chandni Chowk metro station. Chandni chowk, Chawri Bazaar, inari Bazaar, Dariba Gali and all these streets now house modern traders of different wares.

Nudity of Chawri Bazar

My Chandni Chowk journey started with aloo parantha, sabji and real good curd. With the morning parantha, I was energized to walk around in the October sun. The Sunday was a blessing because it let me walk around the narrow lanes without fearing collapsing into vehicles, human beings or animals. But sadly, I didn’t get to witness the Dariba Gali silver bling and the other shops which were closed.

Chaos and Calm

This is what happiness smells like: Halwa

I tasted the jalebi with malai from the very Old Famous Jallebi Wala, although it didn’t seem to satisfy my jalebi tastebuds. Its been there since 1884, although I didn’t like it much or maybe it wasn’t a very good jalebi day for me. The other street food vendors were less due to Sunday.

Since 1884

Walking around the narrow lanes and getting lost without any specific plan, expect for visiting Ghalib ki Haveli. The residence of the 19th century Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib and is now a heritage site located in the Gali Qasim Jan, Ballimaran, that reflects the period when the Mughal era was on the decline in India. Although it was in shambles until 1999 when the government decided to renovate the building it into a museum. In a small haveli this museum hangs portraits of ghalib, his few poems and a few of his clothes and belongings. Well, for Urdu poetry lovers this museum is worth their time, it is small and situated in the middle of the market, in a cool haveli resides ghalib’s memories for the people who cared to turn pages of English translated ghalib poems.

Entrance to Ghalib ki Haveli: Guarding her beloved’s poems in this ally

Sculpture of the poet by Bhagwan Rampure which was unveiled in 2010

Jama masjid was an impromptu plan, when I decided to rest my tired feet. The clock stuck one and I got to witness the Namaz being read when all were still and we could only hear the chanting and the breeze rustling the tress while cars and bikes honked at bay. Built in the 17th century buy Shah Jahan, it’s a structure of Mughal art and architecture. The hot sun on the floor burnt my bare feet, but the devotees seemed not to be much bothered by the scorching sun or the burning floor. In the very front of its gate number one there are food stalls since the time of the Mughals which still had its taste and essence in the food. Famous Karim’s and other such shops served the most delicious biryanis and meat. That’s not only it, the highlight for me was definitely the shahitukda, is a sweet dish which melts in the mouth like clouds of warm sweet.

If not for Shah Jahan we won’t have these beautiful structures, maybe. Walking through these lanes while inhaling the sweet smell of halwas and ghewars, and taking in every essence of Old Delhi and capturing a few moments in my camera, it only made me want to transport myself to the Mughal era.

This is where he boosted of breaking the Begum’s heart

Stand still, or kneel down