Chandni Chowk is a famous marketplace in old Delhi, India. A wholesale market offers visitors all things in one place. Whether it’s jewelry, clothes, electronics, food, etc., you will get everything. The Old Delhi Railway Station and Chandi Chowk are significant landmarks.
History
In the 17th century, Shah Jahan founded a new capital, Shahjahanbad, with the construction of a red fort on the banks of the Yamuna. During this time, Shahjahan’s daughter designed Chandni Chowk, also known as Moonlight Square, which is divided by canals from the Red Fort. Moonlight got its name because canal water reflects moonlight at night and Yamuna water flows through canals.
A small channel also runs through a road that is currently known as Chandani Chowk.
Merchants who trade in silver have also made contributions to the naming of Chandni Chowk.
When it was designed in 1650, there were only three bazaars containing 1560 shops. It was designed in a square shape with a pool in the center. In the 1950s, the pool was replaced by a clock tower (Ghantaghar), but that collapsed in 1951. Chandni Chowk has been a bustling place since Mughal times, when the Mughal procession passed through in grandeur. That tradition was followed by the British when they held a Delhi durbar in 1903.
What to buy
Clothes, jewelry, electronics, shoes, and leather are all available in Chandni Chowk. There are different sections that are known for different things; a list of some is provided below.
Chawri bazaar
The place is famous for printing wedding cards. Every kind of card, whether it be visiting cards or business cards, from simple paper to handmade, is available at the 400 card shops available in the market. Chawri Bazar is located west of the Masjid, and you can reach it easily by metro at Metro Station Chawri Bazar. The market is open all days of the week except Sunday.
Kinari Bazaar
A famous spot for wedding shopping. Here, you can shop for bridal lehengas and wedding sarees. One thing that brides want to spend healthy money on is bridal lehengas. Lehengas range in price from Rs 16000 per piece to lakhs. Work It is simply stunning to see lehengas with colorful beads and sequins.
Bhagirath Palace
It’s a wholesale marketplace for electronic goods. Lighting equipment, decorative lights, electric heaters, etc. can be bought here. On Chandni Chowk Road, take a right turn from Kumar Cinema, and you will reach the spot.
Ballimaran market
Ballimaran Market is famous for opticians and footwear. You will find a variety of frames and sunglasses at a cheaper rate. Aviators, trendy, reflectors—ask for any styles or sizes available.
Khari baolis
If you want to shop for spices, herbs, and food products, then Khari Baolis is the place to go. It lies adjacent to GB Road and Sadar Bazaar.
Fatehpuri Market
a famous eatery where you get the option of chole bhature, aloo puri kulfi, parathas, etc. It’s a wholesale market for khoya and paneer.
Kucha Choudhary market
If you love photography or are in the photography field, then you will love this market. Every piece of equipment, whether it’s DSLR lenses, tripods, DSLR bodies, etc., or any camera accessories, you will find here. Being named “Photo Market,” it was established in 1970.
Katra Neel
It’s a famous wholesale market for clothes. Ladies’ suits, kurtis—you name any attire; it’s available. Famous and prominent businesses include Maha Laxmi Textiles and BR Kapoor.
Moti Bazaar
As the name suggests, it’s a place famous for its pearls. Beautiful shawls adorned with pearls are sold in various colors and styles.
Historical and Religious place
Red fort
A political center of the Mughal empire, it was built in 1659 when the capital was shifted from Agra to Delhi. Shah Jahan built the fort for Red Sone, hence the name Red Fort. Every year, the prime minister of India unfurls the flag of India on Independence Day.
Gurudwara sis ganj sahib
One of nine historical gurudwaras in Delhi, it is the place where the ninth Sikh guru, Guru Teg Bahadur, and his three followers were executed by Aurangzeb in 1675. In memory of this, Baghel Singh built the gurudwara in 1783, when he captured the capital.
Central Baptist Church
Just opposite Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib on the main Chandani Chowk Road, it was built in 1814 by the Baptist Missionary Society. It’s probably the oldest Christian mission in northern India.
Sri Digimbar Jain Lal Mandir
It was established during Mughal times when Shah Jahan invited Agarwal Jain merchants to come and settle south of Chandni Chowk around Dariba Gali. The present-day building was constructed in 1878. The temple complex also houses a bird hospital that was constructed in 1930.
Jama Masjid
It’s the largest mosque in India and was built by Shahjahan between 1650 and 1656. Situated beside the Mughal capital, it showcases the power of the Shah’s Mughal empire across India.
Fatehpuri Masjid
Dedicated to Shah Jahan’s wife, Fatehpuri Begum, it was built in 1650. A beautiful dome with a tall minaret looks beautiful in red sans-serif. In 1857revolt, the mosque hosted Indian troops later British auctioned it to local merchants
Chandani chowk redevelopment project
At a cost of 99 crores, the project transformed a 1.3-kilometer stretch between the Red Fort and the Fatehpuri Mosque into a pedestrian zone. Water ATMs, toilet complexes, and restored broad walkways are designed in such a way as to restore the heritage of the place during the Mughal era.
After redevelopment, the place looks decongested and facilitates pedestrian movement across the different markets of Chandni Chowk.