Shopping Destinations in Chandni Chowk
Shopping in Chandi Chowk is a mind boggling experience. It offers a staggering range of goodies ranging from books, clothes, electronics, shoes, leather and consumer goods. Walking along this jostling street can get quite intimidating, so be prepared to get stunned. Each area of Chandni Chowk has different markets, which are known for various things.
Nai Sadak
Nai Sadak is mainly known forbooks and stationery items. It is perfect for the students and bibliomaniacs who will find everything they need here, ranging from books for competitive exams to second-hand college textbooks, fiction novels and even Hindi fiction and non-fiction.
Dariba Kalan
Dariba Kalan is known forjewellery, especially silver and gold items. The highlight here is the availability of hand-crafted jewellery. The best part about shopping at this market is the cost of the items is usually around 25% less than the other markets.You will also findkundanand meenakari jewellery here, along with shops selling perfumes and oils.
Chawri Bazar
Chawri Bazar is your go-to place if you are looking to getwedding cardsprinted in bulk. It specialises in the sale of paper products. You will find all kinds of wedding cards here - simple and subtle to fancy and extravagant.
Kinari Bazar
Kinari Bazar is a haven for your wedding shopping. It is a narrow lane known for selling the bestzardozi items such as laces and frills. Apart from this, you will also findParsi borders, motifs, ribbon lacesand all the embellishments for your wedding lehenga.
Bhagirath Palace
This is Asia'slargest wholesale market for electrical and electronic items. Right from simple light fixtures to fancy decorative lamps, you will find everything you need to decorate your home. That too at dirt cheap prices!
Ballimaran Market
This market is known for sellingshoes at affordable prices. There are all kinds of shoes available here, ranging from formal shoes to dress shoes. You will also find a lot of opticians here, though don't depend on their eye testing skills. You can find ahuge variety of frames and sunglassesat a throwaway price.
There are plenty of other markets in Chandi Chowk selling different knick knacks-
Khari Baoliis a street dedicated tospices, nuts, herbs and dried fruits. Located at the western end of Chandni Chowk, there is no spice that you won't find here.
Fatehpuri Marketis a wholesale trade market forkhoya and paneer. You will also find plenty of eateries here.
Kucha Choudhary Marketis also known as thephoto market. You can get all types of cameras and its accessory at every corner of this market.
Katra Neelis the wholesale market forall kinds of clothes. The first franchise of Raymond from Old Delhi is also located here. There are plenty of shops selling sarees, lehenga, salwar suits and men's wear.
Moti Bazarisknown for shawlsin a myriad of design, colour, style and type of wool. It is called as the Moti Bazar as it specialises in thesale and purchase of pearls.
Food at Chandni Chowk
The first thing that hits you when you enter Chandni Chowk is the intoxicating aroma of food. It is nothing short of heaven for gastronomes around the world. It is the home to some of the oldest and most famous restaurants and confectioners, many of them dating back to fifty or hundred years ago. From an assortment of sweet shops to the parathewali gali to roadside kebabs near Jama Masjid, this place has something to offer for everyone. Tea and pan shops are to be found at every turn of the road.
Another speciality of this place is the variety of chats fruit delicacies on offer. Some of the famous shops are Natraja's Dahi Bhalle, Paranthewali Gali, Gianiji ka Falooda, Kanwarji Bhagirathmal Dalbijiwallah, The jalebi wala, Chaatwallah, Tewari Brothers Confectioners, Bikaner Sweet Shop, Meghraj and Sons, Chainaram, Annapurna Bhandar, etc.
Paranthe Wali Gali
The food trail of Chandni Chowk begins and ends at Gali Paranthe Wali. Even before you enter this calorie-filled foodie's lane, you are hit by the aroma of hot oil and sputtering spices. You can't miss the sight of stuffed parathas laden with oodles of butter. This lane has been the haunt of many celebrities over time.Out of the 20 paratha shops established here, only 3 remains today- Pt Kanhaiyalal Durgaprasad Dixit, Pt Gaya Prasad Shivcharan and Pt Baburam Devidayal Paranthewale.
The paratha served here isentirely vegetarian and do not include onion and garlic. You will find almost all varieties of parathas here filled with every possible stuffing - lemon, chilli, Kaju, badam, carrot, radish, paneer, aloo, cauliflower, rabri, matar, khoya, etc. If there aren't enough to sate your love for something new, you can even try the unusual stuffing of papad, banana and khurchan! The parathas are served with sweet lassi, minty chutney, sweet tamarind chutney, mixed pickle, potato-paneer curry and a mash of sweet pumpkin. The shops remain open from 9:00 AM - 11:00 PM. The parathas are cheap and usually cost INR 150 for two people.
History of Chandni Chowk
The history of Chandni Chowk dates back to the foundation of Shahjahanabad by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Shahjahanabad was set to be the capital among the cities he ruled. Chandni Chowk was initially laid as a square in the centre of which was a pool that shimmered in the moonlight (the reason why it was named as Chandni Chowk). The shops were arranged in a half moon pattern around this square. Many people believe that it was built so that Shah Jahan's favourite daughter, Jahan Ara Begum, could buy whatever she needed. It was a gathering place for traders and merchants who flocked here from all over the country.
In the early days, Chandni Chowk was famous for the silver merchants. This has led many people to believe that it was named as Chandni Chowk because of the trade of silver as silver in Hindi is called 'chandi'. The original pattern of reflecting pool and shops arranged in half moon has been replaced by numerous shops selling all kinds of knick knack. It was once the grandest Indian market. The dingy lanes brimming with noise and chaos still retains its historical character.
How to Reach Chandni Chowk
The best way to reach Chandni Chowk is to take the Delhi Metro and get down at Chandni Chowk Metro Station. You can either get down at the Chandni Chowk Road or go to the Old Delhi Railway Station end. You can hire an auto rickshaw or an E-rickshaw from either end to reach the desired market. You can also opt to walk. However, it is better to save the energy for all the walking required in exploring the place. If you are travelling to Chandni Chowk by a private vehicle, you will find a parking space at the entrance of the Old Delhi Railway Station.
Alternatively, you can also opt to travel by bus. Daryaganj bus stop is the most accessible stop to reach Chandni Chowk. Buses regularly run from Daryagunj to Chandi Chowk. If you wish to avoid the crowd buses, you can hire a cab (preferably Uber or OLA) and get down at Chandni Chowk.
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Tips
1. Carry plenty of water as the long walk through the chaotic streets can get very tiring.
2. Photography is not allowed at many of the shops in the market as the owners are worried that the customers might copy their designs. So, take permission before clicking a picture.
3. Most of the shops require you to step inside without footwear. So, it is recommended to wear a sandal which is easy to remove.
4. Pay particular attention to your belongings and wallet while roaming through Chandni Chowk.
5. Beware of duplicate products and touts.
6. Don't forget to bargain. You will get the best deals here on the choice of your product.
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