The Chandni Chowk is one of the oldest and busiest markets in Old Delhi, India.
Chandni Chowk is located close to Old Delhi Railway Station. The Red Fort monume
nt is located within the market. It was built in the 17th century by Mughal Empe
ror of India Shah Jahan and designed by his daughter Jahanara. The market was on
ce divided by canals (now closed) to reflect moonlight and remains one of India'
s largest wholesale markets. The market's history dates to the founding of the c
apital city of Shahjahanabad when Emperor Shah Jahan established the Red Fort on
the banks of the Yamuna River beside his new capital.
Chandni Chowk, or the Moonlight Square, was designed and established by
Princess Jahanara Begum, Shah Jahan s favourite daughter, in 1650 CE. Originally c
ontaining 1,560 shops, the bazaar was 40 yards wide by 1,520 yards long.[3] The
bazaar was shaped as a square was given elegance by the presence of a pool in th
e centre of the complex. The pool shimmered in the moonlight, a feature which wa
s perhaps responsible for its name.[4] Shops were originally built in a half-moo
n shaped pattern, now lost. The bazaar was famous for its silver merchants, whic
h also have contributed to the name as silver is referred to as Chandi in Hindi,
a slight variation of which forms Chandni.[original research?]
The pool in the chowk was replaced by a clock tower (Ghantaghar) until the 1950s
. The center of the market is still referred to as Ghantaghar.
Chandni Chowk was once the grandest Indian market.[5] Mughal imperial procession
s passed through Chandni Chowk. The tradition was continued when Delhi Durbar wa
s held in 1903. Delhi Town Hall was built in 1863 by the British.
Chandni Chowk runs through the middle of the walled city, from the Lahori Gate o
f the Red Fort to Fatehpuri Masjid. Originally, a canal ran through the middle o
f the street. It was initially divided into three sections:[6]
Lahori Gate to Chowk Kotwali (near Gurdwara Shish Ganj): This section, closest t
o the imperial residence, was called Urdu Bazar, i.e., the encampment market. Th
e Urdu language got its name from this encampment. Ghalib noted the destruction
of this market during the disturbances of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and its a
ftermath.
Chowk Kotwali to Chandni Chowk: The term Chandni Chowk originally referred to th
e square that had a reflecting pool. This section was originally called Johri Ba
zar.
'Chandni Chowk' to Fatehpuri Masjid: this was called the Fatehpuri Bazar.
Later choked with congestion, the market retains its historical character. The f
ollowing terms are generally used to describe the buildings and the streets:[7]
Haveli: a mansion. A normal haveli has a big courtyard (atrium) surrounded on fo
ur sides by spacious rooms and often another walled courtyard around the exterio
r. One of the largest preserved havelis in the area is the Chunnamal haveli.
Kucha: a zone with houses whose owners shared some common attribute, usually the
ir occupation. Hence the names Maliwara, the gardeners
neighbourhood and Ballimaran, the oarsmen s neighbourhood.
Katra: refers to a separate wing of tradesmen and craftsmen belonging to the sam
e trade. They usually lived and worked together. It is a system similar to the g
uild housing in Amsterdam.
