Chandni Chowk, 375 years
- Recent posts remind readers that Chandni Chowk marks roughly 375 years since its founding as Delhi's oldest market. - The historical note is paired with images of crowded lanes and student groups visiting the bazaar. - Posts celebrate the market's living history while also showing how intense footfall shapes everyday commerce and tourism. (x.com 1) (x.com 2)
Chandni Chowk is turning up in fresh posts as Delhi’s 17th-century market reaches roughly 375 years since its founding in 1650. (ndtv.com) The bazaar was laid out in the Mughal capital of Shahjahanabad after Shah Jahan shifted his court to Delhi in 1648, and multiple histories date Chandni Chowk itself to 1650. (srdc.delhi.gov.in) (wikipedia.org) Most accounts credit Jahanara Begum, Shah Jahan’s daughter, with designing the market street, whose central canal once reflected moonlight and gave the area its name, “Moonlight Square.” (wikipedia.org) (sahapedia.org) The anniversary is landing at a moment when Chandni Chowk is being seen both as a heritage site and as a working commercial corridor. Delhi’s tourism and redevelopment agencies still present it as a core stop in Old Delhi, with heritage walks running through the market and nearby Shahjahanabad. (delhitourism.gov.in) (srdc.delhi.gov.in) That dual role has shaped recent policy. Delhi’s Chandni Chowk redevelopment project recast the stretch from Lal Jain Mandir to Fatehpuri Masjid around pedestrian movement, with the stated goal of giving walkers priority over vehicles. (srdc.delhi.gov.in) The pressure of daily crowds has not eased. A recent Public Works Department repair plan pegged maintenance of the pedestrian corridor at about ₹3.77 crore, citing wear and tear from continuous footfall and encroachments. (hindustantimes.com) (economictimes.indiatimes.com) That tension is visible in the market’s layout as much as its upkeep. Chandni Chowk remains tied to specialist bazaars such as Khari Baoli for spices and Dariba Kalan for jewelry, a pattern that dates back to its role as one of Shahjahanabad’s main trading streets. (ndtv.com) (srdc.delhi.gov.in) Private and government-led walking tours now package that history for visitors and school groups, tracing a route through havelis, religious sites, and market lanes over roughly two to two-and-a-half hours. (srdc.delhi.gov.in) (delhiheritagewalks.com) Three and three-quarter centuries after its founding, Chandni Chowk is still doing the same two jobs at once: moving goods through Old Delhi and moving people through its past. (srdc.delhi.gov.in) (ndtv.com)
