Delhiwale: This way to a Chandni Chowk we don’t know

Chandni Chowk, a vibrant heart of Old Delhi, is extraordinary for its countless streets, culinary delights, and rich cultural heritage.

Chandni Chowk is extraordinary—not just for its temples, mosques, churches, or because it is home to one of the most important gurudwaras in Sikhism. Or because it harbours Old Delhi’s culinary shrines for jalebi, ghewar, milk cake, dahi bhalla, paratha, shikanji, lassi, etc. Or because it has the Red Fort. Or because its romantic name suggests a moonlit square.

Gali Sanghian. (HT Photo)

The reason that makes this much-dissected district truly extraordinary has, until now, never been laid out—not even by the all-knowing Google or the smart-aleck ChatGPT.

It is this: an unbelievably massive number of streets drain into Chandni Chowk. As if the kismet of all these moody, idiosyncratic galiyan of Purani Dilli were bound to end up as tributaries to this immortal Volga—Chandni Chowk.

Here’s a single-sentence survey of the place, listing all the many streets that flow into it—in correct sequence. These streets have names that begin or end with words like gali (lane), kucha (alleys inhabited by folks of the same occupation), katra (living quarters built around a courtyard with a single entry), haveli (mansion), marg (road), bagh (garden), and market. The proper names of these bustling pathways come from a long-ago era, drawn from professions, peoples, and landmarks.

Start from Jain Sahitya Sadan, go past New Lajpat Rai Market, followed by Esplanade Road, Kucha Chowdhury, Gali Khajanchi—here, look for the doorway marked “Residence of Happy Jain”—followed by Dariba Kalan, Gali Ghante Wali, Katra Shehen Shahi, Parathe Wali Gali, followed by Moti Bazar—and now begins a series of katras—Katra Nawab, Katra Pyare Lal, Naya Katra, Katra Choban, Katra Mohan, Katra Ashrafi, Katra Hardayal—followed by Nai Sarak, Kucha Rehman, Kucha Ustad Daagh, Katra Subhash, followed by Ballimaran Gali (poet Ghalib’s final home!), Katra Mohammedeen, which is followed by Gandhi Katra, Haveli Haider Quli, Katra Bariyan, Kucha Ghasi Ram (home to Delhi’s best milk cake!), followed by Kucha Brijnath, Katra Neel, Sri Krishna Cloth Market, Poonam Cloth Market, Kucha Kabil Attar, Shanti Desai Marg, Rai Kedarnath Marg, Kucha Natwa, Kucha Mahajani, followed by Katra Satya Narayan, Kacha Bagh, Katra Dhuliya, Katra Lashswan, followed by Sarafa Market Gali, which is followed by “Gali to metro station” (as identified by the street signage), and now you see Mandir Jhajjar Wali Gali, followed by Gali Sanghian (see photo!), H.C. Sen Marg, Hariram Market, Electrical Market Bhagirath Place, Photo Market, followed by Moti Hall Gali (Moti Hall is now a McDonald’s), Deewan Hall Road and… khatam! Chandni Chowk ends.

Being Old Delhi’s heartcore, Chandni Chowk shall be further surveyed in these pages, keeping in mind that most Delhiwale (and certainly you, dear reader) already know it intimately through books, documentaries, newspaper features, and through walks and shopping. To make this adventure original, we’ll start with… wait and watch.