Delhiwale: This way to two Jama Masjid Gate No.1s

Purani Dilli's Place-names reflect rich histories, with Gate No. 1 of Jama Masjid and its Metro counterpart embodying the city's evolving identity.

Place-names in Purani Dilli, belonging to streets, mohallas, and markets, are fiercely individualistic. They preserve memories of occupations, vanished landmarks or long-forgotten patrons. Sometimes, a place acquires identity without acquiring a proper name. Take “Jama Masjid Gate No. 1”.

Gate No. 1 of Jama Masjid Metro Station forms one of the entry and exit points of the underground metro station. This gate faces Kasturba Hospital. (HT Photo)

The phrase has become a part of the Walled City vernacular. Two distinct places share this same label. First is Gate No. 1 of Jama Masjid, one of the three gateways of the iconic landmark. The other is Gate No. 1 of the underground Jama Masjid Metro station. One gate serves visitors to the 17th century monument; the other serves commuters of the 21st century transport system.

Gate No. 1 of Jama Masjid forms the southern gateway of the grand mosque. It faces the Matia Mahal Bazar. Its stone steps have functioned for centuries as a public space in the Walled City.

Now, walk to the nearby Gate No. 1 of Jama Masjid Metro station. It forms one of the entry and exit points of the underground metro station. This gate faces Kasturba Hospital. People at times gather at the gate in small numbers, lingering without a commuter’s typical urgency. There is a reason. This June afternoon, the heat is severe. At the metro station’s Gate No. 1 foyer, shots of cold air from the underground air-conditioned platforms infrequently escape upwards, offering relief. Passersby are pausing to briefly escape the heat. A street dog is curled up into a bundle.

Being so old, the older Gate No. 1 naturally carries centuries of associations. The storytelling tradition of dastangoi is said to have flourished on these very steps. Legend also links the site to Sufi mystic Hazrat Sarmad Shahid, who, after his beheading under the emperor’s orders, picked up his severed head and climbed these steps before ascending to heaven.

Since the newer Gate No. 1 of Jama Masjid Metro station is less than a decade old, it obviously has no such history. Even so, both places eloquently show how an ever-changing city manages to assign a solid identity even to dull administrative labels. Today, Gate No. 1 of Jama Masjid and Gate No. 1 of Jama Masjid Metro station sit firmly and merrily within the Walled City’s living vocabulary.