Old Delhi | |
|---|---|
| Shahjahanabad | |
 Red Fort viewed from a distance close to the Chandni Chowk | |
  Old Delhi  Old Delhi | |
| Coordinates:28°39′39″N77°13′48″E / 28.66083°N 77.23000°E /28.66083; 77.23000 | |
| Country | India |
| Union Territory | Delhi |
| District | Central Delhi |
| Founded by | Shah Jahan |
| Named after | Shah Jahan |
Shahjahanabad,[1] colloquially known asOld Delhi (Hindustani:Purāni Dillī),[2] is an area in theCentral Delhi district ofDelhi, India. It was founded as aWalled City[3][4] and officially named Shahjahanabad in 1648, whenShah Jahan decided to shift the Mughal capital fromAgra.[5] The construction of the city was completed in 1648, and it remained the capital ofMughal India until its fall in 1857,[5][6][7] when theBritish Empire (whose Indian capital was atCalcutta) took over as paramount power in theIndian subcontinent. After the inauguration ofNew Delhi as the capital of India, the locality started to be colloquially known as Old Delhi in order to distinguish it from the capital city or the rest of theNCT Region.
It serves as the symbolic heart of metropolitan Delhi and is known for itsbazaars,restaurants,street food,shopping locations and itsIslamic architecture;Jama Masjid being the most notable example, standing tall in the midst of the old city. Only a fewhavelis are left and maintained.
Upon the 2012trifurcation of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Shahjahanabad became administered by theNorth Delhi Municipal Corporation,[8][9] but in May 2022 the city was re-unified under a newMunicipal Corporation of Delhi.
The site ofShahjahanabad is north of earlier settlements of Delhi. Its southern part overlaps some of the area that was settled by theTughlaqs in the 14th century when it was the seat ofDelhi Sultanate. The sultanates ruled fromDelhi between 1206[10] and 1526, when the last was replaced by theMughal dynasty.[11] The five dynasties were theMamluk dynasty (1206–90), theKhalji dynasty (1290–1320), theTughlaq dynasty (1320–1414), theSayyid dynasty (1414–51) andLodi dynasty (1451–1526). For a period from 1538/1540 until 1555, the Mughals lost control over their empire underHumayun, and theSur dynasty ruled parts of India until the Mughals retook control of India, lastly defeating them and finally establishing control and stability of their empire.
Delhi remained an important place for the Mughals, who built palaces and forts. Most importantly,Shah Jahan ordered his famous chief architectUstad Ahmad Lahori to build the walled city between 1638 and 1649, containing theLal Qila and theChandni Chowk.[12] Delhi was one of the original twelvesubahs (imperial Mughal provinces), renamed Shahjahanabad in 1648, borderingAwadh, Agra,Ajmer,Multan andLahore subahs.Daryaganj had the originalcantonment of Delhi, after 1803, where a native regiment of Delhigarrison was stationed, which was later shifted to Ridge area. East of Daryaganj was Raj ghat Gate of the walled city, opening atRaj Ghat onYamuna River.[13] The first wholesale market of Old Delhi opened as the hardware market inChawri Bazaar in 1840, the next wholesale market was that of dry fruits, spices and herbs atKhari Baoli, opening in 1850. ThePhool Mandi (Flower Market) of Daryaganj was established in 1869, and even today, despite serving a small geographical area, it is of great importance due to dense population.[14]
After the fall of theMughal Empire post1857 revolt, theBritish Raj shifted the capital of British controlled territories in India to a less volatile city,Calcutta inBengal, where it remained until 1911. After the announcement of the change, the British developedLutyens' Delhi (in modernNew Delhi) just south-west of Shahjahanabad. At this point, the older city started being calledOld Delhi, as New Delhi became the seat of a national government. It was formally inaugurated as such in 1931.
In 1876, Carr Stephen described the city as follows:[15]
Of the two streets described byBernier, the longer extended from theLahore Gate of the city to the Lahore Gate of the citadel, and the other from the Delhi Gate of the city to the Lahore Gate of the fort. Both these streets were divided into several sections, each of which was known by a different name. The section between the Lahore Gate of the fort and the entrance of the street called theDariba, known as the Khání Darwázah, was called the Urdi or the Military Bazaar; owing, very probably, to the circumstance of a portion of the local garrison having been once quartered about the place. Between the Khúní Darwázah and the presentKotwálí, or the Head Police Station of the city, the street has the name of Phúl ká Mandí or the flower market. The houses in front of the Kotwálí were built, at a short distance from the line of the rest of the houses in the street, to form a square. Between the Kotwálí and the gate known as the Taráiah, was the Jowhri or the Jewellers' Bazaar; between the Taráiah and the neighborhood known as Asharfí ká Katrá, was,par excellence, the Chándní Chauk. There was a tank in the center of the Chauk the site of which is now occupied by the Municipal Clock Tower, and beyond this to theFatehpúrí Masjid was the Fatehpúrí Bazaar. The houses around Chándní Chauk were of the same height, and were ornamented with arched doors and painted verandahs. To the north and south of the square there were two gate-ways, the former leading to the Sarái ofJahánárá Begam, and the latter to one of the most thickly populated quarters of the city. Round the tank the ground was covered with vegetable, fruit and sweetmeat stalls. In the course of time the whole of this long street came to be known as the Chandni Chauk.
This grand street was laid out byJahánárá Begam, daughter of Sháh Jahán, in the year 1600 A. D., and several ears later she built a garden and sarái on it. From the Lahore Gate of the fort to the end of the Chandni Chauk the street was about 40 yards [37 m] wide and 1,520 yards [1,390 m] long. Through the centre of this street ran the canal of 'Alí Mardán, shaded on both sides by trees. On the eastern end of the Chándni Chauk stands the Lahore Gate of the Fort, and on the opposite end the handsome mosque of Fatehpúrí Begam.
Theclock tower no longer exists, although the location is still called Ghantaghar. The sarai of Jahanara Begum has been replaced by thecity town hall. The kotwal is now adjacent toGurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib.
TheOld Delhi Railway Station, was designed in the architectural style of the nearby Red Fort, which was constructed during the administration of the British colonial government and opened in 1903.
The British also built theState Bank of India branch building in Chandni Chowk[16] as well as theSt. James' Church, theSt. Stephen's Church andOldSt. Stephen's College now one of the important offices of theElection Commission of India[17] ofDelhi near Kashmere Gate, leaving an influence of European architecture andIndo-Saracenic architecture as well in the historical place.
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The population of Old Delhi remains a mix of many different ethnic groups. While the region isMuslim-dominated,Hindi–Urdu (Hindustani) is the most spoken language.
It is approximately shaped like a quarter cìrcle, with theRed Fort as the focal point. The old city was surrounded by a wall enclosing about 1,500 acres (6.1 km2), with 14 gates:[18]
The surrounding walls, 12 feet (3.7 m) wide and 26 feet (7.9 m) tall, originally of mud, were replaced by red stone in 1657. In theMughal period, the gates were kept locked at night.The walls have now mostly disappeared;[21] only some of the gates are still present. The township of old Delhi is still identifiable in a satellite image because of the density of houses.
TheKhooni Darwaza, south of Delhi Gate and just outside the walled city, was originally constructed bySher Shah Suri.
The Bahadur Shahi Gate[22] was the last gate built by the last Mughal emperor,Bahadur Shah Zafar, which connects the Salimgarh Fort to the Red Fort.
The streets in Old Delhi are known for being narrow and winding and being labyrinthine within the walled city with many alleys, as well as for being vibrant and bustling and mainly crowded.[23]
The streets retain the essence of theMughal-era layout, serving as a functional network for moving from one place to another as well as for bustling markets and iconic landmarks, creating a unique living experience in the city. Historic shops, traditional mansions (havelis) and religious sites are built directly along and into these lanes, making the streets themselves a form of premises that houses and shapes community life.[24]
The main street, now termedChandni Chowk which meant Moonlight square, runs from theRed Fort toFatehpuri Masjid. The street square today which includes the market which was historically divided by canals, engineered to reflect moonlight hence the name Moonlight square. These canals have since been removed, leaving behind a transformed urban landscape. The Chandni Chowk was a significant route for Mughal imperial processions, hosting the grand displays of emperors and their entourages, highlighting its importance in the empire's cultural and rich architectural heritage.[25]
North of the street, there is the mansion ofBegum Samru, now called Bhagirath Palace.South of the street isDariba Kalan, a dense residential area, beyond which connects the Chandni Chowk area with theJama Masjid.Daryaganj is a section that used to border the river atRajghat andZeenat-ul-Masjid.
TheUrdu language emerged from theUrdu Bazaar the stretch spanning from the Lahori Gate of the Red Fort to near theGurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib was called Urdu Bazaar, i.e., the encampment market in Old Delhi. TheDin Dunia magazine and various other Urdu publications are the reason for this language staying alive.[26]
Its main arteries are
Old Delhi is approximately bounded by these modern roads:
The engraving accompanyingLetitia Elizabeth Landon's poem, "The City of Delhi", appears to show the Jama Masjid with an elephant on the open ground before it. She associates the city's past glories with tales of enchantment, namelyJames Ridley'sThe Tales of the Genii (Sir Charles Mansell). In Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1832, page 44.
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Many of the historical attractions are in theChandni Chowk area and theRed Fort. In addition, Old Delhi also has:[27]
Some of the historical mansions (or Haveli's) include:[29]
Old Delhi is well known for its cuisine. Old Delhi being the seat of theMughal Empire for over two centuries has led to it being the modern hub ofMughlai cuisine.Karim's, a restaurant described as the city's most famous culinary destination, is near theJama Masjid. TheGali Paranthe Wali andGhantewalahalwai are also situated here. Chawri Bazaar is one of the oldest markets in Delhi, dating back to the 17th century and was before known as a hardware market, but is known nowadays for its wholesale paper products.
Old Delhi is also known for its street food.Chandni Chowk andChawri Bazaar areas have many street joints that sell spicy chaat (tangy and spicy snacks).
Old Delhi has certain identifiable landmarks of food. These include:
Pandit Gaya Prasad shifted fromAgra toDelhi in 1876,[30] in search of a better life. InDelhi, he set up a single shop business selling hotparanthas. The product gained popularity to an extent that he required the aid of his family members for help in the production. Eventually,Paranthe wali Gali, the lane in which the original shop was, came to house 16 of them. It is now run by the families of Pandit Gaya Prasad and his relatives. The sixth-generation continues to run four of the sixteen original shops that remain.
Having been in the business of catering toMughal Emperors, the family that runs it was displaced following theRevolt of 1857. In 1911, Haji Karimuddin moved back to Delhi with inspiration to open a Dhaba to cater to people coming to witness the coronation from all across the country. It was in 1913 that he established the Karim Hotel in Gali Kababian,Jama Masjid.Karim's exists here today to cater to the wants of people from all over the country and the world, being a major tourist attraction.[31]
Nihari is a traditional meat stew that is slowly cooked to preserve its taste and the tenderness of its ingredients. Kallu Nihari is a shop in Old Delhi that has served the dish exclusively since it was opened by the late Mohammed Rafiquddin (better known as Kallu Mian) in 1990. The shop, which is well known in the area, has served millions of portions.[32][33]
Harnarain Gokalchand was a pickle and murabba shop that was originally established inKhari Baoli by the name Harnarain Gopinath in 1857. It is often considered to be one of India's first commercially available pickle brands and was at the time India's largest food preservers. Their pickles and sharbat have been a household delicacy for over a century and a half, and have even servedJawaharlal Nehru andIndira Gandhi.[34] Having started from a small shop in Khari Baoli, Old Delhi, it has now become a global brand that goes by the nameHarnarains International.
Characterised by acodd-neck bottle,Banta is a drink that has survived in Old Delhi since 1872.[35] The glass bottle in which this comes has a marble stopper, which is pushed into the bulbous neck of the bottle to unseal it. EngineerHiram Codd patented the design of the bottle in 1872 in London to effectively seal fizzy drinks.[36]
The Banta bottles even contributed to theIndian National movement. This was so as protestors and rioters would often use these bottles as improvised cannons by adding calcium hydroxide to the mix. Thus, the bottles were banned in many cities across the country at some point before 1947.
Old Delhi has markets running through its streets. The area is vast and multiple products are being sold. Most of them are wholesale sellers and have been selling their products for many years. One such business isGulab Singh Johrimal (a perfumery)[37] which was established inDariba Kalan in 1816 mainly as anattar (perfume) manufacturing business. Since then they have diversified into compounding, incense and toilet soap manufacture. Their retail outlet in Chandni Chowk was started later on. Another such shop isHarnarains (manufacturers of pickles and preserves), located inKhari Baoli. Under operation since 1944, it is one of the older shops currently located in Old Delhi. Some migrants sell products like clothes, fruits etc. The sellers of one product often form an association to serve their interests and negotiate with the local government and other official bodies. The Old Delhi area and its markets are governed by theMunicipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).[38]
Also, known as "Walled City" or "Old City"of Delhi.
{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal= (help);line feed character in|quote= at position 44 (help);line feed character in|title= at position 20 (help)Shah Jehan, Mughal Emperor from 1628 to 1658, who gave the Taj Mahal to the World, created the city of Shahjahanabad, the seventh city of Delhi, and now known as Old Delhi. The intricate lanes of the 'walled city', its bazaars, and way of living seem to exist within a time warp. Today, it is a busting hub of wholesale trade and commerce.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)Built in 1890, and designed by Samuel Swinton Jacob, it is now one of the offices of the Election Commission.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
The Zenana., opposite page 3.The Zenana., opposite page 32.