Situated at the centre of the Old City in New Delhi, Chandni Chowk is a 17th-century marketplace that features some of the city’s best antique bazaars, temples and shrines. Due to its heavy crowds, Chandni Chowk is a great place to experience the pace of Indian life. Eat, sightsee and find bargains in this old shopping hub.
Chor Bazaar (“Thieves’ Market”) is a good place to start exploring Chandni Chowk. Bargain with the vendors at this bustling market, where you can find a wide variety of goods including glassware, electronics and souvenirs. If you are looking for something in particular, try specialty shopping districts like Dariba Kalan Road, where you will find jewellery, and Kinari Bazaar, which specialises in wedding items.
A variety of ancient temples can be found in Chandni Chowk. Explore each of them, but make sure that you are appropriately dressed before entering. At Gauri Shankar Temple, a Hindu temple, you will find an 800-year-old Lingam, or phallus stone. Drop by the nearby Digambara Jain Temple, a 16th-century structure that is the oldest Jain house of worship in New Delhi. Also, find Gurdwara Sis Ganj, a gold-topped Sikh temple in the area.
Sample some delicious local cuisine from one of the many restaurants arrayed along Paratha Wali Gali. Each restaurant along this street offers various kinds of paratha, which is a flatbread dish. Try a paratha with any of a variety of toppings or fillings, including potatoes, pickles and crushed nuts. After eating, have dessert at the Chandni Chowk candy store, where you can get a tasty fried sweet called a jalebi. If you would like to incorporate some local flavours into your cooking back home, shop at the Khari Baoli spice market.
Reach Chandni Chowk from central New Delhi by taking a rickshaw, a cab or the metro. The market is open every day of the week except Sundays. After your visit to Chandni Chowk, head over to nearby Old City attractions like Jama Masjid and the Red Fort.
