History of the heritage.

Chandni Chowk - A history of 400 years

 

History

The market's history dates to the founding of the capital city of Shahjahanabad when Emperor Shah Jahan established the Red Fort on the banks of the Yamuna River beside his new capital.
Chandni Chowk, or the Moonlight Square, was designed and 

The town hall during the British period
source : google images

established by Princess Jahanara, The bazaar was shaped as a square was given elegance by the presence of a pool in the centre of the complex. The pool shimmered in the moonlight, a feature which was perhaps responsible for its name. Shops were originally built in a half-moon shaped pattern, now lost. The bazaar was famous for its silver merchants, which also have contributed to the name as silver is referred to as Chandi in Hindi, a slight variation of which forms Chandni.
Mughal imperial processions passed through Chandni Chowk. The tradition was continued when Delhi Durbar was held in 1903. Delhi Town Hall was built in 1863 by the British.
Chandni Chowk runs through the middle of the walled city, from the Lahori Gate of the Red Fort to Fatehpuri Masjid. Originally, a canal ran through the middle of the street. It was initially divided into three sections:                                                    

Chandni Chowk
source : google images

• Lahori Gate to Chowk Kotwali (near Gurdwara Shish Ganj): This section, closest to the imperial residence, was called Urdu Bazar. The Urdu language got its name from this encampment. Ghalib noted the destruction of this market during the disturbances of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and its aftermath.
• Chowk Kotwali to Chandni Chowk: The term Chandni Chowk originally referred to the square that had a reflecting pool. This section was originally called Johri Bazar.
• 'Chandni Chowk' to Fatehpuri Masjid: this was called the Fatehpuri Bazar.

Later choked with congestion, the market retains its historical character. The following terms are generally used to describe the buildings and the streets:

Jama Masjid
source : google images

• Haveli: a mansion. A normal haveli has a big courtyard (atrium) surrounded on four sides by spacious rooms and often another walled courtyard around the exterior. One of the largest preserved havelis in the area is the Chunnamal haveli.
• Kucha: a zone with houses whose owners shared some common attribute, usually their occupation. Hence the names Maliwara, the gardeners' neighbourhood and Ballimaran, the oarsmen’s neighbourhood.
• Katra: refers to a separate wing of tradesmen and craftsmen belonging to the same trade. They usually lived and worked together. It is a system similar to the guild housing in Amsterdam.

 Information source : Wikipedia.