I
have lived in New Delhi for the last three years. It is a remarkable
and huge city. Its sheer size, its traffic and endless noise can be
pretty imposing. It is also a hugely diverse city. In terms of its
people from different background, religions, from the very poor that
live under viaducts to the obscenely rich who live in incredible
mansions. Some stunning architecture, some very old, some very new. One
place which still embodies (part of) Indian city life, is the area in
and around Chandni Chowk. It is one of the oldest markets in Delhi going
back to Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. Some of Delhi’s best known landmarks
are part of it, such as the Red Fort and the famous Jama Masjid mosque.
But
it is mostly known for its endless markets and bazaars. You can find
anything in this amazing maze of busy streets and endless little lanes. I
find the best time to visit is at night. This place is hopping and
buzzing with all sort of people out on the streets, selling, buying,
cooking, chatting, going about their lives. And that includes those for
whom the streets is also their home. They will make themselves
comfortable on top of the middle divider of a busy road and sleep away
whilst traffic roars by. I am a 6’6’’ tall Dutch guy so I tend to stick
out of bit, literally, in any Indian crowd. Some time ago, we had a
visit from our corporate Headquarters in Europe. So I took my European
colleagues to see Chandni Chowk. I asked several of my Indian colleagues
to come along and accompany us. Amazingly, none of them had been to
Chandni Chowk either! They do their shopping in big modern (western)
malls. Perhaps understandable, but also maybe a little bit sad.
Chandni
Chowk street life does illustrate how a large part of the urban Indian
population still leads their life. Very much out in the streets. I enjoy
walking around. I have never been bothered by anybody. There are very
few if any European tourist about. Most Indian enjoy posing and are
happy to show off their produce to you. As anywhere in India, you should
not be concerned about having some private space, because it is wall to
wall people. The noise from the crowd and the traffic is unbelievable.
Some amazing smells as you make your way across the spice market. You
will have Autoriksha's pushing their way through the crowd horn blaring
out loud. It is all part of the scenery.
There is some amazing
architecture in this area, but most of it is a pretty poor state of
repair. At some point in time this Chandni Chowk will seize to exist in
its current format. Hopefully that will also mean a better, less harsh
life for those who live and work out on the streets. Whereas overall
that might be a good thing a nation also tends to loose a bit of its
heritage and identity as it progresses through time. All for the better
I’m sure, but I’m still glad I get to see and experience the current
Chandni Chowk. Which is absolutely fascinating.
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