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Sign up with goingindiaa.com for a guided tour of Chandni Chowk (Shahjahanabad).

The walk begins early in the morning and is over by the time the place starts crowding. It will give you time to absorb the architecture and history of one of India’s oldest and perhaps the most populated market. Don’t bother with breakfast before the walk—we will arrange this for you during the walk.   During the walk you will  also cross several naan khatai, puri choley, pakora and lassi vendors in these narrow lanes. Sample them all to get a taste of ‘Purani Dilli’.  We will cover :

• Chandni Chowk .
• Digambar Jain Lal Mandir .
• Gauri Shankar Temple.
• State Bank of India building whose large façade, round arches, Roman pillars and high ceilings.
• Asia’s biggest electronic market.
• Dariba Kalan which is a popular street for jewellery.
• Markets of some traditional businesses which manufacture &s sellitra, i.e perfumes or essence.
• Group of old heritage havelis.
• Gadodia Market – Spice Market.

Over a period of 400 years the city has seen many changes, but two events have most prominently shaped it: the suppression of the rebellion of 1857, and the Partition of 1947. The first stop is two old temples: Digambar Jain Lal Mandir and Gauri Shankar Temple. Our next stop is the State Bank of India building whose large façade, round arches, Roman pillars and high ceilings are typical of colonial architecture. However, it is interesting to note that it is built over an estate of Kashmiri dancing girl-Begum Samru who was very influential in the eighteenth century. Her palace still exists and is part of Bhagirath Place which is Asia’s biggest electronic market today. A few steps ahead is Dariba Kalan which is a popular street for jewellery. The market has some traditional businesses which manufacture &s sell itra, i.e perfumes or essence. Dariba Kalan was also witness to Nadir Shah’s massacre of the city in the year 1739. A little further down the main street of Chandni Chowk is Sunheri Masjid, of which it is said that Nadir Shah stood on the terrace of this very mosque & watched the violence unleashed on the citizens of Delhi.Sunheri Masjid is located in the roundabout called ‘fawwara’ or fountain chowk. Other important landmarks here are Sisganj Gurdwara, a museum on Sikh history, the former Mughal kotwali & Ghantewala Shahi halwai. The chowk has been renamed Bhai Mati Das Chowk, who was killed here by the Mughals. Taking a slight detour from here, we walk into a group of havelis called Naughara, passing through famous Parathewali Gali. Naughara or ‘nine houses’ is reflection of how city of Shahjahanabad was planned by leaving some spaces for individual development which encouraged people to organize themselves on some basic identity. The kucha naughara has a Shwetambar Jain temple which is believed to be more than 2500 years old by the locals.  We exit naughara through Kinari Bazaar and Moti Bazaar and walk out into Chandni Chowk.

The next stop on our walking tour is Town Hall. It was British Municipal Corporation building and and till very recently housed the offices of Municipal Corporation of Delhi. Here, in the middle of the street used to be a market square which had a pool reflecting moonlight. Thus, the place gets its name as ‘Chandni Chowk’ or ‘moonlight square’.  The neighbourhoods in old Delhi all have specific names, either denoting the trade that is carried on in that area, or often the name of a dominant commercial class, or sometimes, names are taken after famous personalities of that neighbourhood. A little further from Town Hall is the neighbourhood of Katra Neel. It was a famous sector dealing with cloths. ‘Katra’ denotes a commercial sector of the city and ‘Neel’ means indigo. Thus as it could be deduced from its name it was a famous sector dealing with the cloths. Apart from katra another name which is used for neighbourhoods is ‘Kucha’. ‘Kucha’ is a residential lane, often with a dead end. We looked in at Kunniji Maharaj Shivalaya, a small Shiv temple, and one of the numerous in this area.

The Fatehpuri Masjid stands at the end of Chandni Chowk. Just outside its gateway is the famous sweets shop, Chaina Ram. The area around Fatehpuri is is the meeting point of several important bazaars: the spice market at Khari baoli, the Chandni Chowk, and then Lal Kuan. It also functions as a ‘labour chowk’, a place where skilled, semi skiller labourers sit with their tool, waiting for people to hire them. We walk through Fatehpuri into Khari Baoli’s Gadodia Market. It is a large building, acting as a warehouse for spices. Its roof offers an excellent view of the old city: one can see the entire length of Chandni Chowk, Red Fort & minarets of temples near it, old Delhi railway station, into the courtyard of Fatehpuri, Jama Masjid, the new MCD building near Turkman Gate.

Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to walk. Carry something to cover your head if you’re planning to visit religious places. Keep asking for directions as you move.

Thanks you

Goingindiaa Team

contact@goingindiaa.com

Knew real Varanasi and its character of small alleys, narrow and old winding streets with our professional heritage guide.  Contact us on contact@goingindiaa.com

These streets have very old houses constructed so close to each other that one can jump from one roof to the other. Surprisingly these streets are very cool during the summer because the close roofed houses helps to keep the sun rays away and create a cool cosy shade. Most of them lead either to the Viswanath temple or to the Ganga Ghat and they are lined by shops selling the specialities of Varanasi handicrafts. Strolling through these streets first sight that will strike your eyes is the riot of colors :Glass bangles of all various colors, Bright colors of the Benarasi sarees, the colorful wooden toys Brass artefacts etc. Also remember to feel the typical aroma of paan masala, pickle, flower shops before the temple main door and smell of lassi and rabri being cooked in huge metal kadhai at a small joint in the galis .But of course all this fancy sights and aroma is broken by the stinks of waste water open urinal, garbage littered everywhere and people spitting out the waste of paan infront of their own shops. On one hand Varansi is the centre of Indian Classical music, Dance. Varanasi has a good population of skilled artisans who make musical instruments like sharod behala etc. Skilled weavers who weave the intricate zari work on silk sarees and make the famous Benarasi sarees, sculptors who carve beautiful brass figures and statues of Gods and Godesses.

Thank you

Goingindiaa Team

Are you visiting Udaipur? Remember goingindiaa.com

Do not forget to see rural arts, crafts, local culture, rural artists, hand woven clothes, embroideries, mirror works and handicrafts etc just 3 KM (1.9 ml) west of the city of Udaipur,India.

Shilpgram is a rural arts and crafts complex. Complex is spread over an undulating terrain of about 70 acres of land, surrounded by the Aravali Mountains. Shilpgram is an ethnographic museum that depicts the lifestyles of the folk and tribal people of the region. With an objective of increasing awareness and knowledge about the rural arts and crafts, the Shilpgram provides opportunity to rural and urban artists to come together and interact through the process of camps and workshops.

Each member state of the West Zone has traditional huts built within the Shilpgram, derivative of certain basic occupations fundamental to the way of life of the people of the area and also central to the culture of the country. In these traditional huts, household articles of everyday use, like terracotta, textile, wooden and metal items, decorative objects and implements are featured with appropriate signage and explanatory details with the objective to give a realistic glimpse of the people and their belongings.The huts are constructed around an interlocking occupational theme. In this integrated pattern are five huts from Rajasthan, representing the weavers’ community from Marwar, pottery from the hilly areas of Mewar and the tribal farmer communities of the Bhil and the Sehariyas .Apart from the state’s own representation, there are seven representative huts from the state of Gujarat, five from the state of Maharashtra and five featuring the arts and crafts of Goa.

The Shilpgram Festival is organised every year from 21 December to December 31.

Please write us for your inquries or any more information on contact@goingindiaa.com.

Regards

Goingindiaa team

Let me take you to a spectacular view from 1000 feet height of Udaipur City, Lake Pinchola, City Palace complex, Ambrai Ghat, Lake Fateh Sagar, Jag Mandir and Jagdish Temple.  I personally experienced all these with Sun Set view from Monsoon Palace Udaipur.

Sajjan Garh:- Perched on the top of a hill, the Monsoon Palace is located at a distance of 5km from Udaipur. Originally known as the Sajjan Garh Palace, the structure is architecturally beautiful and mesmerizing. The palace was built back in 1884 by Maharana Sajjan Singh.

If you are partial to the beauty offered by nature more than manmade wonders, you are sure to love Sajjan Garh. The palace is small but the views are stunning. This Monsoon Palace is situated at such an altitude that it presents magnificent views of Lake Pichola, Aravalli mountains, and surrounding countryside.

The palace features multiple jharokas, pillars and balconies which are intricately carved. The beauty of the palace takes you back to the glorious past of the Mewar Kingdom. Monsoon Palace is known for its breathtaking sunset view. Also, there is Sajjangarh Wildlife sanctuary nearby where you can visit to make your tour more entertaining and exciting. Timing All days of the week 9:30 AM – 6:30 PM.

We have fantastic holiday programs for Udaipur including Delh, Agra, Jaipur and Bhainsorgarh Fort.

Contact us for your inquiries on contact@goingindiaa.com

Warm Regards – Anurag

Goingindiaa.com is always committed to work zesty and as a sparkler for India Tourism. As a result we always endeavor different aspect of tourism stealthy and encourage our partner to experience our endeavor intensively. I anticipate you like our fancy.

Today I am going to take you towards enriching history of Udaipur, Rajasthan.  Although you know most of Rajasthan and number of beautiful monuments which stand tall to make the world aware about its enriching history, which is due to its rich heritage, enthralling culture, enticing desserts, sun kissed sand dunes and an amazing wildlife.

Bagore Ki Haveli is situated near Pichola Lake. The 18th century construction was built by Amir Chand Badwa, Chief Minister at the Royal Court of Mewar. The Haveli became the residence of Maharana Shakti Singh of Bagore in the year 1878 and hence the name Bagore Ki Haveli. This was converted into museum retaining the royal touch to the building. The museum presents the culture of Mewar. The antique collections include the stuff used by Rajputs such as jewellery boxes, hand fans, copper vessels and so on. The massive building has over 100 rooms and looks splendid with its unique style of architecture. When you are there, make sure you present yourself for the shows conducted here in the evenings.

Regards – Anurag (contact@goingindiaa.com)

Bagore Ki Haveli visit| Udaipur Tour |Udai Vilas reservation | Taj Lake Palace reservations | Udaipur city tour | Udaipur haveli Tour | Udaipur Accommodations | Naralai visit | Rajasthan Tour | Visit to Rajasthan | Tour Operator in India | India Holidays.