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There are so many places to see in Old Delhi, you could spend weeks exploring. So here goes:
Along the western bank of the Yamuna, is the 17th century city of Shahjahanabad, known as Old Delhi. The walls of the city spread over 7 miles, enclosing the Lal Qila (Red Fort), the Jama Masjid (Friday Mosque), Chandni Chowk and the residential quarters. Once the power centre of the Mughal Empire with wide streets, waterways and lively bazaars, Old Delhi has now degenerated into an overcrowded cluster of shops and dilapidated houses. The roads cannot take the increasing volumes of traffic, ranging from cars to cycle rickshaws, to motorcycles and hand-drawn carts. Though shorn of its original glory, the old city does carry a charm that seeps in if you are ready to withstand the noise and jostling.
Situated on the banks of the River Yamuna, the huge red sandstone Lal Qila or Red Fort was built between 1639 and 1648 by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. The opulent fort is believed to be modelled on the Agra Fort, and is assumed to have cost 10 million Rupees.
Facing the Red Fort to its west is the colossal Jama Masjid, or Friday Mosque. It is the largest mosque in India, accommodating up to 25,000 worshippers at one time. Designed by Shah Jahan, this grand red sandstone and white marble mosque was said to have been built by 5,000 artisans from 1644 to 1656. The broad red sandstone steps lead up to gates located to the east, north, and south.
Visitors should remove shoes and cover their heads, arms, and legs before entering. Inside, the main prayer hall is covered with three marble domes, fronted by arches. A niche in the western wall shelters the mihrab reserved for the prayer leader.
In the centre of the vast courtyard is the Hauz or tank, which is used by devotees to wash their face, hands, and feet before prayer. In the north-eastern corner of the mosque is a white shrine that houses relics of Prophet Mohammad. Shrouded in rose petals, a small fee will enable you to see a hair from the Prophet’s beard, his sandals, sections of the Koran written on deerskin by his relatives and a footprint embedded in rock. Two minarets in the corners rise up to provide a panoramic view of the whole city, worth visiting for a fee of 10 Rs.
Bang opposite the entrance to the Red Fort is the red sandstone Digambar Jain temple. The oldest Digambar Jain temple in Delhi, it was built in 1526 with later modifications. The temple is dedicated to the 23rd Jain Tirthankara Parshvanath. The temple has elaborate carvings and gilded painting on the walls. Remove your shoes and hand over all leather items at the counter outside the entrance.
A curious extension to the temple is a bird hospital within its courtyard. Following the tenet of non-violence and compassion towards all living beings, rich Jains buy injured /trapped birds from all over the city and bring them for recovery at the hospital. Next to the Jain temple is a Hindu shrine, with a lingam (phallic symbol of Shiva) believed to be 800 years old. The Gauri-Shankar temple has idols of Shankar or Shiva and his consort Gauri in addition to the stone lingam encased in silver.
Chandni Chowk or the silver path was once a glittering market street with a waterway running down its centre and noblemen and ladies passing down the streets to savour its wealth. Today, though it remains a bustling trading area, much of its gloss has gone. The shops crowd over each other, people jostle with cycle rickshaws and scooters on the streets and the central canal has long been shut. Nevertheless, wandering into the alleys and by-lanes off main Chandni Chowk, you will come across shops and markets of all kinds, selling jewellery, bridal wear, books, spices, sweetmeats, dry fruits, electronic goods, and many more things.
The Kinari Bazaar sells wedding gear for all communities, from garlands of rupee notes to the groom’s turban and silk robes for the bride. At Dariba Kalan, be dazzled by rows of shops displaying finely crafted gold jewellery, while at the Naya Bazaar in Khari Baoli, smell the strong oriental fragrances of spices, dried fruits and medicinal herbs. At the base of the Jama Masjid is the crowded Meena Bazaar, which caters mainly to the Muslim population in the area. The Nai Sarak is lined with 19th century and 20th century houses, whose lower portions have shops selling books and stationery, while the Chor Bazaar (Thieves Market) along the eastern wall of the Red Fort sells used/stolen goods in an unimaginable variety. The wholesale fish and poultry market that supplies to all of Delhi is also tucked away in this area.
Further north is the Kashmiri Gate area, built by the British around 1835. The main inter-state bus terminus of Delhi is close to the Kashmiri Gate. On the opposite side stands Qudsia Bagh (garden) that was commissioned in the mid-18th century by the mistress of Emperor Muhammad Shah. Parts of the garden were later taken over by the British Freemason Society. Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity runs an orphanage nearby.
The Nicholson Cemetery, named after John Nicholson who led the British troops that fought the mutineers in 1857, is Delhi’s oldest cemetery. About a kilometre from Qudsia Bagh are the Civil Lines, which was the centre of British administration before the new capital was formally inaugurated. The Old Secretariat, now the seat of government for the Delhi State administration and the Oberoi Maidens Hotel are some of the colonial buildings that stand from those days.
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