Paharganj
Encyclopedia
Paharganj is a neighbourhood of Central Delhi
, located just west of the New Delhi Railway Station
. Known as Shahganj or King's ganj or market place during Mughal era
, it is one of the three administrative subdivisions, of the Central Delhi
district, of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, with the other two being, Darya Ganj and Karol Bagh
.
It came up as one of the earliest extensions of walled Shahjahanabad (Old Delhi) city, in early 17th century, became an important wholesale grain market in 18th century and is today, known for its concentration of affordable hotels, lodges, restaurants, dhaba
s and a wide variety of shops catering to both domestic travellers and foreign tourists, especially backpackers and low-budget travellers; and over the year it has becoming particularly popular as a haunt for international cuisine.
The area has shelters and homes, run by Salaam Baalak Trust
, an NGO, for street
and working children, established in 1988.
Since 2007 Salaam Baalak Trust is running the Salaam Baalak City Walk - New Delhi, a guided tour through Paharganj and New Delhi Railway Station area. The guides are former street children from the trust. The walk aims to sensitize about street life, street children and Indian society problems. During the walk the guides share their personal story of survival with the participants and show them the contact points and shelter homes SBT provides.
, under Shah Jahan
, was no longer contained within the walled city, it soon spilled into surrounding areas, stretching into miles at each end, where half of its population stayed. By 1739, the suburbs covered 1800 acres and included areas like Mughalpura, Sabzimandi, Paharganj and Jaisingh pura. One of the largest and most important suburban mohalla of the Walled city of Delhi, and located just outside the Ajmeri Gate of the Walled city
, Paharganj was one of five main markets of Delhi, and the only one outside the walled city. Also, it was the principal grain market of the city in the 18th century, where grain was ferried, across Yamuna river, from wholesale markets and warehouses in Patparganj and Shahdara
. Just outside the Ajmeri Gate was the custom house
of the emperor, for collecting taxes. Between Paharganj and Akbarabadi gate of the walled city was Shahganj, another wholesale market, while on the other side towards Jantar Mantar was Raja Bazar. In fact Paharganj was also referred as Shahganj or King's ganj or market place during Mughal era
, it gets its present name 'Paharganj', literally meaning Hilly neighbourhood, owing to its proximity to the Raisina Hill
, where the Rashtrapati Bhavan
stand today. Till, 1857, neighbourhoods like Paharganj, Kishenganj, and Pahari Dhiraj, were separate pockets which in the following years grew and merged, for example Pahari Dhiraj merged into the Sadar Bazaar
.
In 1690s, Ghaziuddin Khan
, a general of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb
, a leading Deccan commander and the father of Asaf Jah I
, the founder of the Asaf Jahi dynasty of Hyderabad, through religious endowment founded a madarsa, Madrasa Ghaziuddin Khan after him. It eventually paved way for the present Zakir Hussain College, which in 1986, shifted to a new building outside Turkman Gate, the old structure in the Madrasa Ghaziuddin complex, still houses a hostel for the college and also has Ghaziuddin's mausoleum.
When the Lutyens' Delhi
, was being built in 1920s, the area also saw major development, and the old 'Imperial theatre', built in 1930, stands as a legacy to that era. Though its neighbouring area of Jaisinghpura, where Gurudwara Bangla Sahib stands today, along with Madhoganj and Raja ka Bazaar were demolished to make way for the Connaught Place
, shopping district. Indeed, the "Delhi Town Planning Committee on the planning of new Imperial capital" with George Swinton
as chairman and John A. Brodie and Lutyens
as members, submitted its report on June 13, 1912, it proposed a plan to include Paharganj and Sadar Bazar into the developing new imperial city, as they were only areas of Old Delhi, spilling into the planned New Delhi area. However it was rejected by the Viceroy, when the cost of compensation while acquiring the properties, was found to be too high. The central axis of New Delhi, which today faces east at India Gate
, was previously meant to be a North-South axis, linking Viceroy's House with Paharganj, as the end of the axis.
Gradually, Chai-Tuti-Chowk or Six Tuti Chowk
, named after six water taps originally place here for public, developed as an important market square
, and a shopping area of Paharganj, within shops of cloth merchants coming up around it. Prior to the inauguration of New Delhi in 1931, the New Delhi Railway Station
was opened with a single platform near Ajmeri Gate in 1926, till then the Old Delhi Railway Station served the entire city. This changed Paharganj landscape indelibly, with influx of travellers, small eateries started coming up in the area, and also temporary residential facilities.
The famous Shri Nand Lal Sharma dhaba
was set up here in 1928, over time, his son built a three-storey hotel on spot, and now his grandson manages the Metropolis, known for its rooftop restaurant, which still has many Russian dishes on its menu. "Shiela Cinema" at Paharganj was Delhi’s first 70mm screen, second being "Odeon" in Connaught Place
. "Imperial" and "Khanna" were other talkies in the area. Gradually, the entire area was catering to the tourism industry, though the grain bazar
s of Mughal era were long gone, in early 20th century, Paharganj still had principal markets in Delhi for building materials, cement, timber and steel, but by 1947 they had mostly shifted to other locations in the city, while Paharganj had become primarily a densely-populated residential and commercial area, replete with cheap hotels and restaurants for domestic and foreign tourists.
Paharganj witnessed upheavals during the prolonged Indian independence struggle, like during the Quit India Movement
of August 1942, the British barracks near Paharganj were attacked and the soldiers' were thrown out, who then sought refuge in an Indian's bungalow, later the Paharganj Post office and five terminal tax posts were also raided by the mod and burnt down.
in 1947 it again saw extensive rioting, thereafter the area saw a vast influx of Hindu
refugees from Pakistan
, when several shops and small establishments were allotted to them, since then the area has seen vast development, and seen it the burgeoning marketplace that it is today.
With the arrival of the Hippie
movement in the 70s at India's shores, the area became a regular part of the Hippie trail
, for hippie
s, backpacker
s, and college students looking for budget accommodations near Connaught Place, New Delhi
and New Delhi Railway Station
. Gradually the hotels and guest houses spread till neighbouring Ram Nagar and area along Deshbandhu Gupta Road. This legacy which continues even today, with its streams of budget hotels, cafes and restaurants, specializing in global cuisines, and hordes of cybercafes. Apart from that Paharganj also has a Chabad House
as it is frequented by large number of Jewish and Israeli tourists, and bakeries like 'German Bakery', named 'Ajay Cafe' 19 years ago.
Over the years, Paharganj has become the biggest hotel hub for low-budget foreign tourists in Delhi, though with rising congestion, proliferation of illegal bars and illegal activities like, drug peddling, Paharganj has also become a hotspot for crime, and criminal hideout. In 2005, during 29 October 2005 Delhi serial bombings
, the first blast took place in the main bazaar of Paharganj, during busy shopping period, two days before festival of Diwali
.
Ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games
, a massive Rs. 80 crore ($17 million) facelift program for Paharganj was implemented by Municipal Corporation of Delhi
(MCD) in 2009, it included 56 roads and lanes in Paharganj, where over 500 hotels and lodges were expecting to host visitors for the games. Some shops were demolish in areas like Main Bazar, Ram Nagar market and Amrit Kaur market, markets were given uniform design, all road were relaid, sidewalks and pavements were also added, to decongest the area by September 2010.
of Mughal
court, Zauq, who lived nearby Nabi Karim and died in 1854, lies in the bylanes of Paharganj. It was restored in early 2000s, after the Supreme Court orders, but his house was never identified.
(MCD).
Paharganj was a Delhi Metropolitan Council segment, within the Chandni Chowk, Lok Sabha constituency, 1966-93. Thereafter it remained the Delhi State Assembly constituency, under Chandni Chowk
, Lok Sabha
constituency, from 1993–2008, Subsequently, following the delimitation of the parliamentary constituencies, in 2008, it became of the New Delhi
Lok Sabha constituency.
starrer, Holy Smoke!
(1999), parts of which were shot when she stayed at a Paharganj hotel, in September 1998. In 2008, parts of the Hindi film, Dev.D (2009) directed by Anurag Kashyap
were shot in Paharganj area, depicting the seedy side of hotel industry, from prostitution to drug peddling.
Central Delhi
Central Delhi is an administrative district of the National Capital Territory of Delhi in India.It is bounded by the Yamuna River on the east, and by the districts of North Delhi to the north, West Delhi and South West Delhi to the west, New Delhi to the south, and East Delhi to the east across the...
, located just west of the New Delhi Railway Station
New Delhi Railway Station
The New Delhi Railway Station , station code NDLS, situated between Ajmeri Gate and Paharganj is the main railway station in Delhi. New Delhi railway station is the second busiest and one of the largest in India. It handles over 300 trains each day with 16 platforms and about 360,000 passengers...
. Known as Shahganj or King's ganj or market place during Mughal era
Mughal era
The Mughal era is a historic period of the Mughal Empire in South Asia . It ran from the early 15th century to a point in the early 18th century when the Mughal Emperors' power had dwindled...
, it is one of the three administrative subdivisions, of the Central Delhi
Central Delhi
Central Delhi is an administrative district of the National Capital Territory of Delhi in India.It is bounded by the Yamuna River on the east, and by the districts of North Delhi to the north, West Delhi and South West Delhi to the west, New Delhi to the south, and East Delhi to the east across the...
district, of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, with the other two being, Darya Ganj and Karol Bagh
Karol Bagh
Karol Bagh, also spelled as Qarol Bagh , is a mixed residential-cum-commercial neighbourhood in Delhi, India, known for its shopping streets, like the Ghaffar Market and Ajmal Khan Road...
.
It came up as one of the earliest extensions of walled Shahjahanabad (Old Delhi) city, in early 17th century, became an important wholesale grain market in 18th century and is today, known for its concentration of affordable hotels, lodges, restaurants, dhaba
Dhaba
In India and Pakistan highways are dotted with local restaurants popularly known as dhabas In India and Pakistan highways are dotted with local restaurants popularly known as dhabas In India and Pakistan highways are dotted with local restaurants popularly known as dhabas (singular: dhaba; In India...
s and a wide variety of shops catering to both domestic travellers and foreign tourists, especially backpackers and low-budget travellers; and over the year it has becoming particularly popular as a haunt for international cuisine.
The area has shelters and homes, run by Salaam Baalak Trust
Salaam Baalak Trust
Salaam Baalak Trust is an Indian Non-profit and Non-governmental organization, established in 1988 with the proceeds from the film "Salaam Bombay!" made on street children by noted film director, Mira Nair , which provides support for street and working children in inner cities of New Delhi,...
, an NGO, for street
Street children
A street child is a child who lives on the streets of a city, deprived of family care and protection. Most children on the streets are between the ages of about 5 and 17 years old.Street children live in junk boxes, parks or on the street itself...
and working children, established in 1988.
Since 2007 Salaam Baalak Trust is running the Salaam Baalak City Walk - New Delhi, a guided tour through Paharganj and New Delhi Railway Station area. The guides are former street children from the trust. The walk aims to sensitize about street life, street children and Indian society problems. During the walk the guides share their personal story of survival with the participants and show them the contact points and shelter homes SBT provides.
History
In the years after its establishment in 1638, Shahjahanabad, the capital of the Mughal EmpireMughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
, under Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) (Full title: His Imperial Majesty Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan...
, was no longer contained within the walled city, it soon spilled into surrounding areas, stretching into miles at each end, where half of its population stayed. By 1739, the suburbs covered 1800 acres and included areas like Mughalpura, Sabzimandi, Paharganj and Jaisingh pura. One of the largest and most important suburban mohalla of the Walled city of Delhi, and located just outside the Ajmeri Gate of the Walled city
Old Delhi
Old Delhi , walled city of Delhi, India, was founded as Shahjahanabad by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan in 1639. It remained the capital of the Mughals until the end of the Mughal dynasty....
, Paharganj was one of five main markets of Delhi, and the only one outside the walled city. Also, it was the principal grain market of the city in the 18th century, where grain was ferried, across Yamuna river, from wholesale markets and warehouses in Patparganj and Shahdara
Shahdara
Shahdara , is an area in Delhi, named so because of being established by Mughal Emperor, Shahjahan, is a part of Delhi region in India, situated at the bank of Yamuna river.It is one of the oldest established regions of Delhi and one of the important part of what is known as Purani Dilli...
. Just outside the Ajmeri Gate was the custom house
Custom House
A custom house or customs house was a building housing the offices for the government officials who processed the paperwork for the import and export of goods into and out of a country. Customs officials also collected customs duty on imported goods....
of the emperor, for collecting taxes. Between Paharganj and Akbarabadi gate of the walled city was Shahganj, another wholesale market, while on the other side towards Jantar Mantar was Raja Bazar. In fact Paharganj was also referred as Shahganj or King's ganj or market place during Mughal era
Mughal era
The Mughal era is a historic period of the Mughal Empire in South Asia . It ran from the early 15th century to a point in the early 18th century when the Mughal Emperors' power had dwindled...
, it gets its present name 'Paharganj', literally meaning Hilly neighbourhood, owing to its proximity to the Raisina Hill
Raisina Hill
Raisina Hill is an area of Lutyens' Delhi, New Delhi, housing India's most important government buildings, including Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of the President of India and the Secretariat building housing the Prime Minister's Office and several other important ministries...
, where the Rashtrapati Bhavan
Rashtrapati Bhavan
The Rashtrapati Bhavan or The Official Residence of the Head of the State is the official residence of the President of India, located at Raisina hill in New Delhi, India. Until 1950 it was known as "Viceroy's House" and served as the residence of the Viceroy and Governor-General of India...
stand today. Till, 1857, neighbourhoods like Paharganj, Kishenganj, and Pahari Dhiraj, were separate pockets which in the following years grew and merged, for example Pahari Dhiraj merged into the Sadar Bazaar
Sadar Bazaar
Sadar Bazar is the largest wholesale market of household items in Delhi, India, and is located at the western side of Khari Baoli. Like other major markets of Old Delhi, this market also feels very crowded and buzzes with activity. Although it is primarily a wholesale market, it also caters to...
.
In 1690s, Ghaziuddin Khan
Ghazi ud-Din Khan Feroze Jung I
Mir Shahâb ud-Din Siddiqi titled Farzand-i-Arjumand, Nawab Ghazi ud-din Khan Siddiqi Bahadur, Feroze Jung, Sipah Salar was the son of Kilich Khan II Khwaja Abid Siddiqi the Sadr us Sudur of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and was raised to the rank of an Amir with the initial titles of Ghazi ud-Din...
, a general of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
, a leading Deccan commander and the father of Asaf Jah I
Qamar-ud-din Khan, Asaf Jah I
Mir Qamar-ud-din Khan Siddiqi was a Mughal nobleman the founder of the Asaf Jahi dynasty. He established the Hyderabad state, and ruled it from 1720 to 1748...
, the founder of the Asaf Jahi dynasty of Hyderabad, through religious endowment founded a madarsa, Madrasa Ghaziuddin Khan after him. It eventually paved way for the present Zakir Hussain College, which in 1986, shifted to a new building outside Turkman Gate, the old structure in the Madrasa Ghaziuddin complex, still houses a hostel for the college and also has Ghaziuddin's mausoleum.
When the Lutyens' Delhi
Lutyens' Delhi
Lutyens' Delhi is an area in Delhi, specifically New Delhi, India, named after the leading British architect Edwin Lutyens , who was responsible for much of the architectural design and building when India was part of the British Empire in the 1920s and 1930s...
, was being built in 1920s, the area also saw major development, and the old 'Imperial theatre', built in 1930, stands as a legacy to that era. Though its neighbouring area of Jaisinghpura, where Gurudwara Bangla Sahib stands today, along with Madhoganj and Raja ka Bazaar were demolished to make way for the Connaught Place
Connaught Place, New Delhi
Connaught Place Connaught Place Connaught Place (Hindi: कनॉट प्लेस, (officially Rajiv Chowk) is one of the largest financial, commercial and business centers in Delhi. It is often abbreviated as CP and houses the headquarters of several Indian firms. Its surroundings occupy a place of pride...
, shopping district. Indeed, the "Delhi Town Planning Committee on the planning of new Imperial capital" with George Swinton
George Swinton
Captain George Sitwell Campbell Swinton, DL was a long serving Scottish politician and officer of arms.Swinton was born in Edinburgh, the second son of Archibald Campbell Swinton of Kimmerghame, Berwickshire, and Georgiana Caroline Sitwell, daughter of Sir George Sitwell, 2nd Baronet of Renishaw....
as chairman and John A. Brodie and Lutyens
Lutyens
Lutyens may refer to:*Edwin Lutyens, architect*Elisabeth Lutyens, composer, daughter of Edwin Lutyens*Mary Lutyens, writer and biographer of Jiddu Krishnamurti, daughter of Emily and Edwin Lutyens...
as members, submitted its report on June 13, 1912, it proposed a plan to include Paharganj and Sadar Bazar into the developing new imperial city, as they were only areas of Old Delhi, spilling into the planned New Delhi area. However it was rejected by the Viceroy, when the cost of compensation while acquiring the properties, was found to be too high. The central axis of New Delhi, which today faces east at India Gate
India Gate
The India Gate is the national monument of India. Situated in the heart of New Delhi, India Gate was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, inspired by the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. It was built in 1931...
, was previously meant to be a North-South axis, linking Viceroy's House with Paharganj, as the end of the axis.
Gradually, Chai-Tuti-Chowk or Six Tuti Chowk
Chowk
Originally in Urdu , a chowk is a Town square, an open area commonly found in the heart of a traditional town used for community gatherings, Market square or simply traffic intersection:* Ashram Chowk Delhi* Banaras Chowk, Karachi...
, named after six water taps originally place here for public, developed as an important market square
Market square
The market square is a feature of many European and colonial towns. It is an open area where market stalls are traditionally set out for trading, commonly on one particular day of the week known as market day....
, and a shopping area of Paharganj, within shops of cloth merchants coming up around it. Prior to the inauguration of New Delhi in 1931, the New Delhi Railway Station
New Delhi Railway Station
The New Delhi Railway Station , station code NDLS, situated between Ajmeri Gate and Paharganj is the main railway station in Delhi. New Delhi railway station is the second busiest and one of the largest in India. It handles over 300 trains each day with 16 platforms and about 360,000 passengers...
was opened with a single platform near Ajmeri Gate in 1926, till then the Old Delhi Railway Station served the entire city. This changed Paharganj landscape indelibly, with influx of travellers, small eateries started coming up in the area, and also temporary residential facilities.
The famous Shri Nand Lal Sharma dhaba
Dhaba
In India and Pakistan highways are dotted with local restaurants popularly known as dhabas In India and Pakistan highways are dotted with local restaurants popularly known as dhabas In India and Pakistan highways are dotted with local restaurants popularly known as dhabas (singular: dhaba; In India...
was set up here in 1928, over time, his son built a three-storey hotel on spot, and now his grandson manages the Metropolis, known for its rooftop restaurant, which still has many Russian dishes on its menu. "Shiela Cinema" at Paharganj was Delhi’s first 70mm screen, second being "Odeon" in Connaught Place
Connaught Place, New Delhi
Connaught Place Connaught Place Connaught Place (Hindi: कनॉट प्लेस, (officially Rajiv Chowk) is one of the largest financial, commercial and business centers in Delhi. It is often abbreviated as CP and houses the headquarters of several Indian firms. Its surroundings occupy a place of pride...
. "Imperial" and "Khanna" were other talkies in the area. Gradually, the entire area was catering to the tourism industry, though the grain bazar
Bazar
Bazar may refer to:* Bazar, Afghanistan* Bazar, Azerbaijan* Bazar, Łódź Voivodeship * Bazar, Lublin Voivodeship * Bazar, Masovian Voivodeship * Bazar, Ukraine...
s of Mughal era were long gone, in early 20th century, Paharganj still had principal markets in Delhi for building materials, cement, timber and steel, but by 1947 they had mostly shifted to other locations in the city, while Paharganj had become primarily a densely-populated residential and commercial area, replete with cheap hotels and restaurants for domestic and foreign tourists.
Paharganj witnessed upheavals during the prolonged Indian independence struggle, like during the Quit India Movement
Quit India Movement
The Quit India Movement , or the August Movement was a civil disobedience movement launched in India in August 1942 in response to Mohandas Gandhi's call for immediate independence. Gandhi hoped to bring the British government to the negotiating table...
of August 1942, the British barracks near Paharganj were attacked and the soldiers' were thrown out, who then sought refuge in an Indian's bungalow, later the Paharganj Post office and five terminal tax posts were also raided by the mod and burnt down.
Post-independence
Subsequently during the Partition of IndiaPartition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
in 1947 it again saw extensive rioting, thereafter the area saw a vast influx of Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
refugees from Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, when several shops and small establishments were allotted to them, since then the area has seen vast development, and seen it the burgeoning marketplace that it is today.
With the arrival of the Hippie
Hippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
movement in the 70s at India's shores, the area became a regular part of the Hippie trail
Hippie trail
The hippie trail is a term used to describe the journeys taken by hippies and others in the 1960s and 1970s from Europe overland to and from southern Asia, mainly India, Pakistan and Nepal...
, for hippie
Hippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
s, backpacker
Backpacking (travel)
Backpacking is a term that has historically been used to denote a form of low-cost, independent international travel. Terms such as independent travel and/or budget travel are often used...
s, and college students looking for budget accommodations near Connaught Place, New Delhi
Connaught Place, New Delhi
Connaught Place Connaught Place Connaught Place (Hindi: कनॉट प्लेस, (officially Rajiv Chowk) is one of the largest financial, commercial and business centers in Delhi. It is often abbreviated as CP and houses the headquarters of several Indian firms. Its surroundings occupy a place of pride...
and New Delhi Railway Station
New Delhi Railway Station
The New Delhi Railway Station , station code NDLS, situated between Ajmeri Gate and Paharganj is the main railway station in Delhi. New Delhi railway station is the second busiest and one of the largest in India. It handles over 300 trains each day with 16 platforms and about 360,000 passengers...
. Gradually the hotels and guest houses spread till neighbouring Ram Nagar and area along Deshbandhu Gupta Road. This legacy which continues even today, with its streams of budget hotels, cafes and restaurants, specializing in global cuisines, and hordes of cybercafes. Apart from that Paharganj also has a Chabad House
Chabad house
A Chabad house is a centre for disseminating Orthodox Judaism by the Chabad movement. Chabad Houses are run by the local Shaliach , who was sent to that place by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, who founded all Chabad Houses...
as it is frequented by large number of Jewish and Israeli tourists, and bakeries like 'German Bakery', named 'Ajay Cafe' 19 years ago.
Over the years, Paharganj has become the biggest hotel hub for low-budget foreign tourists in Delhi, though with rising congestion, proliferation of illegal bars and illegal activities like, drug peddling, Paharganj has also become a hotspot for crime, and criminal hideout. In 2005, during 29 October 2005 Delhi serial bombings
29 October 2005 Delhi bombings
The 29 October 2005 Delhi bombings occurred on 29 October 2005 in Delhi, India, killing 62 people and injuring at least 210 others in three explosions. The bombings came only two days before the important festival of Diwali, which is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains...
, the first blast took place in the main bazaar of Paharganj, during busy shopping period, two days before festival of Diwali
Diwali
Diwali or DeepavaliThe name of the festival in various regional languages include:, , , , , , , , , , , , , popularly known as the "festival of lights," is a festival celebrated between mid-October and mid-December for different reasons...
.
Ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games
2010 Commonwealth Games
The 2010 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XIX Commonwealth Games, were held in Delhi, India, from 3 to 14 October 2010. A total of 6,081 athletes from 71 Commonwealth nations and dependencies competed in 21 sports and 272 events, making it the largest Commonwealth Games till date...
, a massive Rs. 80 crore ($17 million) facelift program for Paharganj was implemented by Municipal Corporation of Delhi
Municipal Corporation of Delhi
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi is a municipal corporation, an autonomous body that governs 9 Districts of Delhi, in the state of Delhi, India. It is one of three municipal corporations in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, the others being New Delhi Municipal Council, and Delhi...
(MCD) in 2009, it included 56 roads and lanes in Paharganj, where over 500 hotels and lodges were expecting to host visitors for the games. Some shops were demolish in areas like Main Bazar, Ram Nagar market and Amrit Kaur market, markets were given uniform design, all road were relaid, sidewalks and pavements were also added, to decongest the area by September 2010.
Historic monuments
Paharganj is also home to the historic Qazi Wali Masjid, known for its intricate engravings, and arched doorways. The grave of poet laureatePoet Laureate
A poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events...
of Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
court, Zauq, who lived nearby Nabi Karim and died in 1854, lies in the bylanes of Paharganj. It was restored in early 2000s, after the Supreme Court orders, but his house was never identified.
Administration & politics
Today Sadar-Paharganj, constitutes one of the 12 administrative zones of Municipal Corporation of DelhiMunicipal Corporation of Delhi
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi is a municipal corporation, an autonomous body that governs 9 Districts of Delhi, in the state of Delhi, India. It is one of three municipal corporations in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, the others being New Delhi Municipal Council, and Delhi...
(MCD).
Paharganj was a Delhi Metropolitan Council segment, within the Chandni Chowk, Lok Sabha constituency, 1966-93. Thereafter it remained the Delhi State Assembly constituency, under Chandni Chowk
Chandni Chowk (Lok Sabha constituency)
Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha constituency is one of the seven Lok Sabha constituencies in the Indian National Capital Territory of Delhi...
, Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
constituency, from 1993–2008, Subsequently, following the delimitation of the parliamentary constituencies, in 2008, it became of the New Delhi
New Delhi (Lok Sabha constituency)
New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency is one of the 7 Lok Sabha constituencies in the Indian National Capital Territory of Delhi. This constituency came into existence in 1951.-Assembly segments:...
Lok Sabha constituency.
In popular culture
The tourist culture of Paharganj has been a theme for many films, including, Kate WinsletKate Winslet
Kate Elizabeth Winslet is an English actress and occasional singer. She has received multiple awards and nominations. She was the youngest person to accrue six Academy Award nominations, and won the Academy Award for Best Actress for The Reader...
starrer, Holy Smoke!
Holy Smoke!
Holy Smoke! is a 1999 Australian drama film directed by Jane Campion, who co-wrote the screenplay with her sister Anna. It premiered at the Venice Film Festival and was shown at the New York Film Festival and the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival before being released theatrically.-Plot...
(1999), parts of which were shot when she stayed at a Paharganj hotel, in September 1998. In 2008, parts of the Hindi film, Dev.D (2009) directed by Anurag Kashyap
Anurag Kashyap
Anurag Singh Kashyap is an Indian film director and screenwriter. As a director, he is known for Black Friday , a controversial and award-winning Hindi film about the 1993 Bombay bombings, followed by No Smoking , Dev D and Gulaal...
were shot in Paharganj area, depicting the seedy side of hotel industry, from prostitution to drug peddling.
Further reading
- Delhi Between Two Empires, 1803-1931: Society, Government and Urban Growth, by Narayani Gupta. Published by Oxford University Press, 1981.