Chandni Chowk is considered the ultimate shopper’s delight because of its wide variety of shops and its unbelievable prices. It is one of the oldest and busiest markets in Old Delhi, India. This densely populated market has been around for more than three centuries and was once visited by merchants from Turkey, China and even Holland. According to the history, this market is said to be designed by the daughter of the great Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. During the 17th century, Chandni Chowk was also known as the ' Moon Light square'. The only way to maneuver through the maze is by foot or in a bicycle rickshaw (in 2007 these were banned on Chandni Chowk proper, but they are still readily available). And the ride through the streets of Chandni Chowk will be a memroble one for the visitors of Chandni Chowk, not because of the heavily congested roads or the overloaded traffic. But gazing at the ancient buildings around the streets is surely a treat for the eye. The architecture of the Mughals is surely mesmerizing. This area is largely religious also, especially to the Muslims. Chandni Chowk is a mixture of history, architecture, religion, food and chaos, but that is what India is made of.After the busy and exhausting shopping through the streets of Chandni Chowk, one should end up at the famous 'Paranthewali Gali'. Paranthewali Gali is a bylane in the market devoted to only parantha sellers. These 'galis' are famous in their own fashion.Kanwarji Bhagirathmal Dalbhajiwallah’s 150 years old confectionery shop graces the entrance to the gali. This shop is well known for its namkeens like dal bhuji. A individual not only gets a taste of Indian delicacy but also gets a piece of the Indian culture and history. Handed down from father to son, many of these businesses are now being managed by the fourth or fifth generations.The first parantha shop in the gali is Pandit Devi Dayal’s. Babu Ram, the seventy-year old owner of the shop sits at the entrance, overlooking the making of the paranthas. Soot-covered ceiling. Cramped seating. Paranthas fried in ghee, it gives you the perfect desi feeling. Each and every shop is famous for their own recipes
which either their ancestors came up with or is considered their family heirlooms, so that even though there are two same shops providing same item but they guarantee you that it would taste different. At the moment they are providing almost 40 varieties of paranthas and these chefs plan to add another 50 varieties in the coming years. Another variety noticed was that the more oil used for frying the parantha the tastier it gets. Its not considered healthy but for once health can be given a second call. Paranthewala Gali has also been visited by many of the celebrities also. Some shops also have photos of celebs feasting hung up the wall. They were quite happy explaining us how they felt when the celebrities visited their shops. They were quite excited and explained the whole episode to us happily. So for people expecting to taste spicy Indian and lip smacking cuisine then it is time you planned a visit to Paranthewali Gali, Delhi 6.
