Ariel's Men , Matters and Memories: Aug 23, 2010

LIFE ~ on the other side of town...!

And here it begins ….. CHANDNI CHOWK …… practically not the other side of town ….thanks to Delhi metro ….now all it takes is 22 minutes….but yes there was a time when it took hours to reach there ….
So yes I went to chandni chowk for the first time……. It is one of the oldest and grandest markets in Delhi …. (No wonder it is called OLD DELHI) ….. And it’s a wonderful place ….it was built somewhere around in 1650’s... Yes the Mughal period ….and it was designed by Shahajahan’s daughter … Jahanahara Begum sahib.

The small dingy ill lit lanes...Super crowded street … it has temples .. Masjids …. gurudwaras … Big branded showrooms to small shacks……. from oldies to small kids …dirty rich business mans in big cars to thella walas …..People..more people…and people from all walks of life…and you practically find everything there…. Jewelery ..shoes …beautiful fancy saris ..glass bangles ….food…

things which is hard too find in today’s modern times and one thing particularly drew my attention and that was “parandis”…….

Damn! Where do you find parandis these days and there was a shop loaded with them…..colorful and beautiful .. J

And the architecture..Gawwwwd ..its amazing …old old and super old buildings …..Narrow lanes with shops stuffed on both sides…old havelis ….small shops big showrooms constructed probably during Shahajahan’s reign …..the fatehpuri masjid …Gauri Shankar temple… Gurudwara sis ganj …..and the town hall ..and what not …. Amazing …. Amazing … I have no words ….. ahhhhh..!!!!

And you know one thing about that seriously amazes me is that though the this place was constructed long ago …it still is alive…..when you go there .. see people running…. for what- I don’t know …every one’s in a hurry … I stood still and observed …. It was like every one was moving except for me as if I was not a part of that hustle bustle …I was a mere spectator ….not part of the RACE….. it was a very strange soothing feeling …observing people ..observing life…and when you actually see people you realize ..everyone’s fighting their own fight…with situations ..with life..they all have something in common….a feeling…a similar PAIN.. it’s all together a different feeling ….it makes me realize that there’s soo much in life that I haven’t seen … world is soo big …..it makes me happy….