View source for Chawri Bazar

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2018}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2006}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                    = Chawri Bazar
| native_name             = 
| native_name_lang        = 
| other_name              = 
| nickname                = 
| settlement_type         = [[neighbourhoods of Delhi|Neighborhood of Delhi]]
| image_skyline           = 
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| image_caption           = 
| pushpin_map             = India New Delhi
| pushpin_label_position  = 
| pushpin_map_alt         = 
| pushpin_map_caption     = Location in Delhi, India
| coordinates             = {{coord|28.650402|77.229379|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type        = Country
| subdivision_name        = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1       = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1       = [[Delhi]]
| subdivision_type2       = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2       = [[North Delhi]]
| subdivision_type3       = Metro
| subdivision_name3       = [[New Delhi]]
| established_title       = <!-- Established -->
| established_date        = 
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| unit_pref               = Metric
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| population_density_km2  = auto
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| demographics_type1      = Languages
| demographics1_title1    = Official
| demographics1_info1     = [[Hindi language|Hindi]]
| timezone1               = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1             = +5:30
| postal_code_type        = [[Postal Index Number|PIN]]
| postal_code             = [http://www.citypincode.in/PinCodeOf.jsp?area=Chawri%20Bazar%20&district=North%20Delhi 110 006]
| registration_plate      = 
| website                 = 
| footnotes               = 
| blank3_name_sec1        = [[Urban planning|Planning]] agency
| blank3_info_sec1        = [[Municipal Corporation of Delhi|MCD]]
}}

[[File:Chowri Bazar, Delhi (00066).jpg|thumb|298px|right|Brass shop in Chawri Bazar, Dec 2006.]]
[[File:Chawri Bazar.jpg|thumb|[[Chawri Bazar (Delhi Metro)|Chawri Bazar Metro Station]]]]
'''Chawri Bazar''' is a specialized [[wholesale market]] of [[brass]], copper and paper products.<ref>{{cite news |title=Purani Dilli continues to prosper |url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2000/20001104/windows/estate.htm |newspaper=[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]] |date=4 November 2000 }}</ref> Established in 1840, with a hardware market, it was the first wholesale market of [[Old Delhi]]<ref>{{cite book |title=Urban transport: planning and management|author=Ashok Kumar Jain|publisher=APH Publishing|year=2009|isbn=978-81-313-0441-9 |page=166 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ye0fMoARJ2YC&q=Darya+Ganj&pg=PA176 }}</ref> it lies to the west of [[Jama Masjid, Delhi|Jama Masjid]] in Delhi.
<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.citypincode.in/PinCodeOf.jsp?area=Chawri%20Bazar%20&district=North%20Delhi |title=Pin Code of Chawri Bazar Delhi |publisher=citypincode.in |access-date=2014-03-09 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

It can be reached by taking the street just near the middle projection of Jama Masjid's western (rear) wall. It was accessible via the [[Chawri Bazar (Delhi Metro)|Chawri Bazar]] underground station of the [[Delhi Metro]].
[[File:Chawri Bazaar Rickshaw.jpg|thumb|420x420px|A rickshaw jam in Chawri Bazaar]]

==History==
Once popularly known for its dancing girls and [[courtesan]]s in the 19th century, frequented by nobility and rich alike. After the advent of the British as the ''[[tawaif]]'' culture faded out, subsequently, prostitutes came to occupy the upper floors of the market. This eventually led to the area becoming a hub of criminality and thus the [[Delhi Municipal Corporation|Delhi Municipal Committee]] evicted them from the area altogether,<ref>{{cite book |title=Rediscovering Delhi: The story of Shahjahanabad|author=Maheshwar Dayal|publisher=S. Chand|year=1975|page=176 }}</ref> the street is named after a [[Marathi language|Marathi]] word ''chawri'', which means meeting place. The street got this name mainly because here a '[[Sabhā|sabha]]' or meeting would take place in front of a noble's house and he would try settling the disputes before it would reach the [[Mughal emperors|emperor]]. A second reason is probably that a gathering used to get organized when a respected dancer performed and showed the finer nuances of her skill. The whole ambience of the street, however, got changed after the [[Indian Rebellion of 1857|1857 war]] when the British destroyed many huge mansions of the nobles.

Built of [[Lakhori bricks|''Lakhori'' bricks]], a small canon is placed over the gateways of both the buildings. The buildings have semi-octagonal projections on both sides with two small rooms on either side. The rooms have semi-circular arches to enter and it is difficult to visualize its former shape. The main features of the buildings are its niches and arches at the roof-level on the semi-octagonal projections, though difficult to make out.

Today, Chawri Bazaar is a very busy road as labourers with their laden backs, cars, rickshaws, scooters and walkers almost battle for the passage during the peak market hours. Again it is also a wholesale market but you will be allowed to purchase a brass or copper idol of Lord [[Vishnu]], [[Gautama Buddha|Buddha]] and others. The shops also keep many useful items like jewellery boxes, vases, pots and oil lamps. However, at present Chawri Bazar is more known as the wholesale market of paper products than copper or brass. From beautiful wedding cards to attractive wallpapers to nice greetings to any type of paper required for any use, everything is available here.

Chawri Bazar is a road which has [[Jama Masjid, Delhi|Jama Masjid]] on one end and Hauz Quazi on the other end. Now, there is a metro station at Hauz Quazi by the name of [[Chawri Bazar (Delhi Metro)|Chawri Bazar]]. Nai Sarak, which is famous for Books and Ladies' Garments, joins it at Bad-shah Bulla. Besides Nai Sarak, there is another way through Ballimaran which connects Chawri bazar to [[Chandni Chowk]].

== References ==

{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://wikimapia.org/193956/Chawri-Bazar-Metro-Station Chawri Bazar Metro Station] at [[Wikimapia]]

[[Category:1840 establishments in British India]]
[[Category:Bazaars in India]]
[[Category:Retail markets in Delhi]]
[[Category:Shopping districts and streets in India]]
[[Category:Wholesale markets in India]]