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{{More citations needed|date=August 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox settlement


| name = Lajpat Nagar
| official_name =
| native_name =
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| settlement_type = [[neighbourhoods of Delhi|Neighborhood of Delhi]]
| image_skyline = File:Lajpat Nagar marketplace in 2006.jpg
| imagesize = 290px
| image_caption =
| nickname =
| motto =
| pushpin_map = India Delhi
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Delhi, India
| coordinates = {{coord|28|34|05|N|77|14|30|E|region:IN-DL|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = India
| subdivision_type1 =
| subdivision_name1 = [[Delhi]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[South East Delhi]]
| established_title =
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| timezone = GMT + 0530
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| postal_code_type = PIN Code
| postal_code = 110024
| area_code = 110024
| website =
}}

'''Lajpat Nagar''' is a residential and commercial neighborhood in the [[South East Delhi]] district of [[Delhi]]. It was named in honor of [[Lala Lajpat Rai]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zakoopi.com/articles/6-saree-shops-you-should-absolutely-checkout-for-wedding-shopping-in-lajpat-nagar|title=6 Saree Shops You Should Absolutely Checkout For Wedding Shopping in Lajpat Nagar|access-date=7 June 2016|archive-date=25 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180925143501/http://www.zakoopi.com/articles/6-saree-shops-you-should-absolutely-checkout-for-wedding-shopping-in-lajpat-nagar|url-status=dead}}</ref> This area is not to be confused with the Lajpat Nagar in [[Ghaziabad district, India|Ghaziabad]] in the [[National Capital Region (India)|NCR]] region.

In the recent years, Lajpat Nagar has become a preferred residential neighborhood for tourists and certain refugees from various countries, including [[Afghanistan]], who often travel to New Delhi as medical tourists, owing to the presence of affordable quality health care in the capital. It is common to see individuals from different parts of India and Afghanistan in this neighborhood.

==Overview==
The area is divided into four parts: Lajpat Nagar I, II, III (north of the Ring Road) and IV (south of the Ring Road). Housing colonies like [[Amar Colony]], [[Dayanand Colony]], Double Storey (also known as Nirmal Puri), National Park and [[Vikram Vihar]] are also located in it. Lajpat Nagar is famous for its Central Market, a popular shopping destination, and also is known for the garments and textiles which are sold there.

The area falls partially under the [[New Delhi (Lok Sabha constituency)|Kasturba Nagar Constituency]] and part of it is in the [[South Delhi (Lok Sabha constituency)|South Delhi Lok Sabha constituency]].

==History==
Lajpat Nagar was developed in the 1950s and most of its early residents were [[Hindu]]s and [[Sikh]]s moving east from newly formed Pakistan following the [[partition of India]] in 1947. As such, many of these individuals are [[Saraiki people|Saraikis]] and [[Sindhi people|Sindhis]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.millenniumpost.in/NewsContent.aspx?NID=36532|title=The Afghan trail|last=Sharma|first=Mohit|date=24 April 2014|publisher=Millennium Post|access-date=23 April 2014|quote=It is transforming an identity which once was dominated by migrated refugees (Saraikis and Sindhis) from Pakistan after Partition.|archive-date=24 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140424015332/http://www.millenniumpost.in/NewsContent.aspx?NID=36532|url-status=live}}</ref> One part of Lajpat Nagar IV (Dayanand Colony) was named after [[Dayananda Saraswati|Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati]], by Mr. B.N. Puri in 1957. The residential colony was built on the acquired village lands of Zamrudpur.,<ref>{{Cite book | last = Thapliyal | first = Uma Prasad | title = Gazetteer of Rural Delhi | publisher = Gazetteer Unit, Delhi Administration | year = 1987 | pages = 285 | url = https://www.google.com/books/edition/Gazetteer_of_Rural_Delhi/Jv21AAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=zamrudpur
}}</ref> which was historically a village of the Gurjar community.<ref>{{Cite thesis
| last = O’Leary
| first = Heather Elaine
| title = *Uneven Absorption: World‑Class Delhi, Domestic Workers and the Water that Makes Them*
| type = PhD dissertation
| institution= University of Minnesota
| year = 2014
| pages = 43
| url = https://conservancy.umn.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/56c89044-5a69-4e50-8134-009c5a9895b7/content
}}</ref>

Initially, refugee camps were set up in [[Purana Quila]], and [[refugees]] were allotted plots in areas like Lajpat Nagar, [[Patel Nagar]], [[Rajendra Nagar, Delhi|Rajendra Nagar]]. The plots were of 15x60 feet constructed like army barracks. The houses were all single story, with asbestos roofs, in the beginning, but now most of the houses are multi-storeyed in this neighborhood.

The colony also housed a refugee camp for Bengali widows, during the [[Bangladesh Liberation War]], known as Kasturba Ashram. In 1960, [[Servants of the People Society]] (founded by [[Lala Lajpat Rai]] in 1921 in [[Lahore]]) after functioning for many years since [[Partition of India]], shifted from the residence of MP [[Lala Achint Ram]] to a new building known as Lajpat Bhawan.<ref>{{cite web | title = Head Office | url = http://sops.in/index.php/2013-08-22-12-13-12/head-office | publisher = Servants of the People Society | access-date = 2014-05-27 | archive-date = 13 April 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230413055033/http://sops.in/index.php/2013-08-22-12-13-12/head-office | url-status = live }}</ref>

The number of [[Afghans in India|Afghan Indians]], as well as Afghan students, workers and refugees, living there has resulted in the nickname of the locality, Afghan Nagar.<ref name=Das>{{cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2013/04/201342211228401708.html|title=Afghan students flock to India's universities|last=Das|first=Bijoyeta|date=3 June 2013|work=Al Jazeera|access-date=22 April 2014|archive-date=28 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131228075904/http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2013/04/201342211228401708.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.millenniumpost.in/NewsContent.aspx?NID=36532|title=The Afghan trail|last=Sharma|first=Mohit|date=24 April 2014|publisher=Millennium Post|access-date=23 April 2014|quote=Often called ‘Little Kabul’, ‘Afghan Nagar,’ amongst other polysyllables, nomenclature twisting is the latest pastime in the vicinity.|archive-date=24 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140424015332/http://www.millenniumpost.in/NewsContent.aspx?NID=36532|url-status=live}}</ref> The suburb has two Afghan "bakeries and three restaurants, and many guesthouses and apartments housing Afghan students, guests, medical refugees and asylum seekers."<ref name=Das/> As such, [[Apollo Hospitals|Apollo Hospital]] in Delhi "has translators on staff, a website in [[Dari (Persian dialect)|Dari]], and even a separate payment desk for Afghans."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.millenniumpost.in/NewsContent.aspx?NID=36532|title=The Afghan trail|last=Sharma|first=Mohit|date=24 April 2014|publisher=Millennium Post|access-date=23 April 2014|quote=The Apollo hospital in the city’s southwest has translators on staff, a website in Dari, and even a separate payment desk for Afghans.|archive-date=24 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140424015332/http://www.millenniumpost.in/NewsContent.aspx?NID=36532|url-status=live}}</ref> Most of the Afghanis in Lajpat Nagar speak [[Pashto language|Pashto]] or [[Dari (Persian dialect)|Dari]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.millenniumpost.in/NewsContent.aspx?NID=36532|title=The Afghan trail|last=Sharma|first=Mohit|date=24 April 2014|publisher=Millennium Post|access-date=23 April 2014|quote=Pashto and Farsi chatters, Burqa clad women, glistering restaurants adorned with linguistic signposts mark Delhi’s most thronged Lajpat Nagar market.|archive-date=24 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140424015332/http://www.millenniumpost.in/NewsContent.aspx?NID=36532|url-status=live}}</ref> GK Vij, a resident of Lajpat Nagar, "whose father migrated after Partition and has spent his whole life in the area," states that though people "enjoy the big ‘[[naan]] bread’ which Afghans prepare, the rising number of Afghan restaurants has overshadowed the indigenous Punjabi cuisine to some extent."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.millenniumpost.in/NewsContent.aspx?NID=36532|title=The Afghan trail|last=Sharma|first=Mohit|date=24 April 2014|publisher=Millennium Post|access-date=23 April 2014|quote=Vij added that though they enjoy the big ‘naan bread’ which Afghans prepare, the rising number of Afghan restaurants has overshadowed the indigenous Punjabi cuisine to some extent. ‘The lane in which we stay has dozens of Afghan restaurants which has surfaced in the past two-three years,’ Vij added.|archive-date=24 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140424015332/http://www.millenniumpost.in/NewsContent.aspx?NID=36532|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Accessibility==
Lajpat Nagar is well connected by [[Delhi Transport Corporation]] bus services and the [[Delhi Mass Rapid Transit System]]. Route number 543 connects [[Anand Vihar]] in [[East Delhi]] to Lajpat Nagar, and Teevr [[Mudrika Seva|Mudrika]] connects Lajpat Nagar to [[Rohini, Delhi|Rohini]] in [[North Delhi]] and [[Punjabi Bagh]] in [[West Delhi]]. The [[Lajpat Nagar (Delhi Metro)|Lajpat Nagar Station]] of the [[Delhi Metro]] has elevated platforms lying on Delhi Metro's [[Violet Line (Delhi Metro)|Violet Line]] and underground platforms on Delhi Metro's [[Pink Line (Delhi Metro)|Pink Line]]. The station was opened to the public in 2010 along with the first section of the Violet Line. An underpass connection was opened in 2014 below the Defence Colony-Lajpat Nagar flyover between Lajpat Nagar and [[Jangpura]] for easy access to areas like Jangpura Extension, Bhogal, and Nizamuddin. The area is also connected to the [[Delhi Suburban Railway]] with the [[Lajpat Nagar railway station]]

The nearest metro station to Lajpat Nagar Central Market is Lajpat Nagar. When exiting from Gate no. 5, it is located at a distance of around 1&nbsp;km (10 minutes walk).

The average daily footfall in the Lajpat Nagar market is around 10,000 people.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mishra |first1=Ashish |title=Lajpat Nagar market set to be developed on Karol Bagh model |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/lajpat-nagar-market-set-to-be-developed-on-karol-bagh-model/story-nNmFdMgYEyEmAoElE2YHoN.html |website=www.hindustantimes.com |publisher=HindustanTimes |access-date=28 April 2024}}</ref> The crowd can get a little bigger on weekends.

==Popular culture==
Lajpat Nagar is home to a large [[Punjabi people|Punjabi]] community that is featured in multiple movies.
* In the film ''[[Do Dooni Chaar]]'' (2010), directed by [[Habib Faisal]], the Duggal family house is located in Vinoba Puri, Lajpat Nagar.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kamath |first=Sudhish |date=9 October 2010 |title=Fantastic four |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/Fantastic-four-Do-Dooni-Chaar/article11641285.ece |work=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=5 February 2025 |url-access=subscription |archive-date=28 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241228115448/https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/Fantastic-four-Do-Dooni-Chaar/article11641285.ece |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Portions of the film ''[[Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!]]'' (2008), directed by [[Dibakar Banerjee]], were filmed in Lajpat Nagar.<ref>{{cite web |last=Ashraf |first=Syed Firdaus |date=28 November 2008 |title=Go for Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! |url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/nov/28go-for-oye-lucky-lucky-aye.htm |website=[[Rediff.com]] |access-date=5 February 2025 |quote=We see homes located in different localities like Delhi 6, Karol Bagh, Lajppat Nagar, Rohini and the plush South Delhi pockets. |archive-date=27 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241127011035/https://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/nov/28go-for-oye-lucky-lucky-aye.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
* In the film ''[[Cocktail (2012 film)]]'', the character Kavita Kapoor, played by ''[[Dimple Kapadia]]'', is from Lajpat Nagar.<ref>{{cite web |author= |date=13 July 2012 |title=Review: Cocktail |url=https://www.gqindia.com/content/review-cocktail |website=[[GQ (Indian edition)|GQ]] |access-date=5 February 2025 |quote=Imtiaz Ali (a sort of guru in the rom-com genre) does a fine job with the script in the first half, which consists of seemingly genuine light-hearted camaraderie between the leads, comic moments (provided by Dimple Kapadia playing Khan's loud Punjabi mother from Lajpat Nagar) and some great tracks by Pritam; at this point, you feel Homi Adjania (of Being Cyrus fame) has got it right again. |archive-date=7 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240507124753/https://www.gqindia.com/content/review-cocktail |url-status=live }}</ref>
*''[[Vicky Donor (2012 film)]]'', directed by [[Shoojit Sircar]], was based out of Lajpat Nagar.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Duara |first=Ajit |date=24 April 2012 |title=Vicky Donor |url=https://openthemagazine.com/cinema/vicky-donor/ |magazine=[[Open (Indian magazine)|Open]] |publisher=Open Media Network |access-date=5 February 2025}}</ref>
* In ''[[Buniyaad]]'', a television series based on [[Partition of India]]. The lead gets house in claim in Lajpat Nagar.<ref>{{cite news |last=Shukla |first=Vivek |date=9 August 2024 |title=Delhi: Finding 'Buniyaad' in Lajpat Nagar |url=https://thepatriot.in/reports/delhi-finding-buniyaad-in-lajpat-nagar-55166 |work=The Patriot |access-date=6 February 2025 |archive-date=13 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913210519/https://thepatriot.in/reports/delhi-finding-buniyaad-in-lajpat-nagar-55166 |url-status=live }}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Neighborhoods of Delhi}}

[[Category:Memorials to Lala Lajpat Rai]]
[[Category:Neighbourhoods in Delhi]]
[[Category:Shopping districts and streets in India]]
[[Category:Ethnic enclaves in India]]

Lajpat Nagar - Revision history

CleanupBot at 03:56, 22 March 2026