Paharganj

Coordinates: 28°38′42″N 77°12′47″E / 28.64500°N 77.21306°E / 28.64500; 77.21306
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other uses, see Paharganj (disambiguation).

Paharganj
Vidhan Sabha constituency
Paharganj
Civic agencyMCD

Paharganj (

Darya Ganj and Karol Bagh
.

Known for its concentration of affordable hotels, lodges, restaurants, dhabas and a wide variety of shops catering to both domestic travellers and foreign tourists, especially backpackers and low-budget travellers, it has become particularly popular as a haunt for international cuisine.[2][3] However, Paharganj has a poor record regarding safety of women since the area is noted for its scams, drug peddling, sexual assaults.

South Delhi is now becoming the main center for backpackers.[8][9]

History

Ajmeri Gate, once Paharganj's access to the walled city
Shahjahanabad
), 1863, showing Paharganj outside the city walls (top left corner)
Main Bazaar of Paharganj, Delhi

Mughal era

In the years after its establishment in 1638,

Mughal era,[1] 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 Sadar Bazaar.[13]

In the 1690s,

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 Ghaziuddin's mausoleum. Also Anglo Arabic Senior Secondary School
operates at the same place. [14]

British era

Cheh Tuti Chowk or Six Tuti Chowk, Main Bazar, Paharganj, with historic Qazi Wali Masjid in the background.

When the

Viceroy's House with Paharganj, as the end of the axis.[16][17][18]

Drone shot of a Cheh Tuti Chowk in 2023

Gradually, Chai-Tuti-Chowk or Six Tuti

Old Delhi Railway Station served the entire city. This changed Paharganj landscape indelibly, with an influx of travelers, small eateries started coming up in the area, and also temporary residential facilities.[20]

The famous Shri Nand Lal Sharma

70mm screen, second being "Odeon" in Connaught Place.[22] "Imperial" and "Khanna" were other talkies in the area.[19] Gradually, the entire area was catering to the tourism industry, though the grain bazaars 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.[23]

backpackers
, since the 1970s.
Street in Pahar Ganj, Delhi, 2009
DB Gupta Road in Paharganj, a morning view

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 mob and burnt down.[24][25]

Hindu Jat and Muslim riots of 1924

See also: Jhandewalan riots of 1924

During the

Jats of Sadar Bazaar, which led to the riots among the Jats and Muslims from 11 to 18 July, resulting in loss of life and property. Muhammad Ali Jinnah repeatedly requested Mahatma Gandhi and Indian National Congress (INC) to stop the rioting Jats, but Gandhi and INC were unable to control the situation. Riots were eventually stopped by the police.[26]

Post-independence

Subsequently, during the

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

Chabad House as it is frequented by the large number of Jewish and Israeli tourists, and bakeries like 'German Bakery', named 'Ajay Cafe' 19 years ago.[29]

The area is known for its concentration of affordable hotels, lodges, restaurants,

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.[31][32][33]

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.[30]

Ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, a massive Rs. 800 million ($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 demolished in areas like Main Bazar, Ram Nagar market and Amrit Kaur market, markets were given uniform design, all road was relaid, sidewalks and pavements were also added, to decongest the area by September 2010.[34][35]

Historic monuments

Imperial Cinema in Paharganj

Paharganj is also home to the historic

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.[39]

Administration and politics

Today Sadar-Paharganj constitutes one of the 12 administrative zones of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).[40]

Paharganj was a Delhi Metropolitan Council segment, within the Chandni Chowk, Lok Sabha constituency, 1966–93. Thereafter it remained the

New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency.[42]

Tourism

Paharganj has known for its affordable hotels, lodges, and a wide variety of shops especially among backpackers starting from the 1970s. Now newer part of the city, particularly

South Delhi is gaining gradual popularity among backpackers.[8]

In popular culture

The tourist culture of Paharganj has been a theme for many films, including Kate Winslet starrer, Holy Smoke! (1999), parts of which were shot when she stayed at a Paharganj hotel, in September 1998.[43] 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.[44]

Further reading

  • Delhi Between Two Empires, 1803–1931: Society, Government and Urban Growth, by Narayani Gupta. Published by Oxford University Press, 1981.

References

  1. ^ a b c Great Britain, Parliament. House of Commons (1859). House of Commons papers, Volume 18. HMSO. p. 8.
  2. ^ a b Manali in Paharganj![usurped] The Hindu, 26 June 2006.
  3. ^ a b Paharganj: A Traveler’s Delight Archived 13 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine www.delhilive.com, 11 January 2008.
  4. ^ "Paharganj: Trap or haven for tourists?". Deccan Herald. 23 May 2012.
  5. ^ "Paharganj: A den of vice?". The Times of India. 23 March 2004.
  6. ^ Service, Tribune News. "Four minor sex workers rescued from Paharganj hotel in raid". Tribuneindia News Service.
  7. ^ a b "Scare after blast: Cartridges found near Paharganj hotel". The Times of India. 14 September 2011. Archived from the original on 21 October 2011.
  8. ^ a b "Backpacker haven Paharganj losing out to safer, hip hostels in south Delhi". The Times of India. 28 August 2015.
  9. ^
    ISBN 81-85320-00-4
    . p. 138.
  10. ^ Blake, p. 57
  11. ^ a b Blake, p. 58
  12. ^ Blake, p. 117
  13. ISBN 9780195612592
    .
  14. ^ Fanshawe, p. 64
  15. ^ "A tale of two cities". Hindustan Times. 1 September 2011. Archived from the original on 2 July 2015.
  16. ^ a b Mohan, p. 109
  17. ^ P. C. Kapoor (1960). Civic affairs, Volume 8, Issues 1–6. Citizen Press. p. 72.
  18. ISBN 81-7099-804-2
    .
  19. ^ a b Mohan, p. 107
  20. ^ "A fine balance of luxury and care". Hindustan Times. 21 July 2011. Archived from the original on 14 December 2014.
  21. ^ "100 years of Dilli Khana". Business Line. 2011.
  22. ^ "The famous four". Hindustan Times. 14 September 2011. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012.
  23. ISBN 978-81-8069-412-7
    .
  24. ^ A. Moin Zaidi (1973). The way out to freedom: an inquiry into the Quit India Movement conducted by participants. Orientalia (India). p. 85.
  25. ISBN 81-85017-32-8
    .
  26. ^ Biresh Chaudhuri, Nationalist Movement In Delhi 1911–1932, Page 78.
  27. ISBN 1-85065-304-6
    .
  28. ^ Paharganj turns Delhi's Cyberia, businessmen find fortune on Net The Indian Express, 30 April 1999.
  29. ^ "City's own German Bakery and Chabad House given security cover". The Times of India. 17 February 2010. Archived from the original on 27 September 2012.
  30. ^ a b "CCTVs: Capital's blind eyes". Hindustan Times. 9 September 2011. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  31. ^ Indian Street Kids Offer Glimpse Into Their Lives With Guided Tours Archived 18 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine South Asian Women's Forum, 22 May 2006.
  32. ^ Runaway guides Archived 16 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine The Hindu, Businessline, 6 April 2007.
  33. The Telegraph
    , 12 March 2007.
  34. ^ "Paharganj in for a spruce-up". The Hindu. 23 October 2009. Archived from the original on 27 October 2009.
  35. ^ "New-look Paharganj ready for Games visitors". Sify. 22 September 2010. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012.
  36. ^ "Aurangzeb and the thieves". The Hindu. 19 September 2011.
  37. ISBN 0-88402-235-8
    .
  38. ^ "Qazi Wali Masjid in Paharganj", The Hindu, 1 May 2003.
  39. ^ "In the lanes of Zauq and Ghalib". The Indian Express. 15 March 2009. Archived from the original on 21 January 2012.
  40. ^ Zones Archived 9 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine Municipal Corporation of Delhi.
  41. ^ "List of Parliamentary & Assembly Constituencies, General Election to the Lok Sabha, 2004" (PDF). Government of Delhi website. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 October 2011.
  42. ^ "Delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies Order, 2008" (PDF). The Election Commission of India. p. 556.
  43. ^ "Titanic Rose fails to bloom in Paharganj". The Indian Express. 23 September 1998.[permanent dead link]
  44. ^ 'Dev D' is not like Sudhir Mishra's 'Aur Devdas' The Hindu, Wednesday, 10 December 2008.

Sources

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Paharganj.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paharganj&oldid=1219333614"