 |
| Brand promotion at Chandni Chowk metro station |
Chandni Chowk is only about clothes, and jewelry, this is the perception of many. However, beyond sari, and lehenga, there is a ‘Chandni” which doesn't get the due recognition and is less talked about.
Shops at Chandni Chowk begin after the metro's exit gate but the feeling of being in Chandni starts as soon as someone steps down from the metro. The alleyway of the metro station is full of digital screens, billboards, and banners showing ads for lehenga and sari. Tejoo Fashion, Ram Chandra Kishan Chandra, Roop Laxmi Sarees, and numerous other brands start appealing to potential customers from the metro only. Right after the metro station, Dr. Yudhvir Singh Park welcomes people.
 |
| Dr. Yudhvir Singh Park |
Shiv Kumar, who runs a juice stall near the entry gate, has been seeing this park for the last 20 years. "People rest here, it is a very big park", he said. In the center of the park, there is a statue of Dr. Yudhvir Singh who was a freedom fighter and Homeopathic Doctor. In 1983, he set up a Homeopathic Free Dispensary in Chandni Chowk. The park is named after him as a tribute.
Shri S.S Jain Kanya Pathshala, another unexplored place lies in one of the narrow alleys of Chandni Chowk. It was established by Shri S. S Jain Mahavir Bhavan Trust in 1928. "It is a proper school and education given up to 5th-6th class' ', said Sumit Verma, sitting on the stairs of the school.
Another localite revealed that the classes here begin at 8 am in the morning and get over at 1 pm. The brown doors and building of Kanya Pathshala clearly resemble the traditional schools in Indian history.
Apart from schools, Chandni Chowk has a library belonging to the period before independence. Shri Mahavir Jain Public Library & Reading Room was established in 1924 by the same Trust Shri S. S Jain Mahavir Bhavan.
 |
| Students studying at Mahavir Jain Public Library |
"People here can come with their books and read", said Joginder Rai, a staff member of the library. He also revealed that earlier many books used to come in the library but now it has stopped. However, students can issue the available books during their exams, revealed Rai. 'Heritage Building', the hanging board describes Mahavir Bhavan inside which the library is situated.
"Mughal kaal k sikke hain '' told a shopkeeper who sells old coins of the historical period in Chandni Chowk. There were coins of 1 rupee, 20 paise and 50 paise etc. "Humare father 1975 se yeh business kr rahe the", said Deepak Sharma, the owner of the shop. He further revealed that people give them those coins in exchange for money.
 |
| Shopkeeper selling old coins |
Shree Gandhi Ashram Khadi Bhavan, a shop in Chandni is giving a 25% discount on the purchase of any khadi cloth. The offer is given on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary. It has been done to encourage people to support the 'Khadi India' initiative. In short, Chandni Chowk has ingrained a deep history in itself and it develops a sense of patriotism in people. It's not wrong to say, Chandni Chowk means 'History' and not just lehenga and sari.
Comments
Post a Comment