Photo Story: An Evening in the Alleys of Chandni Chowk During Ramadan

The by-lanes of Chandni Chowk are enriched with the glorious history and numerous tales from pages of the Mughal Era. The overcrowded, busy, chaotic, and bumpy roads of Chandni Chowk may not impress you at the first glance, but if you turn the pages of history to know more about this place, the experience will certainly be culturally rewarding. A melting pot of various cultures and religions, Chandni Chowk proudly flaunts diversity at its best.  From Jain Temple, Gurudwara to the Jama Mosque, a celebration of multiculturalism can be seen in every corner of this place.From relishing famous food platters, indulging in shopping, sharing that small place with a few others in the lane or enjoying the enticing aromas of the spice market, I love visiting these narrow lanes at any given time. But walking in the alleys of Chandni Chowk during the festival has its own charm when the narrow lanes come alive with sparkling lights, end numbers of shops, and happy faces of people.

It was my recent visit to Chandni Chowk during Ramadan; I witnessed the magnitude of the towering Jama Mosque. The standing mirage from history, the Jama Mosque is the epitome of faith for the Muslim community. As I was approaching Gate number 1, I became a part of those who came to this holy place to break their day-long fast. During this holy month, people fast from dawn to dusk, wherein the real purpose of fasting is to attain righteousness and express gratitude to the Supreme Being.

The courtyard of Jama Mosque was filled with people from different age groups, wearing their traditional attire and waiting in the setting sun. As the Sun leaves its orange hue in the sky, the minarets were lit up and the evening was blessed with the Azaan(Prayer) at Jama Mosque. The echoes of the Azaan dominated the surroundings and I witnessed the compelling blend of faith and culture. A sight well framed in my mind.

The aromas of spicy chicken, famous Biryani, Kababs to Nihari, streets were filled with a wide range of Mughal delicacies. From a variety of bread, Seviyan, sweets to exotic fruits, a walk in these narrow lanes during Ramadan was like taking a culinary journey. The celebration of food in these alleys of Chandni Chowk, especially at the time of Iftaar was a worth watching scene. The smiles on the faces of people, families happily ending their fast, colourful streets, decorations and an array of delicacies not just made me believe in the beauty of the serenity of different religions, but also made me proud of my country for celebrating secularism and multiculturalism at the same time.

I could not stay away from capturing some of the captivating moments into my lens during my Ramadan walk in Chandni Chowk

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People coming out of Jama Mosque after Iftaar

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Seviyan

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Man arranging Khajra

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A variety of barbecued Chicken Dishes

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The Crowd in the lane of Chandni Chowk

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A portrait of a man selling Phirni

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Selling a variety of Sweet Breads

The colorful streets of Chandni Chowk during Ramadan

Have you ever visited Chandni Chowk during Ramadan ?

Do share your stories .


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20 Comments

  1. Vinita

    Hello 🙂

    Fantastic Blog Post 🙂 Being a Delhiite I just love eating yummy food and travelling as much I can.Delhi is one of my favourite Place to hangout.keep sharing your bestest journey with us.

    Happy Travel.

    Reply
  2. Ankit

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    Reply
  3. Neo

    Every metro city has atleast a street that comes to life during Ramzaan and that aura of happiness and positivity is matchless.

    Reply
    • Parnashree Devi

      Absolutely Neo. Chandni Chowk is always that busy street and it comes alive with a lot of colours during festivals.

      Reply
  4. Tracie Howe

    What a cool experience! And to take photos of such a colorful and magical place… wow!

    Reply
    • Parnashree Devi

      Thank You Tracie. A must visit place in Delhi, India

      Reply
  5. Jatin Chhabra

    Well one thing which forces me to more from my home to Chandhi chowk at Ramadan every year and its Seviyan. Great post Parnashree.com

    Reply
    • Parnashree Devi

      Thank You Jatin. The whole experience of walking those narrow lanes with the festivity and celebration makes your visit a worthy one.

      Reply
  6. Pramod Kanakath

    That was almost literally taking us to an Ifthaar. I just got reminded of my time in Oman when my Muslim friends took me to a fast-breaking dinner. Your photos and descriptions carry that calm and quiet present in such occasions.

    Reply
    • Parnashree Devi

      Thanks a lot for appreciating it. You must visit Chandni Chowk and Jama Majsid during Ramadan. Its a new world all together. I enjoyed capturing these moments into my lens.

      Reply
  7. Abhinav Singh

    You made the scene come alive with your descriptions. I could actually picture the Jama Masjid all lit up with Azaan sounds punctuating the narrative. I missed going here this time. After reading your post, I am sure I want to be here next year.
    Abhinav Singh recently posted…6 Exciting Monsoon Treks in Sahyadris, Maharashtra!My Profile

    Reply
    • Parnashree Devi

      Thank you so much for your kind words. Chandni Chowk during Ramadan becomes a different world. The narrow lanes, food and the happiness is what makes it a place worth visiting.

      Reply
  8. Parnashree Devi

    Thank you Prasad Sir for your lovely words. It means a lot . Thanks again for encouraging me. I tried to capture a few of those beautiful moments into my lens.

    Reply
  9. Prasad Np

    Such a great time to visit Old city, great food, festive atmosphere and loads of photographs to be captured… just like you have got the spirit of Ramazan in your pictures…
    Prasad Np recently posted…7 day Nature Photo Challenge On FacebookMy Profile

    Reply
  10. Vandana Mathur

    Chandni Chowk is always so colorful, though I have never visited it during Ramadan. Thank you for such elaborate description of the place. The pictures transposed me to the place, and I was reminded of my culinary adventures there. Thank you for the post.

    Reply
    • Parnashree Devi

      Thank you Vandana for appreciating it. Chandni Chowk is place with many tales. A visit to Chandni Chowk during Ramadan is a must.

      Reply

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