Delhi: Khari Baoli grandeur buried under bustling market, busy lanes

New Delhi: It is astonishing how streets in Old Delhi, which were once administered by the British, have been blotted out by shops and cramped boards. One such street, which the history lovers would wish to unravel, is the “Khari Baoli” market in Old Delhi.

Named after a step-well (baoli), it triggers curiosity among the visitors about where this step-well is. However, explorers will be disappointed as the name has become ironic considering what the place has now become. There is no sign of the historic structure, which lies buried beneath the main road of the market.

Nothing can be traced back to the time when this step-well was used for bathing and by animals. It is almost like it never existed, similar to the work of a skilled criminal who has erased the evidence at a crime scene. The place is now famous as Asia’s largest wholesale spice market.

Located at the western end of Chandni Chowk, the market consists of shops that are fringed along the walls of Fatehpuri Masjid. This step-well was built during the reign of Islam Shah, the son of Sher Shah Suri.

In 1936, Chowdhary Chhotu Ram, a minister in the Punjab government, issued a law cancelling all debts of the villagers. Thus numerous Agrawal traders lost their businesses and migrated to Delhi, settling in colonies like Kamla Nagar, Shakti Nagar, and Model Basti. They took their trade to locations around the walled city of Old Delhi, especially Chandni Chowk, Khari Baoli, Dariba Kalan, Nai Sarak, Naya Bazaar, Sadar Bazaar, and Chawri Bazaar. It’s been four centuries since these businesses were set up to help the increasing population earn a living.

“My great grandfather had opened this shop in his early days and now I am taking the legacy forward,” said Mr Govind, a dry-fruit seller. 

Nuts and herbs are sold at reasonable prices and are available in abundance, which attracts people from across the city. This dry-fruit hub witnesses trucks loading and unloading at midnight because of huge volumes of trade between the market and countries like Kabul, America, Iran, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and many more.

This international trade has also affected the sale of dry-fruits produced in India. People go after the face value of these items, ignoring the fact that these have been produced by using high quality synthetic fertilizers whereas those produced in India have high nutritional value.

“Products from Kashmir have seen a downfall in customer preference to that of products from California as it is comparatively cheaper,” said Kulwant Singh, the owner of Kirana Store, which is standing since 1967.

The market now flaunts a modern trading centre, hiding behind the historical importance of this place. Towards the South side of the market, where once stood a horse stable, is the Gadodia market. The structure has now been badly harmed because of tiled stores and electricity plug-ins.

A dark corridor leads to a smaller market, wherein the lanes and bylanes have been staged to look like a market, which is chaotic in terms of space. However, one finds a wide variety of exotic and mysterious spices here. Coriander, cumin, different varieties of chilies, cassia bark, Indian bay leaves, rock salt, and solid turmeric are some spices sold here. The aroma of these fresh spices stacked in piles of sacks look as colourful as Holi colours.

It is an important and major commercial area for spice dealers. The wealthy merchants built the market, which now caters to a huge Indian market, especially the North Indian states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh where traders go around looking for cheaper and better deals.

Currently, the market has very less customers due to the newly launched GST that has created confusion among them.