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by Anupma Jain Even a casual walk through the Old Delhi’s Chandani Chowk area is sufficient to give an inkling why the place was the seat of the richest empire in the world. The various places of worship belonging to different religions not only symbolize the religious harmony that must have existed in that society but also its strength. Come let us walk through some of the land marks.
Digambar Jain Temple: Located just opposite the massive Red Fort at the intersection of Netaji Subhas Marg and Chandni Chowk, Digambar Jain Temple is the oldest temple of the Jain religion in the capital, originally built in 1526. An impressive red sandstone temple today (the temple has undergone many alterations and additions in the past and was enlarged in the early 19th century), the Digambar Jain Temple is popularly known as Lal Mandir. The main devotional area of the temple is on the first floor. It is reached by ascending to the terrace after crossing the small courtyard of the temple, surrounded by a colonnade. There are a number of shrines in this area but the main shrine is of Lord Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism. The temple is quite popular among the people as devotees come and make offerings such as grains, rice and even candles. The place is very peaceful and the ambience is really soothing especially due to the shining of the gilded paintwork of the shrine area under the lights of butter lamps and candles. There is also a bookstore in the complex where a wide range of literatures on Jainism is available, apart from unique curios and souvenirs related to the religion. Visitors should take off their shoes and all other leather goods and hand it to the concerned person before entering the temple complex. Special Event / Annual Event: The best time to visit the temple is during Jain festivals, which are characterized by renunciation, study of the scriptures, repetition of holy hymns, meditation, and expressing devotion for the Paramatma. Gauri Shankar Temple: The 800 year old Gauri Shankar Temple is located next to the Digambar Jain Temple on the main Chandni Chowk road amidst the mixed fragrance of numerous flowers displayed for sale in the nearby flower shops. One of the most important temples of Shaivism in the country, it has an 800-year-old brown lingam encased in a marble representation of a female organ. Surrounded by snakes made of silver, the lingam according to Hinduism represents a 'cosmic pillar, the center of universe, the life itself. The entrance of the temple, which has a flight of marble steps and flanking pillars carved with chains and bells, leads directly to the courtyard. The unique attraction of the courtyard is a marble chair of Bhagat Swaroup Bramachari, a Hindu saint who spent more than 50 years in the temple. It is his portrait and sandals that are kept here with his teachings about methods to achieve enlightenment. Inside the temple are idols of Lord Shiva and Parvati, wearing real gold jewellery are situated just behind the under the silver cover. The other attraction here is the wall behind the idols of Lord Shiva and Parvati, which has beautiful silver paintings depicting the scenes from the life of Lord Shiva. Visitors would definitely enjoy their visit, as they will come to know about a lot of interesting things and facts about the temple and Hindu religion. The temple also has a free homeopathic clinic. Special Event / Annual Event: The auspicious day to visit the temple is on Monday as it is considered the day of Lord Shiva. The temple is beautifully decorated during the festival of Shivaratri when thousands of devotees come to seek blessings from their deity.
Gurdwara Sisganj: Located on the main Chandni Chowk road, just opposite Baptist Church, before Sunheri Masjid lies one of the sacred places of Sikhs in the capital, Gurudwara Sisganj. The gurdwara commemorates the site where on the orders of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb Guru Tegh Bahadur; the ninth guru of the Sikhs was beheaded. To visit the Gurudwara, the visitor should leave their shoes outside at the counter and cover their head. Though one can go to the main worship place directly but it would be better if one first visit the 'Information Office', which is near the entrance. From there a member of the Gurudwara Management Committee will accompany and show the visitor all-important places within the Gurdwara, if so desired. The main worship room of the Gurudwara, which is very spacious and flood lit has the Sikh Holy Book, the Guru Granth Sahib under a beautifully carved golden canopy. The sacred book covered with a large red cloth and has piles of garlands of marigolds at its base. At night, the book is ceremonially carried to a special room in the Gurudwara that can be seen through the glass. The book is kept there in a special-resting closet. Near the room is also kept the part of the banyan tree under which the ninth guru was killed. There is also an enclosed structure where the guru was held prisoner before beheading. After the prayer, the devotees receive karah, a consecrated food cooked of wheat and ghee as blessings from the Gurudwara. An important feature and attraction of all the Gurudwaras are their community kitchens (Guru ka langar), which oppose discrimination based on caste and stress the concept of equality. Here people of any background, religion, caste, color and creed eat together. The community kitchen of this Gurudwara too feeds around 2000-4000 people everyday and it is advisable not to miss to taste the good food made under good hygienic conditions. Special Event / Annual Event: Music and song are considered to be one of the special ways in Sikhism to gain union with God. The singing of 'gurbani', holy songs and reading from their holy book marks the festivals of Sikhs. The best time to experience the festivity is during the birthdays of all their 10 gurus (religious teachers) and especially that of Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh. Baisakhi and Bandi Chhor Divas (Diwali) are other festivals when the celebration is at its peak among the community.
Fatehpuri Masjid: Located at the western end of the oldest street of Delhi, Chandni Chowk, Fatehpuri Masjid was built in 1650 by Fatehpuri Begum, one of Shah Jahan's wives. The mosque is built with red sandstone on a large scale and is surmounted by a single dome. Flanked by towering minarets, the mosque has a traditional design with the prayer hall having seven-arched openings. Among the seven arches, the central arch is the highest. The mosque has single and double-storeyed apartments on the sides and some of its endowments were used as a school for poor students. Though Fatehpuri Masjid was an important mosque in Old Delhi but architecturally the mosque is not a very fine example of Mughal architecture. The materials used in the mosque are of poor quality. However, different parts of the mosque individually are very beautiful. Special Attraction/ Annual Event: All Muslim festivals especially Id-ul-Fitr and Id-ul-Zuha are celebrated with great enthusiasm and are the appropriate time to visit the mosque to experience the faith and love of the devotees.
Central Baptist Church: Central Baptist Church is located on the main Chandni Chowk Road, just opposite Gurdwara Sisganj and before the Fountain Chowk (Bhai Mati Das Chowk). It is probably the oldest Christian mission in the whole of the northern Indian region. In the late 18th century, the Baptist Missionary Society (BMS), London, purchased a piece of land near Red Fort where the Central Baptist Church was established in 1814. The Central Baptist Church, one of the oldest churches in Delhi, is a fine example of European architecture of that time. The southern side entrance of the church has a large deep colonnaded porch supported on thick heavy circular columns. Likewise the other two sides have double height verandahs with semi-circular arched openings. The church has been well maintained with its original motifs and carvings. However, the roof of the church has been re-laid with stones and iron beams. The walls of the church have memorial tablets remembering the faithful who devoted their whole life in service of the church. Special Attraction/ Annual Event: Apart from various cultural and social programmes, the church is beautifully and attractively decorated during Christian festivals. | |
Religion
is an integral part of Indian existence and Chandni Chowk symbolises
genuine cultural harmony. It has an equally amazing number of places of
worship of all the prominent Indian religions. The most famous feature
of old Delhi is reflected in the Chandni Chowk, built during the
pinnacle of Mughal rule. Here one can find more than seven Hindu and
Jain temples, two Churches, three Mosques and two Gurudwaraas. This is
excluding the numerous smaller shrines that exist in the remoter parts
of Chandni Chowk.
