What’s in the name?

The Chitli Qabar bazaar is a narrow lane that lies near Turkman Gate in Old Delhi. More than a 100 years ago, during the Mughal era, the market was famous for chittai work – the art of engraving text and patterns on utensils. Later the word was merged with the name of the nearby Chitla Gate and corrupted to form the word ‘chitli’. 

The second word ‘qabar’ can be traced back to the revolt of 1857, when 40 men were shot at Chitla Gate by the British. One of them was buried at the trisection between Turkman gate and Bulbuli Khana Bazaar. The grave(qabar) of the martyr, housed within a small room and deemed sacred by the locals, gave rise to the name of the area. 

The street is lined with small shops and stalls selling spices, delicious food -especially nihari and biryani, clothes, shoes and other items. It is the liveliest on Sundays. The Chitli Qabar market is also famous for the wide range of ittrs that range from natural to synthetic ones, and essential oils such as jasmine, rose, peppermint etc. 

The cuisines served by traditional food stalls such as the Ghaffar biryani and Nihari Wale, Taufiq ki Biryani, etc. are to die for. Traditional bakeries selling freshly baked breads are also dotted along the market. On Sundays, the usually crowded market becomes even livelier.

Lanes in the back lead to small houses and some space is occupied by small mosques. If you’re fond of the Chandni Chowk Market, you’ll definitely like this not-so-commercialized version of it.

To reach Chitli Qabar, It is approachable via a walk from the New Delhi or Chawri Bazaar Metro station. The market begins at a trisection, with the other two roads leading to Turkman Gate and Bulbuli Khana Bazaar.