Photograph of Chandni Chowk, Delhi, India, by Samuel Bourne, 1860s.

This photograph shows Chandni Chowk, the principle street of Shahjahanabad, the 7th city of the seven historical cities of Delhi. The sides of the road are lined with shops and artisans selling their wares. The road was built in 1650 as an accompaniment to the Red Fort, Shah Jahan’s fortified palace. The road led from the Red Fort and was 40 yards wide and 1520 yards long.

This photograph shows the raised cement bed that runs through the centre of the road where a canal used to be. Although trees are still evident in this picture, early accounts suggest that there were many more providing much need shade.

The photograph was initially part of the photographic collection held in the National Art Library. The markings on the mount are an indication of the history of the object, its movement through the museum and the way in which it is categorised.
The mount is white and has evidence of handwritten text across the top: IIbd.
On the right hand side there is a label with: A.in. Delhi
On the bottom left: Handwritten title.

This photograph shows Chandni Chowk, the principle street of Shahjahanabad, the 7th city of the seven historical cities of Delhi. The sides of the road are lined with shops and artisans selling their wares. The road was built in 1650 by Jahanara Begum, the daughter of the emperor Shah Jahan as an accompaniment to the Red Fort, Shah Jahan’s fortified palace. The road led from the Red Fort and was 40 yards wide and 1520 yards long.

Originally, there was no name for this road, it was known as the bazaar in the direction of Lahore. A canal ran through the entire length of the road and into the Fort providing water for drinking and irrigation. It fed a row of trees that lined the length of the road. The canal went into disuse and was covered over by the British between the 1840-60s. This photograph shows the raised cement bed that runs through the centre of the road where the canal used to be. Although trees are still evident in this picture, early accounts suggest that there were many more providing much need shade. (Spear: The canal was restored in 1829 nu was covered over in 1910 and now runs underground)

When the road was built, it was lined with pillared galleries which were divided into small rooms under arches and which housed shops. At the back of each shop there was a small warehouse to keep surplus stock, and the merchants and their families lived above the warehouses. The shops sold a huge variety of goods such as food, spices, flowers and precious jewels.

Sections of the street had particular names and functions; directly outside the fort was Urdu Bazaar and served the soldiers, servants and artisans of the palace, a bit further down was the Ashrafi (Moneychangers) or Jauhari (Jewellers’) Bazaar. Although the street is today known as Chandni Chowk, originally the name referred only to a chowk or ‘square’ with a central pool, a bit further down the street. There is some discussion as to how the square got this name. Popular legend refers to the way the moonlight (Chandni) reflected in the pool in the evenings but it could also refer to the silversmiths (Chandi) situated around the square, thus making it either Moonlight or Silver Square.

The architectural historian, James Fergusson's observations of the street when he visited in 1835-42:
‘..Chandni Chauk, a noble wide street, nearly a mile long, planted with two rows of trees, and with a stream of water running down its centre’.

A History of Indian and Eastern Architecture, James Fergusson, London, Vol II. 1910,
Pg 309.

Bourne visited Delhi in 1863, as mentioned in his writings. He is also likely to have made subsequent visits in 1864 and 1866 though this is not recorded in his writings. This print would have been made before March 1867.

This photograph shows Chandni Chowk, the principle street of Shahjahanabad, the seventh city of the seven historical cities of Delhi. The sides of the road are lined with shops and artisans selling their wares. The road was built in 1650 by Jahanara Begum, the daughter of the emperor Shah Jahan. It led from the the Red Fort, Shah Jahan’s fortified palace, and was 40 yards wide and 1,520 yards long.

Originally, a canal ran the entire length of the road and into the Fort, providing water for drinking and irrigation. The canal fell into disuse and was covered over by the British between 1840 and the 186s. This photograph shows the raised cement bed that runs through the centre of the road where the canal used to be.

The British photographer Samuel Bourne lived and worked in India between 1862 and 1869. During this time he toured the Himalayas and travelled through the subcontinent, photographing its landscape, architecture and historical sites. He set up a studio in Simla with Charles Shepherd and sold his prints sold to an eager public both in India and Britain.

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