Title Witnesses of Chandni Chowk
It was a hot afternoon in Delhi. The rays of the sun were falling on the sandstones of the Red Fort making them even more red Outside the fort in the lanes of Chandni Chowk the bustle of centuries was still the same Rickshaw pullers rang bells shopkeepers called out to customers and somewhere far away the Azan could be heard from the Jama Masjid
In the Diwane Aam of the fort an old banyan tree stood like a witness to centuries Its roots were deep in the ground as if holding history Today a young tourist Riya was sitting under that tree writing something in her diary Riya was a student of history and she had come to Delhi only after hearing about the Red Fort
How old is this tree? Riya asked a guide standing nearby
Probably from the time of the Mughal emperors the guide replied It has seen so many emperors come and go has borne witness to so many courts
In Riyas imagination she got lost in the time when Shah Jahan used to sit here
hold court and dispense justice She thought how many stories the walls of this fort must have heard how many secrets they must have seen Then her eyes went towards Chandni Chowk which was spread right in front of the fort
Chandni Chowk a market that was once a part of the royal court still retained its charm Riya thought how many revolutions this market must have seen how many changes it must have seen Sometimes princes used to ride horses in the streets here and sometimes freedom fighters used to shout slogans of freedom
Riya wrote in her diary Red Fort and
Chandni Chowk are not just buildings but living history Every brick every stone every street here tells a story
It was getting dark and the lights on the Red Fort had started to glow The shops of Chandni Chowk were also getting illuminated and fragrance was spreading in the air Riya hired a rickshaw and set out to wander the lanes of Chandni Chowk
Here in Parantha Wali Gali there was the
aroma of hot paranthas and somewhere in Dariba Kalan there was the shine of silver jewellery Every shop every lane here told a different story Riya felt as if she had set out on a journey through time
The night had deepened and the charm of Chandni Chowk had begun to fade Riya was sitting at a tea stall near the Red Fort sipping tea Somewhere in the distance the minarets of the Jama Masjid were visible and the stars were shining in the sky
Riya closed her diary and thought Delhi is
not just a city but a feeling History is embedded in everything here and every lane has a new story hidden in it
She looked at the Red Fort which stood proudly even in the darkness of the night and at Chandni Chowk which was slowly falling asleep Riya smiled and thought I will come again tomorrow to listen to these stories more closely And likewise the Red Fort and Chandni Chowk have been telling their stories for centuries and will continue to do so for generations to come
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