I ventured into Meena Bazaar on a blazing summer afternoon, half expecting it to be deserted; Heat can subdue the sturdiest of shoppers, but the din of excited voices and calls of vendors reached me even before I turned the corner at Jama Masjid.
I have been to Chandni Chowk numerous times, yet it remains an unfamiliar place to me. After the quiet of South Delhi malls and markets where I venture frequently, the rush and confusion at the Old Delhi market is overwhelming. A cap vendor sets shop right behind Jama Masjid, an umbrella to shield himself against the heat, as a burqa clad lady and her son zero in on a green cap. A biryani seller stands by his pots and pans, inviting shoppers to taste the delicious fare. Two women buy a bright red dress for their friend’s daughter’s birthday.
People in Old Delhi enjoy being photographed. They pose wholeheartedly for the camera, but you usually let them pass looking for those few candid moments which describe the true beat of Meena Bazaar.
