Paharganj (

literally ''Literally'' is an English adverb. It has been controversially used as an intensifier for figurative statements. History The first known use of the word ''literally'' was in the 15th century, or the 1530s, when it was used in the sense of "in ...

'hilly neighbourhood') is a neighbourhood of

Central Delhi Central Delhi is an administrative district of the National Capital Territory of Delhi in India. It is bounded by the Yamuna River on the east and by the districts of North Delhi to the north, West Delhi and South West Delhi to the west, New De ...

, located just west of the New Delhi Railway Station. Known as ''Shahganj'' or King's ganj or market place during

Mughal era The Mughal Empire was an early-modern empire that controlled much of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Quote: "Although the first two Timurid emperors and many of their noblemen were recent migrants to the subcontinent, the d ...

, it is one of the three administrative subdivisions, of the

district, of the

National Capital Territory of Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...

, with the other two being,

Darya Ganj Daryaganj (literally "A market near a river") is a neighbourhood of Delhi inside the walled city of Shahjahanabad (Old Delhi). The "darya" (lit. "River") refers to the river Yamuna which was just outside the walled city. Daryaganj is one of the ...

and

Karol Bagh Karol Bagh is a neighbourhood in Central District of Delhi, India. It is a mixed residential and commercial neighborhood known for shopping streets such as the Ghaffar Market and Ajmal Khan Road. It was home to the Karol Bagh Lok Sabha cons ...

. Known for its concentration of affordable hotels, lodges, restaurants,

dhaba A dhaba is a roadside restaurant in the Indian subcontinent, primarily across Pakistan and India. They are on highways, generally serve local cuisine, and also serve as truck stops. They are most commonly found next to petrol stations, and mos ...

The Hindu ''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It began as a weekly in 1878 and became a daily in 1889. It is one of the Indian newspapers of record and the secon ...

'', 26 June 2006.Paharganj: A Traveler’s Delight
''www.delhilive.com'', 11 January 2008. However, Paharganj has a poor record regarding safety of women since the area is noted for its scams, drug peddling, sexual assaults. Instead, the more modern

South Delhi South Delhi is an administrative district of the National Capital Territory of Delhi in India with its headquarters in Saket. Administratively, the district is divided into three subdivisions, Saket, Hauz Khas, and Mehrauli. It is bounded by t ...

is now becoming the main center for backpackers.''Drug danger and social behaviour: new challenges'', by Bhim Sain. Sharada Prakashan, 1988. . p. ''138''.

History

Mughal era

In the years after its establishment in 1638,

Shahjahanabad Old Delhi or Purani Dilli is an area in the Central Delhi district of Delhi, India. It was founded as a walled city named Shahjahanabad in 1648, when Shah Jahan (the Mughal Empire, Mughal Mughal emperors, emperor at the time) decided to shift t ...

, the capital of the

Mughal Empire The Mughal Empire was an early-modern empire that controlled much of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Quote: "Although the first two Timurid emperors and many of their noblemen were recent migrants to the subcontinent, the d ...

under

Shah Jahan Shihab-ud-Din Muhammad Khurram (5 January 1592 – 22 January 1666), better known by his regnal name Shah Jahan I (; ), was the fifth emperor of the Mughal Empire, reigning from January 1628 until July 1658. Under his emperorship, the Mugha ...

, was no longer contained within the walled city, it soon spilled into surrounding areas, stretching into miles at each end, where half of its population stayed. By 1739, the suburbs covered 1800 acres and included areas like Mughalpura, Sabzimandi, Paharganj, and Jaisingh Pura. One of the largest and most important suburban

mohalla is an Arabic word variously translated as district, quarter, ward, or "neighborhood" in many parts of the Arab world, the Balkans, Western Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and nearby nations. History Historically, mahallas were autonomous social ins ...

of the Walled City of Delhi, and located just outside the ''

Ajmeri Gate The Gates of Delhi were city gates in Delhi, India, built under dynastic rulers in the period that could be dated from the 8th century to the 20th century. They are the gates in: * the ancient city of Qila Rai Pithora or Lal Kot, also called the f ...

'' of the

Walled city A defensive wall is a fortification usually used to protect a city, town or other settlement from potential aggressors. The walls can range from simple palisades or earthworks to extensive military fortifications with towers, bastions and gates ...

, Paharganj was one of five main markets of Delhi, and the only one outside the

walled city A defensive wall is a fortification usually used to protect a city, town or other settlement from potential aggressors. The walls can range from simple palisades or earthworks to extensive military fortifications with towers, bastions and gates ...

. Also, it was the principal

grain market The grain trade refers to the local and international trade in cereals and other food grains such as wheat, barley, maize, and rice. Grain is an important trade item because it is easily stored and transported with limited spoilage, unlike other ...

of the city in the 18th century, where grain was ferried, across

Yamuna River The Yamuna ( Hindustani: ), also spelt Jumna, is the second-largest tributary river of the Ganges by discharge and the longest tributary in India. Originating from the Yamunotri Glacier at a height of about on the southwestern slopes of Ban ...

, from wholesale markets and warehouses in

Patparganj Patparganj is a locality situated in East Delhi District of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, India, and is located near the border with Uttar Pradesh. Patparganj has remained the Delhi Legislative Assembly constituency with East Delhi ( ...

and Shahdara. Just outside the Ajmeri Gate was the

custom house A custom house or customs house was traditionally a building housing the offices for a jurisdictional government whose officials oversaw the functions associated with importing and exporting goods into and out of a country, such as collecting c ...

of the emperor, for collecting taxes. Between Paharganj and Akbarabadi gate of the walled city was ''Shahganj'', another

wholesale market Wholesaling or distributing is the sale of goods or merchandise to retailers; to industrial, commercial, institutional or other professional business users; or to other wholesalers (wholesale businesses) and related subordinated services. In g ...

, while on the other side towards

Jantar Mantar A Jantar Mantar ( Hindustani pronunciation: ͡ʒən̪t̪ər mən̪t̪ər is an assembly of stone-built astronomical instruments, designed to be used with the naked eye. There were five Jantar Mantars in India, all of them built at the com ...

was ''Raja Bazar''. Blake, p. 58 In fact, Paharganj was also referred as ''Shahganj'' or King's ganj or market place during

, it gets its present name 'Paharganj', literally meaning ''Hilly neighbourhood'', owing to its proximity to the

Raisina Hill Raisina Hill ( IAST: ''Rāyasīnā Pahāṛī''), often used as a metonym for the seat of the Government of India, is an area of New Delhi, housing India's most important government buildings, including Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residenc ...

, where the

Rashtrapati Bhavan The Rashtrapati Bhavan (, rāsh-truh-puh-ti bha-vun; ; originally Viceroy's House and later Government House) is the official residence of the President of India at the western end of Rajpath, Raisina Hill, New Delhi, India. Rashtrapati Bh ...

stand today. Till 1857, neighbourhoods like Paharganj, Kishenganj, and Pahari Dhiraj, were separate pockets which in the following years grew and merged, for example Pahari Dhiraj merged into Sadar Bazaar. In the 1690s, Ghaziuddin Khan, a general of

Mughal Emperor The Mughal emperors ( fa, , Pādishāhān) were the supreme heads of state of the Mughal Empire on the Indian subcontinent, mainly corresponding to the modern countries of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The Mughal rulers styled t ...

Aurangzeb Muhi al-Din Muhammad (; – 3 March 1707), commonly known as ( fa, , lit=Ornament of the Throne) and by his regnal title Alamgir ( fa, , translit=ʿĀlamgīr, lit=Conqueror of the World), was the sixth emperor of the Mughal Empire, ruling ...

, a leading

Deccan The large Deccan Plateau in South India, southern India is located between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats, and is loosely defined as the peninsular region between these ranges that is south of the Narmada river. To the north, it is bou ...

commander and the father of

Asaf Jah I Mir Qamar-ud-din Khan Siddiqi Bayafandi (11 August 16711 June 1748) also known as Chin Qilich qamaruddin Khan, Nizam-ul-Mulk, Asaf Jah and Nizam I, was the 1st Nizam of Hyderabad. He was married to the daughter of a Syed nobleman of Gulbarga. He ...

, the founder of the

Asaf Jahi dynasty The Asaf Jahi was a Muslim dynasty that ruled the Kingdom of Hyderabad. The family came to India in the late 17th century and became employees of the Mughal Empire. They were great patrons of Persian culture, language, and literature, the famil ...

Hyderabad Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part ...

, through religious endowment founded a

madarsa Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , pl. , ) is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whether for elementary instruction or higher learning. The word is variously transliterated '' ...

, ''Madrasa Ghaziuddin Khan'' after him. It eventually paved way for the present Zakir Hussain College, which in 1986, shifted to a new building outside Turkman Gate, the old structure in the Madrasa Ghaziuddin complex, still houses a hostel for the college and Ghaziuddin's mausoleum. Also Anglo Arabic Senior Secondary School operates at the same place.

British era

Cheh Tuti Chowk or Six Tuti Chowk, Main Bazar, Paharganj

When the

Lutyens' Delhi Lutyens' Delhi is an area in New Delhi, India, named after the British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869–1944), who was responsible for much of the architectural design and building during the period of the British Raj, when India was part o ...

was being built in the 1920s, the area also saw major development, and the old 'Imperial theatre', built-in 1930, stands as a legacy to that era. Though its neighboring area of ''Jaisinghpura'', where

Gurudwara Bangla Sahib Gurudwara Bangla Sahib () is one of the most prominent Sikh gurdwaras, or Sikh house of worship, in Delhi, India, and known for its association with the eighth Sikh Guru, Guru Har Krishan, as well as the holy pond inside its complex, known as th ...

stands today, along with ''Madhoganj'' and ''Raja ka Bazaar'' were demolished to make way for the Connaught Place, shopping district. Indeed, the "Delhi Town Planning Committee on the planning of new Imperial capital" with

George Swinton Captain George Sitwell Campbell Swinton (10 May 1859 – 17 January 1937) was a long-serving Scottish politician and officer of arms. Life and work Swinton was born at 7 Darnaway Street on the Moray Estate in west Edinburgh, the seco ...

as chairman and John A. Brodie and

Lutyens Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens ( ; 29 March 1869 – 1 January 1944) was an English architect known for imaginatively adapting traditional architectural styles to the requirements of his era. He designed many English country houses, war memoria ...

as members, submitted its report on 13 June 1912, it proposed a plan to include Paharganj and Sadar Bazaar into the developing new imperial city, as they were only areas of Old Delhi, spilling into the planned New Delhi area. However, it was rejected by the Viceroy, when the cost of compensation while acquiring the properties, was found to be too high. The central axis of New Delhi, which today faces east at

India Gate The India Gate (formerly known as the All India War Memorial) is a war memorial located near the Rajpath on the eastern edge of the "ceremonial axis" of New Delhi, formerly called duty path. It stands as a memorial to 84,000 soldiers of the Br ...

, was previously meant to be a north–south axis, linking

Viceroy's House The Rashtrapati Bhavan (, rāsh-truh-puh-ti bha-vun; ; originally Viceroy's House and later Government House) is the official residence of the President of India at the western end of Rajpath, Raisina Hill, New Delhi, India. Rashtrapati Bh ...

with Paharganj, as the end of the axis. Mohan, p. 109 Gradually, ''Chai-Tuti-Chowk'' or Six Tuti

Chowk Chowk may refer to: Website *Chowk.com, a website about current affairs, politics and cultural aspects of India and Pakistan Localities In Bangladesh *Chowk Bazaar, a bazaar in Lalbagh In India *Chowk, Allahabad, a locality/township of Allahab ...

, named after six water taps originally place here for the public, developed as an important

market square The market square (or sometimes, the market place) is a Town square, square meant for trading, in which a market is held. It is an important feature of many towns and cities around the world.New Delhi Railway Station was opened with a single platform near

in 1926, until then the

Old Delhi Railway Station Delhi Junction railway station is the oldest railway station in Old Delhi, Delhi, India. It is one of the busiest railway stations in India in terms of frequency. Around 250 trains start, end, or pass through the station daily. It was establish ...

served the entire city. This changed Paharganj landscape indelibly, with an influx of travelers, small eateries started coming up in the area, and also temporary residential facilities. The famous ''Shri Nand Lal Sharma

'' was set up here in 1928, over time, his son built a three-storey hotel on spot, and now his grandson manages the ''Metropolis'', known for its rooftop restaurant, which still has many Russian dishes on its menu. "Shiela Cinema" at Paharganj was Delhi's first

70mm 70 mm film (or 65 mm film) is a wide high-resolution film gauge for motion picture photography, with a negative area nearly 3.5 times as large as the standard 35 mm motion picture film format. As used in cameras, the film is wid ...

screen, second being "Odeon" in Connaught Place. "Imperial" and "Khanna" were other talkies in the area. Mohan, p. 107 Gradually, the entire area was catering to the tourism industry, though the grain

bazaar A bazaar () or souk (; also transliterated as souq) is a marketplace consisting of multiple small Market stall, stalls or shops, especially in the Middle East, the Balkans, North Africa and India. However, temporary open markets elsewhere, suc ...

s of Mughal era were long gone, in early 20th century, Paharganj still had principal markets in Delhi for building materials, cement, timber and steel, but by 1947 they had mostly shifted to other locations in the city, while Paharganj had become primarily a densely populated residential and commercial area, replete with cheap hotels and restaurants for domestic and foreign tourists. Street in Paharganj

Paharganj witnessed upheavals during the prolonged

Indian independence struggle The Indian independence movement was a series of historic events with the ultimate aim of ending British rule in India. It lasted from 1857 to 1947. The first nationalistic revolutionary movement for Indian independence emerged from Bengal. ...

, like during the

Quit India Movement The Quit India Movement, also known as the August Kranti Movement, was a movement launched at the Bombay session of the All India Congress Committee by Mahatma Gandhi on 8th August 1942, during World War II, demanding an end to British rule in ...

of August 1942, the British barracks near Paharganj were attacked and the soldiers' were thrown out, who then sought refuge in an Indian's bungalow, later the Paharganj Post office and five terminal tax posts were also raided by the mob and burnt down.

Hindu Jat and Muslim riots of 1924

During the

British Raj The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent; * * it is also called Crown rule in India, * * * * or Direct rule in India, * Quote: "Mill, who was himsel ...

, Muslims had built a slaughterhouse closer to the

Jhandewalan temple The Jhandewalan Temple is a Hindu temple near Karol Bagh in Delhi, India dedicated to the goddess Aadi Shakti. It is among the oldest temple in Delhi and located on Jhandewala road.

. In May 1924 on the day of Bakri Eid the Muslims of Pahari Dhiraj of Paharganj slaughtered the cow – which is revered by the Hindus as sacred

Kamadhenu Kamadhenu ( sa, कामधेनु, , ), also known as Surabhi (, or , ), is a divine bovine-goddess described in Hinduism as the mother of all cows. She is a miraculous cow of plenty who provides her owner whatever he desires and is often ...

– in the slaughterhouse closer to the Jhandewala temple. This angered the Hindu

Jats The Jat people ((), ()) are a traditionally agricultural community in Northern India and Pakistan. Originally pastoralists in the lower Indus river-valley of Sindh, Jats migrated north into the Punjab region in late medieval times, and subse ...

of Sadar Bazaar, which led to the riots among the Jats and Muslims from 11 to 18 July, resulting in loss of life and property.

Muhammad Ali Jinnah Muhammad Ali Jinnah (, ; born Mahomedali Jinnahbhai; 25 December 1876 – 11 September 1948) was a barrister, politician, and the founder of Pakistan. Jinnah served as the leader of the All-India Muslim League from 1913 until the ...

repeatedly requested

Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...

and

Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party but often simply the Congress, is a political party in India with widespread roots. Founded in 1885, it was the first modern nationalist movement to emerge in the British Em ...

(INC) to stop the rioting Jats, but Gandhi and INC were unable to control the situation. Riots were eventually stopped by the police.Biresh Chaudhuri
Nationalist Movement In Delhi 1911–1932
Page 78.

Post-independence

Subsequently, during the

Partition of India The Partition of British India in 1947 was the Partition (politics), change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: ...

in 1947 it again saw extensive rioting, thereafter the area saw a vast influx of

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

refugees from

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

, when several shops and small establishments were allotted to them, since then the area has seen vast development, and seen it the burgeoning marketplace that it is today. With the arrival of the

Hippie A hippie, also spelled hippy, especially in British English, is someone associated with the counterculture of the 1960s, originally a youth movement that began in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to different countries around ...

movement in the 70s at India's shores, the area became a regular part of the

Hippie trail Hippie trail (also the overland) is the name given to the overland journey taken by members of the hippie subculture and others from the mid-1950s to the late 1970s between Europe and South Asia, mainly from Turkey through Iran, Afghanistan ...

, for

hippie A hippie, also spelled hippy, especially in British English, is someone associated with the counterculture of the 1960s, originally a youth movement that began in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to different countries around ...

s, backpackers, and college students looking for budget accommodations near

Connaught Place, New Delhi Connaught Place, officially known as Rajiv Chowk, is one of the main financial, commercial and business centres in New Delhi, Delhi, India. It houses the headquarters of several noted Indian firms and is a major shopping, nightlife and tourist ...

and New Delhi Railway Station. Gradually the hotels and guest houses spread until neighboring Ram Nagar and an area along Deshbandhu Gupta Road. This legacy which continues even today, with its streams of budget hotels, cafes and restaurants, specializing in

global cuisines A global cuisine is a cuisine that is practiced around the world. A cuisine is a characteristic style of cooking practices and traditions, often associated with a specific region, country or culture. To become a global cuisine, a local, regional ...

, and hordes of cybercafes. Apart from that Paharganj also has a

Chabad House A Chabad house is a centre for disseminating traditional Judaism by the Chabad movement. Chabad houses are run by a Chabad Shaliach (emissary), and Shalucha (fem. for emissary) and their family. They are located in cities and on or near college ...

as it is frequented by the large number of Jewish and Israeli tourists, and bakeries like 'German Bakery', named 'Ajay Cafe' 19 years ago. The area is known for its concentration of affordable hotels, lodges, restaurants,

s and a wide variety of shops catering to both domestic travellers and foreign tourists, especially backpackers and low-budget travellers, it has become particularly popular as a haunt for international cuisine. Over the years, Paharganj has become the biggest hotel hub for low-budget foreign tourists in Delhi, though with rising congestion, the proliferation of illegal bars and illegal activities like drug peddling, Paharganj has also become a hotspot for crime, and a criminal hideout. The area has shelters and homes, run by Salaam Baalak Trust, an NGO, for

street A street is a public thoroughfare in a built environment. It is a public parcel of land adjoining buildings in an urban context, on which people may freely assemble, interact, and move about. A street can be as simple as a level patch of dirt, ...

and working children, established in 1988. The trust has run the

Salaam Baalak City Walk - New Delhi As-salamu alaykum ( ar, ٱلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ, , ), also ''Salamun Alaykum'' is a greeting in Arabic that means 'Peace be upon you'. The (, meaning 'peace') has become a religious salutation for Muslims worldwide when greet ...

, a guided tour through Paharganj and New Delhi Railway Station area. The guides are former street children from the trust. The walk aims to sensitize about street life, street children and Indian society problems. During the walk, the guides share their personal story of survival with the participants and show them the contact points and shelter homes SBT provides. In 2005, during 29 October 2005 Delhi serial bombings, the first blast took place in the main bazaar of Paharganj, during busy shopping period, two days before festival of

Diwali Diwali (), Dewali, Divali, or Deepavali ( IAST: ''dīpāvalī''), also known as the Festival of Lights, related to Jain Diwali, Bandi Chhor Divas, Tihar, Swanti, Sohrai, and Bandna, is a religious celebration in Indian religions. It is ...

. Ahead of the

2010 Commonwealth Games The 2010 Commonwealth Games (Hindi: 2010 राष्ट्रमण्डल खेल), officially known as the XIX Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Delhi 2010, was an international multi-sport event that was held in Delhi, India, f ...

, a massive Rs. 800 million ($17 million) facelift program for Paharganj was implemented by

Municipal Corporation of Delhi Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is the municipal corporation that governs most of Delhi, India. The MCD is among the largest municipal bodies in the world providing civic services to an estimated population of more than 11 million citiz ...

(MCD) in 2009, it included 56 roads and lanes in Paharganj, where over 500 hotels and lodges were expecting to host visitors for the games. Some shops were demolished in areas like Main Bazar, Ram Nagar market and Amrit Kaur market, markets were given uniform design, all road was relaid, sidewalks and pavements were also added, to decongest the area by September 2010.

Historic monuments

Paharganj is also home to the historic Qadam Sharif

dargah A dargah ( fa, درگاه ''dargâh'' or ''dargah'', Turkish: ''dergâh'', Hindustani: ''dargah'' दरगाह درگاہ, bn, দরগাহ ''dorgah'') is a shrine or tomb built over the grave of a revered religious figure, often ...

, dedicated to the footprint of Prophet Mohammed, originally built by

Firuz Shah Tughlaq Sultan Firuz Shah Tughlaq (1309 – 20 September 1388) was a Muslim ruler from the Tughlaq dynasty, who reigned over the Sultanate of Delhi from 1351 to 1388.

, a 14th-century

Sultan of Delhi The following list of Indian monarchs is one of several lists of incumbents. It includes those said to have ruled a portion of the Indian subcontinent, including Sri Lanka. The Mahajanapada, earliest Indian rulers are known from epigraphica ...

. ''Qazi Wali Masjid'', known for its intricate engravings, and arched doorways. The grave of

poet laureate A poet laureate (plural: poets laureate) is a poet officially appointed by a government or conferring institution, typically expected to compose poems for special events and occasions. Albertino Mussato of Padua and Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch) ...

of Mughal court,

Zauq Sheikh Muhammad Ibrahim Zauq (1790–1854) was an Urdu poet and scholar of literature, poetry and religion. He wrote poetry under the pen name "Zauq", and was appointed poet laureate of the Mughal Empire, Mughal Court in Delhi just at the age ...

, who lived nearby Nabi Karim and died in 1854, lies in the bylanes of Paharganj. It was restored in early 2000s, after the Supreme Court orders, but his house was never identified.

Administration and politics

Today Sadar-Paharganj constitutes one of the 12 administrative zones of

(MCD). Paharganj was a Delhi Metropolitan Council segment, within the Chandni Chowk, Lok Sabha constituency, 1966–93. Thereafter it remained the Delhi State Assembly constituency, under

Chandni Chowk The Chandni Chowk, also known as Moonlight Square is one of the oldest and busiest markets in Old Delhi, India. It is located close to the Old Delhi Railway Station. The Red Fort monument is located at the eastern end of Chandni Chowk. It was bu ...

Lok Sabha The Lok Sabha, constitutionally the House of the People, is the lower house of India's bicameral Parliament, with the upper house being the Rajya Sabha. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by an adult universal suffrage and a first-past ...

constituency, from 1993 to 2008, Subsequently, following the delimitation of the parliamentary constituencies, in 2008, it became of the

New Delhi New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House ...

Lok Sabha constituency.

Tourism

Paharganj has known for its affordable hotels, lodges, and a wide variety of shops especially among backpackers starting from the 1970s.Now newer part of the city, particularly

is gaining gradual popularity among backpackers.

In popular culture

The tourist culture of Paharganj has been a theme for many films, including

Kate Winslet Kate Elizabeth Winslet (; born 5 October 1975) is an English actress. Known for her work in independent films, particularly period dramas, and for her portrayals of headstrong and complicated women, she has received numerous accolades, incl ...

starrer, ''

Holy Smoke! ''Holy Smoke!'' is a 1999 independent romantic comedy-drama film directed by Jane Campion, and starring Kate Winslet and Harvey Keitel. Its plot follows an American exit counselor (Keitel) who attempts to deprogram a young Australian woman (W ...

'' (1999), parts of which were shot when she stayed at a Paharganj hotel, in September 1998. In 2008, parts of the Hindi film, ''

Dev.D ''Dev.D'' is a 2009 Indian Hindi-language romantic black comedy film released on 6 February 2009. Written and directed by Anurag Kashyap, it is a modern-day take on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's classic Bengali novel ''Devdas'', previously ada ...

'' (2009) directed by

Anurag Kashyap Anurag Kashyap (born 10 September 1972) is an Indian filmmaker and actor known for his works in Hindi cinema. He is the recipient of several accolades, including four Filmfare Awards. For his contributions to film, the Government of France a ...

were shot in Paharganj area, depicting the seedy side of hotel industry, from prostitution to drug peddling.'Dev D' is not like Sudhir Mishra's 'Aur Devdas'

, Wednesday, 10 December 2008.

References

Sources

* * * * {{Neighborhoods of Delhi Neighbourhoods in Delhi