Tiffins & Co.: News Flash: Wedding Shopping Break in Delhi!

Day 1: Chandni Chowk
On Thursday we had no plans for the weekend and by Friday we had set in motion a 2 day trip to Delhi. Early Saturday morning my mom, Anitha, Geetu didi (cousin-sister), and I set off towards the capital city, Delhi, in search of vibrant shops and finger licking good food. First stop, Chandni Chowk!!

Chandni Chowk literally means "moonlit market." It was part of the mughal city (in what is now Old Delhi) enclosed by the humongous red fort. Built in 1650AD by the mughal emperor Shah Jahan, one of the city's main streets was Chandni Chowk. Today it is one of the oldest markets hustling and bustling with constant activity. The busy street is lined with stores and all the offshoot gallis (alleyways) have shops as far as the eye can see. These narrow gallis create a maze where one would not surface for days.
First, we visited Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib Ji. It is a very historical place in the Sikh religion because Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji (9th guru) was beheaded for refusing to convert to Islam in 1675AD. After some quick praying and some parshad (umm ofcourse!) it was off to shop!

This market is a designer's dream with everything from gold buttons of any size to fabric of every shade to an array of bangles and beads. It felt like an unreal world (almost like Disney World Anitha said). Not only were the sights stunning (I won't forget to mention the criss cross of electric wires that seemed to hold the whole market together) but the sounds heightened the senses. Car horns blaring in the distance to scooters zipping through the alleys, there was always some sort of commotion.

We were so lucky to have a guide with us that seemed to know Chandni Chowk like the back of his hand. As we whipped through the narrow gallis we suddenly stopped in front of this two story shop: Om Prakash. This was the first stop to find the ultimate wedding reception sari (traditional indian outfit). We saw numerous colors and I tried on more saris than I can count. And then there was one. The minute I tried it on I felt like a bride. Besides finding 'my' sari I was amazed by the beautiful selection this store had. Each piece burst with color and elegance. It was one of the best stores that I had been to so far and it was packed with people! How does one even find this place? Afterwards we visited a couple more shops but nothing else compared. We hopped on a cycle rickshaw for the trip back to the car. As the day was winding down it seemed we had walked for miles and that the shops went on forever. But then... Right when you think the shops will never end, a small plaque declares a heritage site of a Jain temple tucked away in the deep recesses of the market never to be found again...