Rolly at 06:04, 21 September 2025

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{{Other use|Chandni Chowk (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name = Chandni Chowk
|image_skyline=Kolkata Dharmatala1.jpg
|caption= Chandni Chowk market
|settlement_type = Neighbourhood in Kolkata (Calcutta)
|pushpin_map = India Kolkata
|pushpin_map_caption = Location in Kolkata
|pushpin_mapsize =
|coordinates = {{coord|22|33|56|N|88|21|24|E|type:city_region:IN|display=inline,title}}

|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = [[India]]
|subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
|subdivision_name1 = [[West Bengal]]
|subdivision_type2 = City
|subdivision_name2 = [[Kolkata]]
|subdivision_type3 = [[List of districts of West Bengal|District]]
|subdivision_name3 = [[Kolkata district|Kolkata]]
|subdivision_type4 = [[Kolkata Metro|Metro Station]]
|subdivision_name4 = [[Chandni Chowk metro station, Kolkata|Chandni Chowk]]
|postal_code_type = PIN
|postal_code =
|area_code = +91 33
| blank1_name_sec1 = [[Lok Sabha]] constituency
| blank1_info_sec1 = [[Kolkata Uttar (Lok Sabha constituency)|Kolkata Uttar]]
| blank2_name_sec1 = [[Vidhan Sabha]] constituency
| blank2_info_sec1 = [[Chowrangee (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Chowrangee]]
}}

'''Chandni Chowk''' is a neighbourhood of [[Kolkata|Central Kolkata]] in [[Kolkata district]] in the [[India]]n [[States and territories of India|state]] of [[West Bengal]]. It is famous for its old and cheap market of computer software products and hardwares,<ref name="auto">{{cite web | url=https://indianexpress.com/article/research/streetwise-kolkata-chandni-chowk-name-could-have-come-from-the-canopies-of-its-shops-7519191/lite/ | title=Streetwise Kolkata: Chandni Chowk's name could have come from the canopies of its shops | date=19 September 2021 }}</ref> and had been listed as a [[notorious market]] in 2009 and 2010 by the [[USTR]] for selling counterfeit software, media and goods.<ref>{{cite wikisource|chapter=Section 3|wslink=Special 301 Report/2009|plaintitle=Special 301 Report|last=|first=|year=|publisher=|page=|wspage=|scan=}}</ref><ref>{{cite wikisource|chapter=Section 3|wslink=Special 301 Report/2010|plaintitle=Special 301 Report|last=|first=|year=|publisher=|page=|wspage=|scan=}}</ref>

==History==
Chandni Chowk which is an economical hub and marketplace in North Kolkata, existed as early as 1784. A. Upjohn's map of 1784 of Calcutta describes it as "Chandney Choke Bazar", "Chandney Bazaar ka rastah", "Chandnee Choke" or "Goreeamar Lane". [[Kolkata Municipal Corporation]] records show that before 1937, that one of the lanes were called Guriama Lane in local. In February 1937, the name was officially changed to Chandney Approach. In 1938, again it was renamed aas Chandni Chowk Street.<ref name="auto"/> It was speculated the name was given after [[Chandni Chowk, Delhi|Delhi’s Chandni Chowk]] as a symbol of acknowledgement for the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]]s whose capital was at [[Delhi]] at that time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://two-together.com/etymology/kolkata-neighbourhoods-names/|title=Etymologies of Names of Neighbourhoods of Kolkata (Calcutta)|website=Two Together|date=29 November 2017 }}</ref>

[[William Carey (missionary)|W.H. Carey]] speculates that the name came from the canopies or the semi-permanent roofs (chadna, in Bengali) above shops that had sprung up over the years. The market existed in 19th century. R.J. Minney's "Round about Calcutta" (1922) says that Chandni Chowk contained garment markets, cycle shops, camera shops, pigeon stalls for cigarettes and sherbet. Hawkers and shopkeepers with semi-permanent structures continue to occupy every square inch of the space. In 1907, KMC bought land to widen Chandney Chowk Streets, but that did not help passersby.<ref name="auto"/>

In October 1994, Chandni Chowk came under metro corridor as the stretch from Esplanade to Chandni Chowk was authorised for construction.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blog.tummoc.com/a-brief-history-of-the-kolkata-metro/|title=A Brief History of The Kolkata Metro - blog.tummoc.com|date=27 July 2021}}</ref>

==Market==
Chandni Chowk is known for it being the oldest and biggest software and hardware market in West Bengal. Multiple technology companies had their main offices and service centres in Chandni Chowk due to its cheap and nearest facilities.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebeaconkolkata.co.in/chor-bazar-in-kolkata/|title=Jail-Broken iPhones, LCDs On The Pavement & Ancient Mobile Phones - Chor Bazar In Kolkata, Chandni is the ultimate Thug Life! - The Beacon Kolkata|date=21 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180121072249/https://www.thebeaconkolkata.co.in/chor-bazar-in-kolkata/ |archive-date=21 January 2018 }}</ref>

==Transport==
Central Ave, which is one the main road connectors between South and North Calcutta, passes through Chandni Chowk. Also Lenin Sarani of Kolkata road passes through Chandni Chowk which connects it directly to Sealdah. [[Chandni Chowk metro station, Kolkata|Chandni Chowk metro station]] and [[Esplanade metro station]] are nearest metro stations of the North South metro corridor. Esplanade serves also as metro station of the East West metro corridor of Kolkata.

==See also==
*[[Bidhan Sarani]]
*[[Boubazar]]
*[[College Street (Kolkata)|College Street]]
*[[Dharmatala]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Neighbourhoods in Kolkata]]
[[Category:Notorious markets]]
[[Category:High-technology business districts in India]]
[[Category:Information technology places]]
[[Category:Information technology in India]]
[[Category:Electronics districts]]
[[Category:Electronics industry in India]]

Chandni Chowk, Kolkata - Revision history

Rolly at 06:04, 21 September 2025