Khari Baoli-Gali Batasha-The Spice Market (Gadodia Market) – Fatehpuri Mosque – Haider Quli Khans Gateway – Lala Chunna Mal”s Haveli – Delhi Spice Market Tour
This walk is chefs delight as it takes you to wholesale Spice, Pickle and preserved fruit fruit shops. It is quite short walk. One can take it any time of the day after 10 am. During the week and on Saturday. But dont attempt it on Sunday, as all shops are closed.
TIMING OF THE WALKS AND PARING AT THE RED FORT: The Parking can be done in the Red Fort Car Park, Parade Ground or Esplanade Road near Meena Bazar. Both Car Parks are very busy though one has better chance of finding a space before 9:30 AM. Although the Walk itself isn’t long enough. Allow Fifteen Minutes to take you to the start of the Walk and another Ten to return you to your Car.
THE STARTING POINT OF THE WALK: Khari Baoili (Curry Bowly) is the western End of the Chandani Chowk. This is a well known market well known as Gadodia.
KHARI BAOLI :
This is a very busy street today and was more important in the Shah Jahan’s time too. There used to be fortified Gateway at the westerly End of the Khari Baoili, Through which a road led to Lahore
THE WALK TO THE GALI BATASHA & THE CONTENTS OF THE SPICE SHOPS:
Don’t enter the Spice Market Immediately. With your walk to the entrance walk left, away from the Direction you come, and then stop at the second lane entering from the left. This is the Gali Batasha but as you walk along study the wonderful array of spices in the little shops. They are both the retail and whole and wholesale. The Nuts and Fruits are very attractive that one may want to buy it here, as the Khari Baoili goods have a reputation for being the best in Delhi. The Owners of these Nuts and Spices shop do speak English but their assistants not.
THE ITEMS AVAILABLE HERE:
NUTS: Almonds (Badam), Cashewnuts (Kajoo), Coconuts (Nariyal), Whole Nutmegs (Jaifer), PeaNuts (Moong-phali), Pistachinut (Pista), Walnuts (Akhroi), Beetel Nut (Supari)
DRIED FRUITS: Raisins (Kishmish), Sultana(Munakka), Dried Dates (Chhohara), Dried Figs(Anjeer)
GROUND SPICES:
Some of the most common spices piled up into pyramids
Red:
Smooth Chilli Powder (Bookanee Lal Mirch)
Finely Chopped Chilies: (Mota Lal Mirch)
Yellow: Ground Turmeric (Haldi Powder)
Khaki: Ground Coriander (Dhania Powder)
Off White: Ground Dried Mango (Aamchur)
Beige (Ground Ginger)
Brown (A mixture for adding to fruit Salad (Friut Chat Mixture)
SPICES IN SACKS, BINS, BOTTLES
Aniseed (Sauf), Cardemom (Elaichi), Cinnamon Sticks (Dalchini), Saffron (Kesar), Black Paper (Kali Mirch)
THE SPICE MARKET (GADOLIA MARKET)
Gadodia Markets covered arcade leads into an open square lined with wholesale Spice dealers Store Rooms. Large weighing scale takes pride of place at front of each. There is a narrow channel around wholesaler now.
There is an attractive square, as three stories of offices and flats above the wholesalers are brightly painted and Ornately decorated.It was built around 75 years ago by a merchant, Seth Lakshmi Narayan Gadodia. Between 10 AM and Noon time this area is sometimes so congested with porters struggling to get their long barrows piled high with sacks to wholesalers, that it is impossible to walk around. There you find the open sacks of Red Chillies, that is extremely photogenic and other spices like Turmeric, Dried Mango, Black Salt, Tamarind.
The Air in the courtyard is so full of spices that one even leave the market sneezing. Turn right on Gadodia Market and continue along Khari Baoili. Then you find more Nuts and Spices Shops around you.