Chowk, Allahabad

Coordinates: 25°26′12.44″N 81°50′2.72″E / 25.4367889°N 81.8340889°E / 25.4367889; 81.8340889

Chowk is a neighborhood in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is the historic city centre of Old Allahabad. It is one of the oldest & largest business markets of India & lies in Old Allahabad.

History

Chowk is a historical point, where once stood the Neem tree where numerous freedom fighters were hanged in the first Indian War of Independence.
The old church is situated here. The Grand Trunk Road passed through Chowk in its early days.
The area once had, residence of Pt Motilal Nehru and his son, Jawaharlal Nehru,the first Prime minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru was born in an area called Mir Ganj, which is now, unfortunately, notorious Red light district of Allahabad.
The other dignities who belong to this area are:
Pt Madan Mohan Malviya
Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasiya

Geography

Chowk is situated in southern part of Allahabad Municipal council.¹
Its part of ganges plain with Alluvium soil

Amenities

The main market of Allahabad,a traditional bazaar, from garments to spices sweets papads and vegetables in the morning, their aroma fills your nostrils, in the evening you can enjoy the delicacies like chaats that have unparalleled tastes. Loknath Gali is its heart as well as its stomach—it serve as what would today be called a food court, for traders and shoppers. Here, the chaaterati of Allahabad would congregate, to gossip and eat. A typical Loknath Gali evening would follow this course: one start from the northern end of the street—the city side—and sauntered to the end of the lane at the Baba Loknath Temple (the area was called Sarai Meer Khan before the temple was built), sampling the fare on offer along the way. The first course would be an assortment of Nirala's chaat, followed by dahi jalebi or kulfi faluda. If you were counted among the shaukeens(Connoisseur in English), you would stop by for bhang kulfi or bhang thandai. And as you waited for the kimam-khushbu paan at the end of the stroll, you ordered Hari namkeen's masala samosa to be packed for home.

Culture

During Dusherra festivals Chowk is crowded with tens of thousands of people for watching the Chowkis of Pajava and Patherchatti Ramlila committees, that adorn their chowkis in competition

Education

The past exists in easy harmony with the present. In one of the many narrow lanes someone will point out a building that is falling apart—the SanskritMahavidyalaya, set up by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, and still functioning.
There is one Bharati Bhavan Library which has lot of old manuscripts in Hindi language.1

Transport

Autorickshaw (carriage) used to ply to Katra, Allahabad and other places from here.
Public transport consist of cycle rickshaw.
Roads are narrow and congested as its part of old city with little scope for expansion

See also

• List of tourist attractions in Allahabad
• Neighborhoods in Allahabad

References

• Allahabad Photos
• Allahabad Today
• AKVS Blog
• Article in outlook India magazine

External links

• Old chowk Youtube
• Chowk at night

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