Delhi - Karol Bagh Market

Karol Bagh Qarol Bagh
Neighbourhood of Delhi
Nickname(s): K.B., Q.B.
Karol Bagh Location in Delhi, India
Coordinates: 28.6629°N 77.210°E
Country	India
Territory	Delhi
Constituency	New Delhi (formerly Karol Bagh)
Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA)	Vishesh Ravi
Government
• Type	Elected Representative
• MP	Meenakshi Lekhi
Population
• Total	505,241
Time zone	GMT + 0530
PIN Code	110005
Distance From Airport = 18 KM Distance From Railway = 3 KM

Karol Bagh, also spelled as Qarol Bagh (Hindi:क़रोल बाग़, Punjabi: ਕ਼ਰੋਲ ਬਾਗ਼, Urdu: قرول باغ‎,pronounced [qəroːl baːɣ]), is a mixed residential-cum-commercial neighbourhood in Delhi, India, known for its shopping streets, like the Ghaffar Market and Ajmal Khan Road. It is one of the three administrative subdivisions, of the Central Delhi district, of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, with the other two being, Darya Ganj and Paharganj.

River of lights at Karol Bagh

It was also home to the Karol Bagh Lok Sabha constituency till it was abolished in 2008, now it is a Legislative Assembly of Delhi segment of the New Delhi constituency.

HistoryEdit

Busy market on Ajmal Khan Road, Karol Bagh

In the 1920s, residents of villages like Madhoganj, Jaisingh Pura and Raja ka Bazaar evacuated to build Connaught Placeand nearby areas, were relocated in Karol Bagh to the West, then a rocky area populated by trees and wild, bushes.

The area was primarily residential with a largeMuslim population until the exodus of many Muslims to Pakistan and an influx of refugees from West Punjab after partition in 1947, many of whom were traders. There remains a sizeable Marathi, Tamil-speaking population. Karol Bagh was also home to a large Bengali community, and has one of the oldest Durga Puja in the city, though their numbers have now increased many folds most of them working as jewelers.

Several incidents were reported at Karol Bagh in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, including burning of shops. Karol Bagh was the target of a terrorist attack in October 2008 when a there was a bomb blast in Ghaffar Market.

Noted residential places in Karol Bagh are Reghar Pura and Beadon Pura's Famous Temple Baba Ramdev ji.(named after an English officer), Dev Nagar, Bapa Nagar, W.E.A.

In Karol Bagh there is also a wholesale garments market known as Tank Road. It came into existence with few shopkeepers in the end of the 1980s.

EducationEdit

Entrance to the Ghaffar Market, Karol Bagh

The historic Ayurvedic and Unani Tibbia College was inaugurated here by Mahatma Gandhi in 1921, and Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College, also of Delhi University is situated here.

MarketsEdit

The area is now considered where the affluent people of West and Central Delhi go to shops, with a busy shopping streets including Ajmal Khan Road, Arya Samaj Road, and the Ghaffar Market, named after freedom fighter Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan. In the recent years, many western businesses have established themselves in this area. Pizza Hut, TGIF, Reebok, Sketchers, Puma and Lacoste have all established successful businesses in Karol Bagh.. Many eateries also exist such as Pind Balluchi etc.

TransportEdit

Delhi Metro, Karol Bagh station, 2009

Karol Bagh is situated at a distance of 20 – 22 km. from the Indira Gandhi International Airport, and is serviced by the Karol Bagh station, located on the Blue Line of the Delhi Metro.

In popular cultureEdit

12/24 Karol Bagh (2009–2010), a TV series shown on Zee TV, was set in Karol Bagh and shot and produced in Delhi. Its subsequent success started the trend for many TV serials being set in Delhi. Zoya Singh Solanki the central character in the rom-com novel byAnuja Chauhan, The Zoya Factor (2008) lives in Karol Bagh, who ends up becoming the lucky mascot for the Indian cricket team in the novel.