New Delhi: "Hello friend, what you want? Dollar exchange? Hotel room? Tourist site?" The sales pitch hits you in the face the moment you set foot on Paharganj. It continues all the way down the crowded lanes and bylanes of the place, which has for years remained a backpackers' haven.
Interestingly, almost all shopkeepers insist on answering you in broken English even when you ask anything in Hindi!
Close to the prestigious Connaught Place in Central Delhi, Paharganj retains its old image of a dirty, seedy place, with food, stay and travel all at hand.
The place is centrally located and tourists find it convenient to access other sites in Delhi. A lot of foreigners are fascinated by the history, culture and people of the city. Some come here every year having made it their transit destination. They probably know the topography of the locality even better than Delhiites living in other areas.
Mike, a German tourist is here on his third visit. "I cannot get enough of India. There is so much to see that I first visit Delhi and then venture out to other cities. I plan to go to Bihar to see the famous Bodh Gaya temple this time," he says.
The dingy lanes of Paharganj hold an altogether different world within its walls. Despite several shortcomings, foreigners have been thronging it since the 1970s. Even students visiting the Indian capital end up in Paharganj.
Hotels and guesthouses here suit every budget and tourists frequent the numerous eateries that serve Thai, Spanish, French, Israeli, Japanese, Lebanese, Turkish and Italian cuisines. With an eye on foreigners, bakeries sell croissant and cakes and almost everything is fresh.
Junk jewellery
With loud music playing in the background, the travellers are engrossed in themselves. Reluctant to talk, most do not like intrusion.
Apart from a choice of global food, one can get just about anything in Paharganj — from clothes and bags to junk jewellery and mobile phones.
Backpackers come out of the grimy hotels and fill up streets unmindful of the surrounding chaos. And strangely enough, they blend quite effortlessly with Paharganj's ghetto culture.
Christie, a tourist, said, "This is my second visit to Delhi. I find garments and footwear very appealing here. There's a wide range of textures and styles that one cannot find elsewhere at such low prices."
Chic stores rub shoulders with vendors selling tea and pakoras (snacks).
Paharganj is probably the only place in the city where the so many small and big hotels and guesthouses thrive despite having no licences. The bustling market is also notorious for easy access to drugs and contraband and is believed to be a haven of gamblers, pickpockets and thieves.
One is witness to strange sights as streets are packed with cycle-rickshaws, two-wheelers, motorists, cows and dogs. A tout cozies up to a tourist couple, following them a long way. They finally give in and the three have a short talk. The scene changes and the couple pursue the tout!
Safety concern
A resident of Paharganj, Aslam Khan complained, "Over the years, the place has become immensely crowded. Women feel unsafe and it is difficult for us to venture out with family. Relatives and friends who visit us also complain that most rickshaw pullers offer or insist on taking them to shops where they get commissions. Some people blame foreign tourist for tarnishing the image of the place, but it is the shopkeepers who are to blame for the filth that has spread in the vicinity," he added.
