Introduction

A visit to Khari Baoli can well be clubbed with a trip to the Red Fort and Chandni Chowk. An integral part of Old Delhi’s walled city, Khari Baoli can be reached by taking the Khari Baoli Road after crossing the Fatehpuri Masjid on the western end of the main Chandni Chowk Road. Built centuries back in Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan’s reign, it has a fortified gateway on its western end, popularly known as Lahori Gate.

As you stroll through the crowded alleys of Asia’s largest wholesale spice market, a pungent aroma of exotic condiments catches your senses. The display of rows and rows of spices, nuts, sugar, and herbs arranged in colorful piles is indeed a visual treat. While you bargain for exquisite herbs, soak up the energy and clamor of the market as it goes through its daily routine. Watch locals pick tons of spices with great flair, while laborers wrestle with loads of spices onto or off long wooden trolleys. Though the market is largely chaotic, you will realize how systematically the trading of small items is carried out daily.

A tour of this market is a great chance to mingle with the locals, learn how to select spices, the flavors they impart, and traditional delicacies that can be rustled up using them. Despite being a wholesale market, you can buy small quantities of spices and fine grains of rice among other exotic condiments. An amble down Khari Baoli is like taking a step back in time, where the atmosphere is authentically India.

Special Attributes

Khari Baoli is Asia's largest wholesale spice market.

Nuisance

Beggars, touts, pick pockets, and sometimes aggressive salesmen/hawkers

Dressing restrictions

Since it is a crowded traditional market, avoid wearing clothes that are too short or revealing.

Connectivity

Interstate bus, train, metro-rail, taxi or auto-rickshaw

Enjoyed by

Anyone who takes interest in Indian spices and wish to delve deeper. Not to mention, buy some exotic variety for your kitchen.

Exposure

The market is partly canopied, so you will not be directly under the sun. Carry along a bottle of drinking water as there is some bit of walking involved.

Avoidable Season

June, July

Facilities

Make your pick from an array of exotic spices or take the help of a spice merchant to select the best of India’s famous spice.

Things Not Allowed

No such restriction.

Tip

Tour the market during the day, preferably in the morning when fresh stock arrives, and it is less crowded. You can easily interact with the shopkeepers, ask them in detail about the spices and shop at your pace.

Type of site

A wholesale spice market in Old Delhi