Gole Market
Gole Market (Hindi: गोल बाज़ार, Punjabi: ਗੋਲ ਬਾਜ਼ਾਰ, Urdu: گول بازار Gole Bazar) (literally Circular Market) is a middle-class locality in the heart of New Delhi, India, that grew around the octagonal market built by Edwin Lutyens in 1921 within a traffic roundabout. The octagonal market built as a part in the axis planned by Edwin Lutyens as part of New Delhi's layout.[1]
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[edit] History
The octagonal market was designed by Edwin Lutyens himself as it was integral to his plan. It was built in 1921, a full decade ago the Connaught Place shopping area came up near by, and catered to daily needs of the thousands of government employees living nearby residential colonies built for them, in the 1924.[2] These employees worked at the near by Secretariat Building, as most government offices here from Old Delhi, a decade before the new capital was inaugurated in 1931. Many of employees were brought into the new Capital from distant parts of the India, including the Bengal Presidency and Madras Presidency. Even today the area had a strong Bengali community.[3] It is one of Delhi's oldest surviving colonial markets, as most of the shops in the Gole Market were built in 1920s and are now heritage structures, the market was restored after 2009, by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).[4][5]
After the partition of India, noted painter B. C. Sanyal and his wife Snelata, a ghazal singer and theatre person, moved to Delhi, they set up base in the 26, Gole Market. This "refugee studio" soon became a hub for artists and students in Delhi, and later gallery 26. Soon it gave rise to the Delhi Shilpi Chakra, which he founded along with a number of artist-friends, had an important influence on the contemporary art in the North India.[6][7]
[edit] Overview
Also close by the ‘New Delhi General Post Office’, also known as Gole Dak Khana built in 1931, due to the octagonal shape of the building designed by Robert Tor Russell, the chief architect of Public Works Department, (PWD). It stands inside a busy roundabout earlier known as Alexandra Place, and its height was especially kept low to give the Sacred Heart Cathedral, which stands close by a clear view.[1]
Gole Market has over 60 shops including numerous Confectioneries, Sweets and fast food shops including, 'Kaleva', 'Bangla Sweet Shop', 'Karachi Sweet Shop' [8] A kilometre away from the commercial centre Connaught Place and two kilometers from the President's House and the Parliament House, it has existed in enviable proximity with the political masters of India. Also near Gole Market is the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) Delhi headquarters.[9]
[edit] Politics
Gole Market area has been a Delhi Metropolitan Council constituency within New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency (1966–93), and later a Delhi State Assembly constituency within the South Delhi Lok Sabha constituency (1993–2008). In 1998 and later 2003 assembly elections, CM Sheila Dikshit was contested from Gole Market seat and won.[10] However after the delimitation exercise in 2008, that seat does not exist any more, it is now the New Delhi constituency.[11]
[edit] Religious buildings
Churches:
- Sacred Heart Cathedral, within the compound of which is the Archbishops House
- St. Peters Cathedral
- Church of North India
- Delhi Bible fellowship
- The Marthoma Church
Temples:
- Laxminarayan Temple (Birla Mandir)
- Kali Bari Mandir, Mandir Marg
- Hanuman Temple, Connaught Circus
- Hanuman Mandir (Gole Market)
- Kali Mandir (Bangla Sahib marg)
- Arya Samaj Mandir (Mandir marg)
- Buddha Mandir (Mandir marg)
The Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, the place of worship of the Sikhs
There is also the newly built Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga.
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Imperial Impressions". Hindustan Times. July 20, 2011. http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/newdelhi/Imperial-Impressions/Article1-723461.aspx.
- ^ "From Bengal, but staunchly Delhiites". Hindustan Times. July 06, 2011. http://www.hindustantimes.com/specials/coverage/Delhi100/From-Bengal-but-staunchly-Delhiites/newdelhi/SP-Article10-717796.aspx.
- ^ "Capital story: Managing a New Delhi". Hindustan Times. September 01, 2011. http://www.hindustantimes.com/Capital-story-Managing-a-New-Delhi/Article1-740284.aspx.
- ^ "Gole Market: Road to restoration will shut its shops". Indian Express. May 28, 2009. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/gole-market-road-to-restoration-will-shut-its-shops/467047/0.
- ^ "Stir at Gole Mkt over eviction plan". The Times of India. May 28, 2009. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-05-28/delhi/28165992_1_shop-owners-ndmc-heritage-building.
- ^ "Art adda". Indian Express. Feb 22, 2009. http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/art-adda/426657/.
- ^ "B.C. SANYAL (1902 - 2003): No more brush strokes..". The Hindu. Jan 13, 2003. http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2003/01/13/stories/2003011300830200.htm.
- ^ "Gole Market shopowners pay dearly". The Times Of India. Feb 16, 2004. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-02-16/delhi/28323972_1_meat-shops-gole-market-bitter-pill.
- ^ "PM pays rich tributes to Jyoti Basu". Indian Today. January 18, 2010. http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/PM+pays+rich+tributes+to+Jyoti+Basu/1/79737.html.
- ^ "Women candidates still few and far between". Nov 18, 2003. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-11-18/delhi/27215248_1_women-candidates-women-leaders-poll-fray.
- ^ "Advani's advice convinced Jolly". Newstrack. 06 Nov 2008. http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/34431.
[edit] External links
Coordinates: 28°38′03″N 77°12′19″E / 28.634140°N 77.205412°E
The other Schools include Elisabeth Hall-Shiv Niketan school, Kali Bari Dayanand Model Public School Rainoor Paathshaala, Kaali Bari NP Primary School
