Going down the memory lane in Delhi. Visiting Memory lanes Part I (Janpath) - as received

 Going down the memory lane in Delhi.   Visiting Memory lanes Part I (Janpath) 

(Oh ! those growing up years in late 50s ,60s and 70s) 

My earliest memory of CP is travelling by tonga from New Delhi Railway Station to Janpath where we used to reside. NDLS (Paharganj side) had a tonga stand at the mouth of Paharganj, where both horse and tongawalla used to relax, like a taxi stand. Horse would have their refreshment there. Janpath was still known as Queen’s Way. In fact, I had a terylene bush shirt fondly bought for me by may father. Though little longer lengthwise but was so colourful, fit  for kids of my age in that age. 

In fact some times our address used to be confused with 15-A Janpath Barracks which was behind Queen’s way i.e. adjacent to Indian Oil Bhavan. You can locate it somewhere behind what once was Annapurna eatery. 

I recall there used to be a 13 Janpath Market which was the show room of BON-Ton optician where my mum got her first specks made. 

Once you walk past Imperial Hotel where luxury taxi wallas had haphazardly parked their DLZ cabs e.g. Impala, Chevrolet etc. you would come across Tibetian Market they would sell their wares on a spread tripal under petromax. The semi pucca structure of Janpath market didn’t have as many shops in fact a shop or two have been added at both the ends I remember, you know how all this is managed. 

So a masala dosa in Annapurna co-op eatery was so very filling. The eatery was abuzz with business. Behind Janpath market was Freemason’s sprawling building, still stands, always under a mystery. I believe they run a close club as also a charitable dispensary at a nominal fee. Much later I learnt about their cult in Bandikui while I was posted in Jaipur. 

It used to be our short cut for visiting Jantar Mantar and Hanuman mandir. Hanuman mandir’s visit had less to do with mandir but more to do with Tuesday pavement market and this hawker would sell ‘Har mall 2.15 aana’ (Dhaai aana i.e. 15 paise) my only attraction he sold was a series of colourful fountain pens. 

The CP then was less crowded with lot of free space. The buildings which came up before our eyes Allhabad Bank building, Bank of Baroda building, The Park Hotel, The DLF office (area was known as Narendra Place) Rukhsana Sultna lived there. In fact where you have The Park Hotel there used to be sold Lottery by one M/s V. Kumar. I recall having bought a few on my father’s behalf. The tickets were sold after he noted down name and address of the buyer. Narendra Place was a sort of red bricked crescent opposite each other. 

The famous LIC ground was rented out for exhibitions. I remember seeing and often ganging up at the stall where a toffee making machine was showcased. The girl at the counter would give us kids a set of two toffees tucked in a post card type flap carrying the ad of the company. Also once I insisted my parents to go and watch the Fashion show (as it was known then) at the same ground of which I had managed to obtain the passes. 

There was this urinal at CP end of Janpath which was removed for obvious reasons. I recall during Emergency there was this massive hoarding depicting the famous 20 point programme of the Congress Party propagated by Mrs Gandhi, the first brush with so called Vikas. 

Opposite LIC ground now multi storey mammoth building known as LIC building, existed temporary sheds which housed State Emporia before they were en masse re located to Baba Kharak Sibgh marg. Also a Hindi Bhavan (where I listened to Bhavani Prasad Mishra’s famous Geetfarosh Kavita) Adjacent  to this cluster of Emporium was the famous Indian Coffee House. Oh what a happening place it was. 28 paise for a hot cuppa of filter coffee. In front, was a sprawling car parking, where you could locate MF Hussain’s fiat car as it had his signature painting on car door. Now the famous Palika Bazar exist there, an attraction for garments, computer games & dubious CDs. The Central Park, of course, later acquired notoriety for more things than one.  

What today is known as Central Park existed in its primitive shape with overgrown trees and plants, then fountains were added and after due renovation it appeared with colourful fountains and an open air restaurant called The Ramble. Remember having espresso coffee there with my late mamaji. 

All the four picture halls were very popular and often displayed House Full boards. The ticket of front stall cost Rs.1.25/- The balcony was Rs.5/- Plaza theatre adding a men’s saloon in its renovated avatar was somewhat surprise for us. We used to hear that Shammi Kapoor had share in its ownership.  The Regal building had good restaurants a big departmental store of sort Gainda mal & sons and book hawkers at the pavement. The cellar with minimum cover of Rs.5/-by far the first disco came up at the basement where u have Pind Baluchi now. The Gaylord still existed.

Khadi Bhandar was a great attraction specially during Gandhi Jayanti days when a big SALE will be organised. 

Mohan Singh market also came up much later, it was known for jeans and jackets of all kind suitable altered on the spot to fit you. It had its own Indian Coffee House at the terrace. 

Opposite Rivoli theatre existed a Restaurant Mikado. The Japanese name stuck in my memory.

There was no trace of Shivaji stadium it came up before our eyes. We used to go to Janta Book depot situated at the end of Baird Road. Our one stop shop for all text books. Much later, they opened a second outlet in Bengali Market. 

…. more about Connaught Place as I saw in part II