Karol Bagh (also spelled Qarol Bagh, pronounced[qəroːlbaːɣ]) is a neighborhood in Central District of Delhi, India.[1][2][3] It is a mixed residential and commercial neighborhood known for shopping streets, such as the Ghaffar Market and Ajmal Khan Road.
Residential areas W.E.A, Beadon Pura, Reghar Pura, Dev Nagar, and Bapa Nagar have a mix of commercial activities such as wholesale markets Tank Road Garment Market and Hardhyan Singh Road Leather market.
Tank Road wholesale garment market came into existence with a few shopkeepers at the end of the 1980s. It offers multiple stores for ethnic women's wear i.e. suits, sarees, and lehengas.
The name Karol Bagh, also spelled Qarol Bagh, derives from the Hindi-Urdu words "Qarol" (क़रोल, قرول) meaning "curved like green chilly" and "Bagh" (बाग़, باغ) meaning "garden".[4][5][3] The place was named for the numerous herbal gardens in the area.[4][5]
In the 1920s, the villages of Madhoganj, Jaisingh Pura, Raja ka Bazaar, and others were evacuated to build Connaught Place and nearby areas. The villagers were relocated once to the west of Karol Bagh, then to a second rocky area populated by trees and bushes.[6]
Karol Bagh was primarily populated with Muslims until the mass exodus to Pakistan at the time of the Partition of India in 1947,[7] which also resulted in an influx of refugees from West Punjab and Sindh, many of whom were traders. There is a sizable Marathi-speaking population, a Tamil-speaking population,[8] and a large Bengali community, most of whom are employed in jewellery manufacturing. Karol Bagh hosts one of the oldest Durga Puja in the city.
There were incidents at Karol Bagh during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, including burning of shops.[9] Karol Bagh was the target of a terrorist bomb blast in Ghaffar Market in October 2008.[10]
Karol Bagh is popular with affluent people of West and Central Delhi for shopping, with busy markets including Ajmal Khan Road and Arya Samaj Road,.The Karol Bagh market is one of the oldest shopping centers in Delhi. The market offers variety from big air-conditioned showrooms to small and dainty shops in alleys.
Many areas of the market specialise in a particular field:
Ajmal Khan Road once specialised in inexpensive ready-made garments, cotton yarn, and embroidered garments. Now this road has large stores and international labels, along with Indian munchies and masalas (spices).
Arya Samaj Road specialises in second-hand books.
Bank Street is known for its jewellery shops, especially jewellery for the bridal trousseau.
Ghaffar Market has a diverse array of products, ranging from cosmetics to watches to cell phones to footwear.
A TV series shown on Zee TV, 12/24 Karol Bagh (2009–2010), was shot and produced in Delhi. Its subsequent success started the trend for many TV serials being set in Delhi.[14]
Zoya Singh Solanki, the central character in the romantic comedy novel by Anuja Chauhan, The Zoya Factor (2008) lives in Karol Bagh, who ends up becoming the lucky mascot for the Indian cricket team in the novel.[15]
In recent years the 108-foot Hanuman statue has become an iconic landmark marking the entrance to Karol Bagh and is seen regularly featured in Bollywood movies showcasing New Delhi.
In the 2021 movie Bell Bottom, Akshay Kumar's character lived in Gurudwara Road, Karol Bagh.
In the movie Befikre, Ranveer Singh's character lived in Karol Bagh. There's a dialogue that says "you might have left Karol Bagh, but Karol Bagh hasn't left you".
^Fārūqī, Z̤iāʼulḥasan (1999). Dr. Zakir Hussain, Quest for Truth. APH Publishing. p. 105. ISBN978-81-7648-056-7. In August 1925 , the Jamia had been shifted from Aligarh to Delhi and was located in Qarol Bagh, Delhi.
^Report on the Administration of the Delhi Province for 1928-29. Calcutta: Government Of India Central Publication Branch. 1930. p. 106.
^ ab"क़रोल-बाग़". Rekhta. Retrieved 5 January 2022. qarol-baaG क़रोल-बाग़ قرول باغ a place in Delhi
^ abArora, Shilpi (2012). Quintessential Delhi. Friday Gurgaon. p. 15. Karol Bagh got its name from a number of herbal gardens in the area. It was once spelled as "Qarol Bagh" – "Qarol" means "curved like green chilly".
