Delhi’s Khari Baoli, also known as the Delhi Spice Market, is Asia’s largest and most vibrant spice hub, steeped in history since the 17th century. Located near Chandni Chowk, this bustling market is a sensory feast, offering a vast array of local and exotic spices, dried fruits, and condiments.
The air is filled with the rich aromas of spices like saffron, cardamom, and turmeric, while the lively atmosphere reflects the market’s cultural heritage. A visit to Khari Baoli is a journey through time, where traditional trade practices meet the colorful energy of modern Delhi.
Delhi Spice Market:
This market is a tourist attraction as it is Asia’s largest spice market. It serves a wide variety of local and exotic spices. This market was set up in the 17th century in the Mughal era.
This market is also known as “Khari Baoli”. Here “Khari” word refers to salty and ‘Baoli’ refers to step well. The ‘Khari Baoli’ together means salty water step well.
The current situation of Khari Baoli does not justify its name. There is no trace of water in and near the Khari Baoli.
When I entered the spice market, the first scene that came into my vision was the spice shops and stalls. Every stall and shop has many big bags filled to the brim with various spices and dried fruits such as chillies, nuts, grains, salts, saffron, yellow turmeric, green cardamom, almonds, resins, and many more placed in the front of the shop as a display for customers.
I saw customers roaming from one shop to another in search of their desired spice. There was a huge variety of spices such as refined, local, and exotic from which a customer could choose.
There were many workers who were lifting and carrying heavy bags filled with spices and dried fruits from the storehouses (‘Godown’ in the local language) to the shop in the spice market.
While roaming there I could smell the aroma of the spices, some were sweet and some were making me sneeze. The market was not at all quite like any other Indian market I could listen to workers shouting to move the customers aside and the customers were discussing with the shopkeepers.
Shopkeepers were shouting the names of spices and their prices to attract the customers, some were ordering the workers, and the customers were gossiping and buying the stuff.
While standing in the market I saw the Fatehpuri Mosque, Chandni Chowk, and Red Fort. While going through the stalls I saw many photographers capturing the images of spices and the atmosphere.Â
As I moved ahead in the Khari Baoli I saw more varieties of dry fruits and condiments. I talked to a few shopkeepers and asked about some of the spices. I noticed that shopkeepers can speak English but their assistants can’t.
The shopkeepers told me about the famous spices, nuts and dried fruits in this market such as Almonds (Badam), Cashew nuts (Kaju), Coconuts (Nariyal), Whole Nutmegs (Jaifer), Pea Nuts (Moong-pali), Pistachios (Pista), Walnuts (Akhrot), Beetel Nut (Supari), Raisins (Kishmish), Sultana (Munakka), Dried Dates (Chihara), Dried Figs (Anjeer) and many others.
After roaming in the market and capturing the memories and aroma of the spices I returned to my hotel. If you are planning to visit Delhi, you must come to this place and have a look at this market and the nearby attractions such as Red Fort and Chandni Chowk.
How to reach Delhi Spice Market:
Get into a Taxi or Auto-rickshaw:
You can get a taxi and hop in it from any area in Delhi. All the autos are fitted with meters so the fares are fixed per k
Take a Metro:
The nearest metro stations are Chawri Bazar and Chandni Chowk. The Khari Bowl is within walking distance from these metro stations.
Hop a Bus
429 LSTL and 807 A these two bus lines stop near Khari Baoli.
Timings:
9 AM – 10 PM
