About Connaught Place
Connaught place, also called as CP, is located at the heart of New Delhi. It was
built in 1931. Connaught place happens to be the commercial hub of Delhi. It
depicts the style of British architecture which was very planned and well
structured. The glamour is still there and people love coming to CP for shopping
and entertainment.


Markets and shops in Connaught place are structured in the form of rings
comprising of inner and outer circle. Connaught place has been renamed as Rajiv
Chowk. The British rule at that time thought that the circular structure of the
market would be beneficial for both the shopkeepers and the shoppers. Connaught
Place has been modeled after the Royal Crescent in Bath, England. Connaught
place is easily recognized in the map of Delhi which is again given in this
site (category Map) because it stands out like a circle with roads
plying from many points on the circumference of the circular structure.


Connaught Place has always been the most sought after destination for both
tourist as well as the resident population. You would find everything here,
right from a grocery store to a car showroom. Connaught place has a
PVR Cineplex which matches the best in the
city. The restaurants, the cafes, the road side handicraft shops and the
colorful crowd add to the glory of this very historic place.
Any tourist traveling to India must visit
the Connaught Place once. Connaught place has emporiums from every state of
India. Connaught Place also has branches of major National and International
banks, along with the offices of tours operators and
airlines in India.
 

Shopping in Connaught Place
Connaught place provides the best resource to shop with a number of options
available. Connaught place is surrounded by Panchkula Marg, Kasturba Gandhi Marg,
Baba Khadak Singh Marg and Barakhamba Marg.
The place is flooded with shops and marketing complexes where you will have
every thing under one roof. It has been one of the most sought after
shopping destinations of Delhi. The aura of the
place and the unique specialty ensure that you don't return empty handed. Among the
most popular items here in Connaught place, you can find imported electronic
goods, sports items, books, household goods, handicrafts, etc. Connaught Place
lures every visitor with its exotic design and shopping spur. Another specialty
lies in the multi dimensional environment of the place where you would find
hotels, restaurants, pubs, Bars, cinema halls and office of major
establishments. The market is closed during Sundays and has special attraction
in festival seasons. The most happening time to visit Connaught place is during
evening when the crowd gathers to enjoy the exquisite evening with the bliss of
having a wonderful shopping experience.

Dinning in Connaught place
Connaught place comprises of three circles; inner, outer and middle circles.
Food lovers and gourmets find the place an ultimate destination which has
variety and quality to offer. The outer circle would give a wonderful spree of
restaurants and cafes. Outer circle includes renowned names like Braista Coffee
Lounge, Ruby Tuesday, McDonalds, TGI Friday's, Nirulas and the famous Chatori
Ghalli.


Markets in Connaught Place:
Main markets in and around Connaught place are Janpath and Palika Bazar. Janpath
happens to be one of most important places where you would find latest fashion
clothes and other goods that are popular in modern trend. Connaught Place is a
major attraction for tourists and young generation who find the place an ideal
shopping destination with latest fashion trends. Palika Bazar and Janpath happen
to be the popular markets here, suiting all pockets and catering to the latest
fashion trends.


Janpath: Shops in Janpath sell latest trendy
clothes and fashionable items at cheap prices. These shops are very popular
among foreigners who love buying Indian jewelry,
handicrafts and other antique items. Having pointed out the specialty
of these shops, it is imperative to mention the precaution one should take while
buying anything from these shops. Shopkeepers in Janpath take advantage of the
ignorance of foreigners about the price and quality of the market. Another
specialty lies in the state emporiums from different Indian states. Handicrafts
lovers would find the place an ideal destination for Handicrafts goods. Apart
from trendy shops, Janpath has cafes and restaurants serving
delicious food.


Palika bazaar is also very popular which has always attracted tourists
for its unique peculiarity of a wonderful shopping experience under one roof.
The underground market is located in the inner circle of Connaught Place which
can be reached from any point on the circumference of the inner circle. The
specialty lies in its underground structure and the shops, who sell almost every
thing a normal buyer would want to buy for his/her daily need and fashion. You
can say that the place fulfills every shopping need. The market is ideally
suited for shopping in summer and also in winters because people are saved from
sprawling heat and cold respectively. It is famous for electronic goods,
fashionable clothes, perfumes, leather goods, photography equipments, etc. The
underground market has cafes and small eateries where you can enjoy some good
snacks while you shop. The garden above the market is an ideal place to meet and
date your friends. Spending some time in the garden really makes you feel good
as it has a beautiful view of Connaught Place. With the advent of Metro service
to Connaught Place, the market has regained its charm among youngsters who were
shifting to latest malls and other shopping destinations.


Shopping at Palika bazaar needs some bargaining experience because at the
first say they generally ask for a much higher price and anybody can be bowled
by them. So, it is important that you bargain well and look for the authenticity
of the goods. Palika Bazaar is famous for electronic goods and people visit the
market for buying CDs of new movie releases and songs. The market is a big
station for pirated CDs of Indian movies. Police have often raided the place for
selling these pirated movie CDs and some porn stuffs that are one of the prime
features of the market. Most of these goods are pirated and smuggled from other
countries. So, one should be careful while shopping here in Palika Bazaar.



Parking in Connaught Place
Parking at Connaught Place is a big problem with so many vehicles lined up
for parking space. However, there is an underground parking in place but with
the increasing number of vehicles in the city, it has become very difficult for
the authorities to manage the traffic. With the new plan of NDMC, things are
expected to get better and also the running of Delhi Metro to Connaught Place
has lessened the traffic to a great extent. Parking here is very expensive which
means you will have to spend a few bucks to park your vehicles. Palika parking
is a good option at present which is under plans of renovation which would have
multi-level parking space. At the moment it is the only place where you can have
your vehicles parked with a few other empty spots in and around CP.