Connaught Place: The Heart of Delhi - A Guide to Explore the Iconic Destination

Connaught Place Delhi: Your Gateway to Delhi's Cultural Hub

Historically, Connaught Place is one of the oldest continuously occupied areas in Delhi, with a history dating back to 1052. It was built during the British Raj and named after the Duke of Connaught, a member of the British royal family. The architecture of Connaught Place reflects the colonial-era grandeur, with its white colonnades, circular design, and Georgian-style buildings.

It is not only a commercial and financial centre, but also a heritage site, a shopping hub, a dining destination, a nightlife hotspot and a tourist attraction. Janpath, a street adjacent to Connaught Place, is famous for its vibrant flea market, offering unique handicrafts, artifacts, and clothing items at affordable prices.

History of Connaught Place

Built in the 1930s: Connaught Place was constructed as part of the British plan to develop a new capital city for India.

Named after Prince Arthur: It was named after Prince Arthur, the Duke of Connaught, a member of the British royal family.

Architect Edwin Lutyens: Designed by Edwin Lutyens, who also designed other prominent buildings in Delhi like Rashtrapati Bhavan and India Gate.

Circular Market Design: Connaught Place was designed as a circular market with two concentric rings of shops and offices, connected by radial roads and inner corridors.

Connaught Circus and Connaught Place: The outer ring was called Connaught Circus and the inner ring was called Connaught Place. Buildings were constructed in white Georgian style with arched windows and pillars.

Historical Significance: Jawaharlal Nehru delivered his first speech as Prime Minister of India here on August 15, 1947. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated here on May 21, 1991.

Blend of Old and New: Retains its historical and architectural significance while adapting to modern needs. One of the most expensive and prestigious places in Delhi.

Shopping In Connaught Place

Connaught Place is a paradise for shoppers. It offers a variety of shopping options, ranging from international brands to local markets.

Janpath Market: Janpath Market is one of the oldest and busiest markets in Delhi. It is famous for its street shopping, where you can bargain for clothes, jewellery, handicrafts, leather goods and more.

Palika Bazaar: Palika Bazaar is an underground market that sells mainly electronics and gadgets. You can find everything from mobile phones to laptops to cameras here. However, be careful of the quality and authenticity of the products, as some may be fake or defective.

Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan: Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan is a government-run store that sells khadi products, which are made from hand-spun cotton. You can buy clothes, bags, shoes, home decor items and more here. You can also support the rural artisans who make these products.

Central Cottage Industries Emporium: Central Cottage Industries Emporium is a state-run store that sells handicrafts from different regions of India. You can buy pottery, paintings, sculptures, carpets, furniture and more here. You can also admire the craftsmanship and diversity of Indian culture here.

Must Read: 10 Best cafes in Connaught Place

Dining Option In Connaught Place

Connaught Place is a gastronomic delight. It offers a variety of dining options, ranging from fine dining restaurants to fast food outlets to street food stalls.

Saravana Bhavan: Saravana Bhavan is one of the best places to enjoy authentic South Indian food in Delhi. It serves delicious dosas, idlis, vadas, uttapams and more. You can also try their filter coffee and rava kesari for dessert.

Kake Da Hotel: Kake Da Hotel is one of the oldest and most famous places to enjoy Mughlai food in Delhi. It serves mouth-watering kebabs, curries, biryanis and more. You can also try their butter chicken and dal makhani, which are their signature dishes.

Wenger’s Bakery: Wenger’s Bakery is one of the oldest and most famous bakeries in Delhi. It serves fresh and tasty cakes, pastries, cookies, breads and more. You can also try their shami kebab and chicken patties, which are their specialties.

United Coffee House: United Coffee House is one of the oldest and most famous cafes in Delhi. It serves hot and cold beverages, snacks, sandwiches, salads and more. You can also try their mutton samosa and waffles, which are their classics.

Parikrama - The Revolving Restaurant: This is one of the most unique and exciting places to dine in Delhi. It is located on the 24th floor of a building and rotates 360 degrees every hour. It offers a panoramic view of the city and serves Indian, Chinese and Continental food.

Nightlife in Connaught Place

Connaught Place is a vibrant and lively place at night. It offers a variety of nightlife options, ranging from bars to pubs to clubs

Lord of the Drinks: Lord of the Drinks is one of the best places to enjoy drinks and music in Delhi. It has a huge bar with a wide selection of cocktails, mocktails, beers and wines. It also has a spacious dance floor with a DJ playing Bollywood, EDM and hip-hop music.

Monkey Bar: Monkey Bar is one of the best places to enjoy food and fun in Delhi. It has a quirky decor with a monkey theme and a pool table. It also has a delicious menu with fusion dishes like butter chicken khichdi, galouti burger and tikki tacos.

Farzi Cafe: Farzi Cafe is one of the best places to enjoy food and entertainment in Delhi. It has a modern decor with a live kitchen and a stage. It also has an innovative menu with molecular gastronomy dishes like dal chawal arancini, vada pav slider and mishti doi shots.

The Beer Cafe: The Beer Cafe is one of the best places to enjoy beer and chill in Delhi. It has a cozy decor with wooden furniture and posters. It also has an extensive menu with over 50 varieties of beer from around the world.

My Bar Headquarters: My Bar Headquarters is one of the best places to enjoy drinks and party in Delhi. It has a funky decor with neon lights and graffiti. It also has an affordable menu with drinks starting from Rs 99.

Must read: Spending a day in Connaught Place

Best Places to Stay Near Connaught Place

Photo of Connaught Place 5/7 by — (c) Suite at The Imperial, New Delhi

If you are looking for the best places to stay near Connaught Place, you have plenty of options to choose from.

The Lalit New Delhi: This is a luxurious 5-star hotel located on Barakhamba Avenue, just 0.7 km from Connaught Place. It has a huge bar, a spacious dance floor, a live kitchen and a stage. It also has an innovative menu with molecular gastronomy dishes.

The Imperial, New Delhi: This is another luxurious 5-star hotel located on Janpath Lane, just 0.7 km from Connaught Place. It has a quirky decor with a monkey theme and a pool table. It also has a delicious menu with fusion dishes like butter chicken khichdi, galouti burger and tikki tacos.

Radisson Blu Marina Connaught Place: This is a modern 4-star hotel located on G - 59 Connaught Circus Radial 3’rd Road, just 0.4 km from Connaught Place. It has a cozy decor with wooden furniture and posters. It also has an extensive menu with over 50 varieties of beer from around the world.

Cultural & Historical Sites Near Connaught Place

There are several cultural and historical sites to explore in and near Connaught Place, making it a fascinating destination for history enthusiasts and culture lovers.

Jantar Mantar: Located near Connaught Place, Jantar Mantar is an astronomical observatory built in the 18th century by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur. It consists of a collection of architectural astronomical instruments used to observe the positions of celestial objects.

Agrasen ki Baoli: This ancient stepwell is located in the heart of Delhi, near Connaught Place. It is believed to have been built by the legendary king Agrasen and is known for its impressive architecture and historical significance.

Gurudwara Bangla Sahib: A prominent Sikh house of worship, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib is located near Connaught Place. It is known for its stunning architecture and serene ambience, attracting visitors of all faiths.

National Museum: Situated near Connaught Place, the National Museum is one of the largest museums in India. It houses a vast collection of artifacts, artworks, and exhibits that showcase the rich cultural heritage and history of India.

India Gate: While not directly in Connaught Place, India Gate is a short distance away and is a must-visit attraction. It is a war memorial dedicated to the soldiers of the Indian Army who died during World War I.

Rashtrapati Bhavan: Another iconic landmark near Connaught Place is the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of the President of India. The sprawling estate boasts stunning architecture and beautiful gardens, and guided tours are available for visitors to explore its grandeur.

Parliament House: Located close to Connaught Place, Parliament House is where the Indian Parliament meets. It is an impressive architectural feat and a symbol of India's democracy.

Must Read: 9 Street Markets in Delhi You Must Visit

How to reach Connaught Place

Metro: Take the Yellow Line or Blue Line to Rajiv Chowk station or the Violet Line to Janpath station.

Bus: Many DTC buses pass through or near Connaught Place.

Car: Use parking lots available in and around the area.

Connaught Place Reviews

keshav Rathi

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It was a cold December night when I arrived late night at New Delhi station and waited there for the last midnight train that was going to take me to Hazrat NizamuddinStation. I waited at the station for an hour,shivering in cold, thinking how this day is gonna be and how this city is gonna greet me as it was my first visit to Delhi & I was all alone. Anyway,I reached Hazrat Nizamuddin station at 12:30 and I was in an urgent need for a place to spend my night.I was so exhausted with the cold that I can't dare to go out of the station and search for the hotels that time.I directly went to the Upper class waiting room & seeing it partially empty gave me an immense hope until the time the attendee sitting at the entrance told me that with my non-AC ticket,I can't enter the waiting room. But I knew in my mind that this is the only option I have. So, I didn't left at once. I kept standing there trying to convince those 2 guys with my made-up innocent face, and successfully got the entry giving 100 bucks for resting there till 6 in the morning! That was pretty nice deal! I went there and it felt so good to finally feel some warmth. The next step, I know, was not to waste even a single second and I grabbed 3-4 consecutive empty seats and imagined it to be the most comfortable bed in the universe and slumber royally covering myself with my shawl. I did get a fine but incomplete 4 hour sleep and then got ready there only wearing formal attires for leaving for the interview in an NGO(the actual purpose of mine for going to Delhi). I left at 7 a.m. after struggling a lot finding a cab outside the station and reached my destination in Panchsheel Park area. The interview session went on till 2 p.m. I really get to meet very interesting people, mostly from Delhi itself who were also there for interview. Their thoughts, their topics of discussion, their perspective, their expectations from life, from themselves really inspired me and I loved listening & talking to them. Yyc s c Although,I wasn't selected, but associating with such people made my visit there totally worth it. So,I left from the venue at around 2 pm & I was having entire day all alone in the capital of the Nation. "What do I do", "What do I do"! The question kept covering my mind. Without wasting time,I decided in my mind a place I could go that I have heard about a lot in Delhi, and went to the nearest metro station. Got my ticket for Rajiv Chowk metro station. This app name "Delhi Metro Rail Corporation(DMRC)" had been a great help to me all throughout. As I was not much familiar with the metro system and the different lines system, I took the wrong metro from Panchsheel Park to the opposite direction but realized it just a minute after entering inside the metro. So, I changed the metro again and then went on to the right route. By that time,I called my brother & informed him that I'm free for the entire day. As he was having his flight from Delhi at 2 in midnight and he was in Mathura, so he told me that he'll come to Delhi early so that we both can roam around the city for sometime. That was sorted plan then, but still I have hours with metoexplore the city. So,I finally reached the Rajiv Chowk metro station. And as soon as I was just going out of the station through stairs, I find myself surrounded with the very famous Connaught Place buildings. All those vintage milky white building on my left with a lot of folks and cafés and stores and the market's melodious cacophony. It was all very fascinating.The charisma of the place got me. The place was so happening and I felt a sudden urge to jump into its abundance. I was already rejoicingatmy decision of coming to CP. And so I headed towards McD first of all to grab a perfect meal! Once done with my meal, I walked out and started my exploration journey of CP. I was captivated with the place. The vibes of the place was so refreshing. And the voices along my way, the chaos throughout the entire streets, the people bargaining, the vendors selling, the big brand stores, the multi-cuisine cafés and bars, the group of friends going by, the couples, the families, the kids, and it was there at that time when all the pollution related things about Delhi felt to be totally false. There were people, the music, the markets, and all the colours beautiful than the real world! Mytiredness almost vanished and I just kept walking there, doing some shopping, buying a couple of books, checking out stuffs the place has to offer! There's that huge garden that is surrounded by CP. As I crossed the road to reach its entrance,I found crowd surrounding a few people and only when I went closer, did I realized that there was a live face-off going on between 2 politicians and the host was a lady I have watched on TV a few times,I reckon! Wandering aimlessly like a kid in his summer holidays do, I went around the same stores, streets, and the garden many a times! I kept wandering around there till 6:30,after which I left for the metro station to reach New Delhi station to pick my brother. I waited for his arrival at the Station till 8, watching the crowd, the chaos, the hurriedness in folks' faces there and killing time surfing stuffs about the city! As soon as he arrived, without any delay, we left for India Gate by metro to the nearest metro station. Reaching to the nearest metro station, that was Indraprastha only,we took an auto too India Gate. It was chilling night and as we were dropped by autowala to the pathway to India Gate, I saw that elegant, illuminated gateway and it indeed looked beautiful when viewed from distance. We thus moved closer to it,and while walking our way to India Gate,I encountered this embarrassing and disappointing side of this national heritage. The entire street there was covered with vendors, there was a huge crowd with no such considerable security. Worse, the streets were way too dirty. There were garbage all around. It was like no one cares to take care of that place. It was so disappointing to actually witness that, but as we came closer to India Gate and watched it shining with Tricoloured lighting at its top,it was stupendous. It do reveal the stories it hides of the past. And thus the look of that monument covered the disappointing experience of filth that we crossed minutes back. I thus believe that one can either compare this scenario with "Lotusbetweenthe mud" metaphor or can look at the real picture and took steps to clean the streets to give each visitor from the world an experience similar to walking on a red carpet to witness an extraordinary piece of architecture. We soon left for the station as I had train to take and my brother would be going to the Airport. Though tiring, but the day felt quite long and I'm happy it felt that way. I felt like I belong to this city already and that I know a good part of this place. My experience was pretty good. I really find the place, the people, the vibes to be simply beautiful and I decided while leaving to visit this beautiful place once again with more time in my hands, and explore the city.

Travel Food Click Repeat

74 Followers

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At Connaught Place, one of the main question, that people usually ask here is that "Where is Block A/B/C ??" and so on. Now, you are going to say that, we all have Google Maps for that. But, trust me on this, most of the people don't know how to use it properly. Some do not have the proper internet connection or the battery in their electronic devices to search for it, in the hour of the greatest need. If you understand the basic architecture of Connaught Place, then you don't need anyone else to help you with this. Connaught Place is divided into three circles - namely, Inner Circle, Middle Circle, and Outer Circle - having Central Park at the center. The Inner Circle has A to F blocks and Outer Circle has G to N blocks. Kindly, do note that there is no I and J block in Connaught Place due to its similarity with the numbers 1 and 7 respectively. There are so many diagrams available on the internet showcasing how the bird's eye view of Connaught Place looks like. But, the problem is most of them are cumbersome. So, I have made a simple diagram ignoring all the buildings, garden, parking lots and all. So, to make it easy for you to understand where are the different blocks in Connaught Place. You can see it yourself. Also Read: Kanatal | A Hidden Gem of Uttarakhand

Vidhi Bubna

243 Followers

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I went to explore Connaught Place after this. It took me around 30 minutes to reach Cp. Having a time frame in which I was going to explore Delhi, I just had a single day. A mere 24 hours to take in the light and vibe of the city till I had to leave back for another destination yet again. Much like the city itself, I too began moving fast. The metro life was getting to me. I went to CP and walked around. I didn't really want to shop a lot so I went to a cafe and explored it. I went to Moonlight Cafe in CP and ate there. The vibe was really good and there was music. This was also more quiet than Informal, a cafe nearby and made me feel more comfortable. It wasn't surrounded by teenagers who were screaming and dancing to music. Yes, that is more Delhi (loud and teenager like), but every city is what you want it to be depending on where you choose to go in it.

Ashish Koul

97 Followers

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3. CANNAUGHT PLACE (Metro - RAJIV CHOWK // Visit Any Time -Preferably Evening // Shopping Hub and Youngsters' HUB // Go Shopping , Eateries All Around //Autos Available// People Dancing, Singing// Tourists // Bars // CLUBS //Night life// Safe // Modern// Huge Area ) Tip :Nearby Cannaught place is - i. Palika Market (Various Entry Gates // Sasti Shopping// Chothing// Shoes//Accessories//Tattoos//Cheap Electronics ) ii. Jantar Mantar (Clean & Worth a Visit ) iii. Charkha/ Khadi Museum (See Khadi Cloth Making Technique and Charkha ) iv. Madame Tussades (Famous Wax Statue Gallery ) v. Central Park (Just a Small Park To Sit and Have a Short Rest While Exploring// See The Tall & Glorious INDIAN Flag ) Just relax and stroll around the area to find there spots in CP. 4. JANTAR MANTAR (Right adjacent to Cannaught place)Just walk for 5 Minutes to find the entry gate.

Smaranika Patra

30 Followers

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After being satisfied with whole lot of shopping, we went to Connaught Place. This is one of the costliest places in the capital, one could find every possible brand here that one could remember of. We had puffs at Wenger's and oh! It was so delicious, just melting right away. There after we went to have famous cold coffee at Depaul's which lies behind Janpat Market. This is again a very affordable market, believe me I got a winter coat at just Rs. 100! These are two of the best markets for Delhi sightseeing as well as shopping.