Connaught Place , the ‘central business district’ designed as part of the Lutyens’ delhi project, was built between 1929-33, after the major areas of New Delhi (Rashtrapati Bhavan, India Gate, Parliament House) had been built and the new city inaugurated. It was inspired by the magnificent Royal Crescent in Bath, England, and was named after the Duke of Connaught. The designer shops and cinema houses originally catered to the many royal families of Indian princely states who had settled around the Rajpath area….and some of the first big names of the complex were Wengers, Regal, Galgotia, Standard Restaurant, Odeon, and Rivoli. Much has changed over the years, but the Rajiv Chowk of today continues to throb as the heart of Delhi.
Thanks to Priyadarshi Dutta for the nostalgic picture!
A Date With Delhi 