This image has been taken from a five-meter long topographic scroll painted on canvas in 1846 by the late-Mughal painter Mazhar Ali Khan. It shows a view of the vast expanse of the Chandni Chowk (marketplace) from the dome of Lahore Gate of the Red Fort. The painting has been executed in a mix of traditional Mughal miniature style and the observational Company style. It shows the layout of 19th century Delhi before it was damaged during the Revolt of 1857. At the foreground one sees a canal lit up by moonlight built by Princess Jahanara Begum, which splits the dusty and hot street of Chandni Chowk, on which one can see elephants, camels, horses, pedestrians, closed carriages. Along either side of the road one can see two-storied buildings with arcades, which form a contrast to the jumble of ordinary red-brick and whitewashed houses with green trees beyond, which extend into the horizon, beyond which one can see the minarets of the Jama Masjid, Delhi’s famous mosque. This painting has been thoroughly documented and evaluated in scientific publications. Chandni Chowk, detail from the 'The Delhi Panorama', by Mazhar Ali Khan, 1846. Made in 1846, the five meter long painting commonly known as 'The Delhi Panorama' was created by the famous topographical artist Mazhar Ali Khan.
The Chandni Chowk is a significant detail from the artwork, ‘The Delhi Panorama’, by Mazhar Ali Khan which captures the vibrance and diverse hues of the 19th century Delhi. A bustling scene, painted in the miniature style, provides an exquisite look at the pre-revolt vigour and hospitality of the capital from a panoramic wide angle taken from the Lahore gate of the Red Fort.
