Chowk Bazaar is the beating heart of old Bhopal, a maze of narrow lanes around the red-sandstone Jama Masjid, built in 1837 by Qudsia Begum, the city’s first woman ruler. Each street specialises in something different, from Bhopal’s famous beaded and zari purses (batuas) and silver jewellery to Chanderi and tussar silks, embroidered velvet cushions, fabrics, footwear, household goods and gifts. Tripadvisor visitors compare it with Delhi’s Chandni Chowk, and many say you can find “anything from a needle to a ship”. The area is also the centre of Nawabi food, with poha-jalebi breakfasts, Sulemani chai, kebabs and nalli nihari. Cars can’t enter most of the crowded lanes, so it’s best explored on foot.