In 1648 the Qila e Moalla was ready to be lived in and Shah Jahan entered it with grand ceremonies.
Shahjahanabad was the name of the new city around the Qila. It was planned as a walled city.
Historic map of Shahjahanabad (now called Old Delhi), 1863, showing Daryaganj
Earlier the walls were made with mud but as monsoons wrought havoc on them they wee made again with rubble and stones.
This wall had 14 Gates and some wicket gates.
Today most of it has fallen, destroyed or plundered for building material.
It exists in some places. One of these is Daryaganj.
The name Daryaganj ( river trading post) refers to “darya” ( “River”), as the river Yamuna flowed just outside the walled city and “ganj” means “marketplace”. Daryaganj is inside the walled city of Shahjahanabad .
The New Darya Ganj market was earlier known as Faiz Bazaar until the partition, when present traders moved into the area
Once Lord Lake came to Delhi and took over the reins of administration from the Mughals a native regiment of Delhi garrison was stationed in Daryaganj , which was later shifted to Ridge area.
The city wall was fortified by the British. In Daryaganj a Mortello Tower was added.
Martello towers, sometimes known simply asMartellos, are small defensive forts that were built across the British Empire during the 19th century, from the time of the French Revolutionary Wars onwards.
Daryaganj continues to be a major commercial hub of famous for its thriving publishing industry which operate from their offices here.
