Many street vendors who operated food stalls or sold various items have sought alternative livelihoods due to their lost merchandise. On Friday afternoon, a small group of foreign tourists gathered near the barricades while Iqbal, a 25-year-old guide, recounted the incident. Since the explosion, that has been his primary focus during tours.
“I used to guide at least 10 families or groups of tourists every day,” Iqbal shared with PTI. “Now, those who come to Delhi are often avoiding the Red Fort. And those who do visit want details about the blast. I take them to the barricade and explain what happened. For the past couple of days, this has been the foremost question on everyone’s mind,” he said while leading a pair of foreigners.
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Sohail, who has worked as a guide in the vicinity for nearly a decade, noted that the focus of his tours has undergone a complete transformation.
“Chandni Chowk is the nucleus of Delhi’s tourism. On one side, there’s the historic market, and on the other lies the Red Fort,” he explained.
“We typically bring tourists to this gate to showcase the monument. Now, instead of discussing Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and his reign, we find ourselves detailing the blast and what the police have uncovered so far. We’ve seen more than half our tourists vanish,” he added.
Sohail vividly recalled the harrowing night. “I was enjoying tea with friends when I planned to head home. Suddenly, there was such a loud explosion that our ears rang, and we panicked.” Rakesh Sharma, another guide who had just finished his shift, described how the atmosphere shifted in seconds. “I witnessed a flash, followed by terrified screams. Everyone fled. When I went back, the street was enveloped in smoke and strewn with wrecked vehicles,” he recounted. “Now, tourists ask if it’s safe here. We can only relay what the authorities tell us.” The blast has altered not only the perceptions of Chandni Chowk but has also disrupted lives and forced daily wage workers to seek new sources of income.
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Devender, 50, who sold toys and trinkets just a few meters from the blast site, initially thought it was a transformer explosion.
“The force was so strong that it devastated my stall and scattered much of my merchandise. People scattered in all directions amidst the chaos,” he recalled.
“I’ve lost most of my stock. Now, I’ve rented a rickshaw from a friend and have been driving it since yesterday while waiting for them to allow us to return,” Devender added.
Mohammad Tahir, who operated a street food stall, also believed it was a transformer or gas cylinder blast until he saw crowds fleeing. “I abandoned my stall and ran for my life,” he shared.
Later, he returned to salvage what he could. “I’ve started pulling a rickshaw to support my family,” he stated.
In a nearby alley, Joginder, a local resident and frequent visitor to the historic gurdwara, mentioned the community-wide shock. “The blast was so impactful that our entire house shook. As we rushed out, we observed 500 to 700 people fleeing,” he detailed.
“We couldn’t sleep that night. We went to the gurdwara early the next morning to find solace. Throughout the day, people arrived to talk; many were still in shock and trying to process what they had experienced,” he further mentioned.
A high-intensity blast occurred near the Red Fort metro station on Monday evening, devastating several vehicles and injuring numerous bystanders. Sadly, many of the critically injured later succumbed to their wounds, raising the death toll to 13.
Today, guides and vendors around Red Fort are slowly returning to their usual locations, but the spirit of Chandni Chowk feels deeply affected. Their narratives, once filled with tales of history and culture, now inevitably start with the events of a traumatic night that has overshadowed one of Delhi’s most frequented historical sites.
