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Chandni Chowk, the main market street of Shahjahanabad (Delhi), was designed by Shah Jahan's daughter:
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Answer: Option D — Jahanara Begum
Detailed Solution
Chandni Chowk, the main market street of Shahjahanabad (Old Delhi), was designed by Jahanara Begum, the eldest daughter of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, around 1650.
About Chandni Chowk:
- It was laid out as a broad avenue running from the Lahori Gate of the Red Fort towards the Fatehpuri Masjid.
- A canal (part of the Nahr-i-Bihisht, "Canal of Paradise") ran down the middle of the street.
- In the middle was an octagonal pool, which reflected the moonlight; this is said to have given the area the name "Chandni Chowk" (Moonlit Square).
- It had rows of shops, and became one of the most famous markets of India.
- Jahanara also built a sarai and a garden (the Sahibabad garden) along the street.
NCERT on Jahanara:
- NCERT notes that Jahanara, Shah Jahan's daughter, participated in many architectural projects of Shah Jahan's new capital, Shahjahanabad.
- Among these was an imposing double-storeyed caravanserai with a courtyard and garden.
- The bazaar of Chandni Chowk, the throbbing centre of Shahjahanabad, was designed by Jahanara.
About Jahanara Begum:
- She was born in 1614, the eldest daughter of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal.
- After her mother's death in 1631, she became the "Padshah Begum" (First Lady of the empire), managing the royal household.
- She received a very large income from jagirs and the port of Surat.
- She was a devoted Sufi of the Qadiri order, and wrote a biography of the Chishti saint Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti ("Munis-ul-Arwah") and of her Qadiri teacher.
- She built the Jama Masjid at Agra (1648).
- She supported her brother Dara Shikoh in the war of succession, but later reconciled with Aurangzeb.
- She looked after Shah Jahan during his imprisonment in the Agra Fort.
- She died in 1681 and is buried in a simple grave near the dargah of Nizamuddin Auliya in Delhi.
Her sisters:
- Roshanara Begum: supported Aurangzeb; the Roshanara Bagh in Delhi is named after her.
- Gauhara Begum: the youngest daughter, at whose birth Mumtaz Mahal died.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Roshanara and Gauhara were her sisters.
- ✗Zeb-un-Nissa was Aurangzeb's daughter.
Quick tip
Remember: Chandni Chowk (Shahjahanabad) = designed by Jahanara Begum (NCERT; Padshah Begum; built the Jama Masjid at Agra; Qadiri Sufi; wrote Munis-ul-Arwah).
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Mughal Empire — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Mughal Empire, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
The Mughal Empire was founded by Babur in 1526 and reached its height under Akbar. This topic covers the Mughal emperors from Babur to Aurangzeb and the later Mughals, the Sur interlude under Sher Shah Suri, Mughal administration (the mansabdari and jagirdari systems), revenue systems, architecture, painting and literature. Common questions ask about important battles (Panipat, Khanwa, Haldighati), Akbar's policies such as Din-i-Ilahi and the abolition of the jizya, Sher Shah's reforms such as the rupiya coin and the Grand Trunk Road, and the builders of famous monuments. For example, Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort in Delhi. Practise the Mughal Empire questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.