In Gali Choori Wallan, there were numerous choori sellers. Gali Sui Wallan was known for its suiwork artisans. As for Motor Market, it was home to various motor sellers, a tradition that persists even now.
Delhi's Old City Motor Market is more famously recognized as Jama Masjid Motor Market due to its proximity just behind the historic Jama Masjid. Separating this ancient mosque from the bustling Motor Market Road is a pavement wall adorned with bougainvillea bushes whose vibrant pink blossoms serve as the primary decoration for workers residing nearby. Throughout the daytime, these laborers are out working, leaving their possessions hanging on nails driven into the wall. They come back in the evenings after finishing their meals; then, they stretch themselves along the paved area. From here, one can see the motor shops lining up opposite them, alongside hotels built above those stores. Notably, guests staying at the brightly painted Taj Hotel, distinguished by its pink walls, enjoy an unobstructed vista capturing all three domes of Jama Masjid within sight from some rooms.
At The Motor Market’s core lies an abundance of automotive stores brimming with stacks of "motor components"—ranging from "domestic Indian items to imports," as well as those described as both "used" and "brand-new." An amiable store owner assists in pinpointing every component by name: engine gears, shock absorbers, suspensions, automobile doors, magnesium coils, leads, sensors, gear rods, body control modules (BCM), ball bearings, side mirrors, rearview mirrors, rollers, needles, thrust washers, vehicle lights, pistons, and fuel pumps.
Many years back, the market served as a place for disassembling old and wrecked automobiles. Each component of every car was meticulously refurbished and eventually installed in different vehicles. However, nowadays, this process takes place in repair shops located well beyond the boundaries of the Walled City, according to a "used parts" dealer. The elder members of his community have informed him that previously, the narrow streets were filled with auto workshops that practically touched the ancient walls of Jama Masjid. It should be noted that the historic stone mosque, which we discussed before, is currently shielded from the marketplace street by an intervening pedestrian divider.
Regardless, the most poetically titled landmark in the Motor Market is a barber shop known as Moon Ilyas Saloon. If you fail to catch on, the signboard features an image of the moon. This unchanging moon gazes calmly over the bustling Motor Market roads, filled with vehicles blaring horns all day long. These unfortunate automobiles and motorcycles remain unaware that eventually, some will meet their end here only to be reborn within the market as "used parts."
By around midnight, the Motor Market becomes tranquil. The road divider is occupied by street recyclers who stretch out on the raised cement in a line, heads resting at each others' feet, forming a continuous chain.
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