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Fountain Chowk |
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| Popularly known as Bhai Mati Das Chowk or 'fowara'
(meaning fountain), Fountain Chowk is located just opposite
Gurdwara Sisganj on the edge of the street leading to Old Delhi
Railway Station. It has a Victorian-period fountain, which was
earlier called as Northbrook Fountain because Lord Northbrook
donated money for its construction. |
| It was on this site that Bhai Mati Das, a disciple
of Guru Tegh Bahadur was sawn in half, lengthwise, because he
refused to adopt Islam and adhere to the order of the Mughal
Emperor Aurangzeb. Thereafter the Chowk is called as Bhai Mati
Das Chowk in memory of the great disciple. |
| The Chowk is very near to the original Kotwali,
the police station that functioned here since the Mughal period.
Anyone accused of a crime was brought here in custody and was
given trial. The dead bodies of the sons and grandsons of the
last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, were also displayed
here. Many martyrs and freedom fighters, such as the King of
Ballabhgarh and Nawab of Jhajjar, were also hung here, protesting
against British rule. At present, the Kotwali area is under
the Gurdwara Sisganj Management Committee. |
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