Stepping out of my accommodation, Zostel Hostel, into a 16°C Delhi morning, I was eager to witness some bustling street activity. Little did I know, "bustling" would be a major understatement for what I was about to experience. I should have braced myself, because my destination—Chandni Chowk Market—is not just one of the oldest but also the busiest market in a city known as one of the most crowded in the world.

Canals (now closed) once divvied up the market to reflect moonlight.