Fountain Chowk
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. |