Chaman Ganj is a dense old neighbourhood northwest of the central station, known for busy lanes, small shops, mosques, food stalls, and the close-packed life of inner Kanpur. It is a good area for travellers who want to see the city beyond malls and cantonment roads.
Go in daylight, dress modestly, and keep your expectations practical. The pleasure here is street texture: shop signs, snacks, cycle-rickshaws, and the feeling of a neighbourhood that is more lived-in than staged.