Chowk is the oldest commercial heart of Lucknow — the densely packed bazaar quarter directly south of the Bara Imambara and Rumi Darwaza. The streets are mediaeval-feeling and almost too narrow for cars: arched gateways still mark the boundaries, traditional havelis sit between modern shops, and the trades here have specialised for centuries — perfumiers (ittar wallahs), sweet shops, gold sellers, attars of Kannauj, traditional Awadhi tailors.
For travelers it is the heart of old Lucknow: the famous Tunday Kababi original shop is here, as is the city's best kulcha-nihari in winter and ittar that has been made by the same families for generations. Walk in the morning before the heat or in the early evening; the alleys are not always easy to navigate but the rewards are out of proportion to the effort.