The old city of Meerut, centred on the historic Ghanta Ghar (clock tower) area, is a dense warren of narrow lanes and specialised bazaars that reward slow exploration. Different streets focus on different trades — silver jewellery in one lane, spices in another, textiles in a third — following a pattern of commercial zoning established centuries ago under Mughal administration when market areas were strictly organised by craft.
The food stalls around the Ghanta Ghar and in the Muslim quarters of the old city are the most compelling reason to come. Meerut has a strong reputation for chaat, for its particular style of samosas and kachoris, and for the kebab and nihari shops in the lanes behind the mosques. The old Jama Masjid, a large 17th-century mosque built during the reign of Shah Jahan, is at the heart of this neighbourhood and worth stopping for if the muezzin happens to call while you are nearby.