The historical meaning behind Delhi neighbourhood names containing Sarai
The term refers to old roadside inns that once provided resting places for merchants and travellers near the city.
The word 'Sarai' used in several Delhi localities refers to historical inns or resting places, according to a report by Hindustan Times.
These establishments were traditionally constructed near towns and along trade routes to house merchants, travellers, and their animals.
Many featured central courtyards with rooms, stables, wells, mosques, and storage areas for goods.
Historian Shama Mitra Chenoy's research paper, Sanctity and Materiality: Sarais of Delhi 1739-1916, states that these sites were vital for trade.
Merchants used these locations to hold goods before moving them into the city, which prevented caravans from crowding the markets of Shahjahanabad.
Sarais were constructed under various rulers, including the Mughals, Sher Shah Suri, and the Delhi Sultanate.
While many disappeared or were absorbed by urban expansion, names like Sarai Kale Khan, Sheikh Sarai, and Yusuf Sarai remain.
In Sarai Kale Khan, accounts suggest a man called Kale Khan may have established a sarai, though the area also hosted Gujjar settlements.
Other areas include Jia Sarai, Lado Sarai, Katwaria Sarai, Ber Sarai, and Neb Sarai, though their specific origins are less documented.