Ludhiana where a turn means a chowk

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Nitin Soni

Updated At : 06:21 PM May 09, 2025 IST

Illustration: Sandeep Joshi

For a person who has been born and brought up in Chandigarh, driving in any another city can be a mind-boggling task. While a ‘chowk’ in Chandigarh means a roundabout, in another city like Ludhiana, it can mean just a turn.

Once we decided to travel to Ludhiana by car. Those were the pre-Google Maps days. As soon as we reached Ludhiana, we promptly lost our way in its narrow markets. On inquiring, a good Samaritan told us to make an exit after two ‘chowks’. After about 15 minutes of inching through its barely moving traffic, we could not find any ‘chowks’. Clueless, we asked another good Samaritan of Ludhiana that where is the next ‘chowk’. He laughed and clarified that for a Ludhianvi a chowk literally means a ‘turn’.

I feel lucky and relieved that I live in a city where a chowk actually means just that. No twist in this tale.

Nitin Soni, Chandigarh