‘Feels just like home!': Indian YouTuber finds ‘Chandni Chowk vibes' in New Jersey's India Square; video goes viral

Time of India

16 hours ago

Source: Instagram
In a moment that resonated with millions, an
Indian YouTuber
has ignited a social media storm after sharing a video of a street market in New Jersey resembling Delhi's iconic
Chandni Chowk
. The clip, posted by content creator Rudraksh Solanki, known on Instagram as delhi_youtuber, has gathered over 3.4 million views and 180,000+ likes, sparking nostalgic memories and humorous reactions among Indian audiences worldwide.
As Solanki strolls through a busy neighbourhood dotted with Indian stores, music, and conversations, it's easy to forget the place is the United States and not an Old Delhi street. The viral headline of the clip, "America ka New York nahi, Chandni Chowk hai India ka yeh" (This is not America's New York, it's India's Chandni Chowk), caught the internet's attention.
India Square in Jersey City feels just like Delhi's Chandni Chowk; video goes viral
The community shown in the video is India Square, which is located in Jersey City, New Jersey. The community has been a thriving hub for the Indian diaspora for decades. Restaurant-lined, sweet shop-lined, grocery store-lined, gold jeweller-lined, and paan stall-lined streets offer an experience of home to many immigrants and tourists alike.
On watching the clip, one can spot familiar names of shops like:
Vatan Hot Bread
Rasoi Indian Cuisine
Atul Bakery
Ganpati Jewellers
Bikanervala
Laxmi Pan Vala
The streets of Chandni Chowk are lined with Indian family groups, Hindi billboards, and the aroma of street foods like samosas and jalebis, creating the atmosphere here strikingly similar to Chandni Chowk's zany persona.
Social media reactions celebrate India Square as the Chandni Chowk of America
Social media was quick to react to the video. Thousands of users flooded the comments section with a mix of nostalgia, pride, and humor. Some of the standout reactions include:
'UNO reverse ho gaya… India ne kabza kar liya.'
'Just waiting for a Tiranga or Bhagyashree hotel to open there—then we'll have everything!'
'This isn't America anymore—it's Delhi in disguise.'
'I go here every week. The food is top-tier.'
These are more than a joke—they attest to how dearly diaspora communities cherish their cultural heritage. To immigrants, India Square isn't so much a shopping district—it is an emotional anchor that keeps identity and belongingness alive in a foreign land.
From Diwali to daily shopping, India Square bridges cultural distance
The video also fuels controversy about India's expanding global cultural footprint. With the Indian diaspora expanding in countries like the US, so expands their food, linguistic, and business footprints as well.
Some web users have described this as "Indian soft colonization," how Indian culture is disseminating in metropolitan areas across the globe through the car industry, popular entertainment, and enterprise. In Jersey City, these ghettoes are no longer niche-they are now the hub of the city's cultural identity. Solanki's viral video has shone a spotlight on one such corner of Indian life in America—a bustling, colorful, and deeply rooted space that has become a 'Chandni Chowk away from home.'
Understanding the emotional link between Chandni Chowk and India Square
To understand this analogy, one needs to understand what Chandni Chowk is. Established in the 17th century by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, the Delhi market is a historic melting pot of Indian commerce and culture. Renowned for its narrow lanes, centuries-old havelis, and bustling shops selling everything from bridal wear to chaat, it is among India's most populous and sought-after markets.
By contrast to Chandni Chowk, India Square is not merely a visual equivalent but also a cultural equivalent—of sensory experience, communal activity, and connection with heritage. To the Indian diaspora, that resemblance is profoundly affective: one of homesickness away from home.
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