Ballimaran, a historic street in Old Delhi’s Chandni Chowk, got its name from the boatmen (ballis) who used to row boats on the nearby river. These boatmen lived in the area and steered their boats using oars (ballis). Later, Ballimaran became known as the residence of Delhi’s renowned hakims (traditional medicine practitioners). Mirza Ghalib, the celebrated Urdu poet, also lived in Ballimaran during his later years, and his haveli is now a heritage site.