Lal Chowk, Public square in Srinagar, India

Lal Chowk is a traffic roundabout at the eastern end of a precinct stretching along Residency Road between the Amira Kadal bridge and the Tyndale Biscoe School. The roundabout holds a clock tower, called ganta ghar, built by Bajaj Electricals in 1980. The precinct has been Srinagar's main business district since the early twentieth century.

The Indian national flag was first raised here in 1948 by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, marking a turning point in Kashmir's political history. This moment established the square as a site of national importance.

Lal Chowk means "Red Square", a name given by left-wing activists inspired by the Russian Revolution while they campaigned against Maharaja Hari Singh. The square has long been Srinagar's venue for political speeches: Jawaharlal Nehru and Sheikh Abdullah both addressed crowds here, and Sheikh Abdullah declared his allegiance to India in a Persian couplet.

The square is easily accessible and serves as a key landmark for orientation in the city. Visitors can find most daily essentials here, from shopping to banking services.

The clock tower, built by Bajaj Electricals in 1980, became the focus of a political ritual: from 1992 the Border Security Force and Central Reserve Police Force held a flag-hoisting ceremony there each Republic Day, until 2009, when they judged the ritual unnecessary because the tower "had no political significance".