A large part of our city’s monumental heritage is invisible…hidden behind massive malls, residential colonies. This is the first realization to strike anyone who begins exploring Mehrauli Archaeological Park. Our first thought is ‘we have driven past this road a hundred times, but never realized all this lay behind it!’ Our heritage walk in Mehrauli weaves its way through some of the most interesting monuments in Delhi. Mehrauli being the area where the first cities of Delhi came up: the Tomars, the Chauhans, the Turkish slaves had their capitals here; the Lal Kot, Qila Rai Pithora and the Qutb area.  Even when the capital shifted this area continued to be settled. So today we find remains from different time periods in this region. Our first stop is a clearing which was created by archaeological work here, about a year ago. It revealed a stone floor, some foundations, rooms, graves. It looks like a settlement built around a courtyard. I have managed to collect some surface finds from the excavation: these include pottery shards which are decorated and a clay horse which was probably a toy. Sultan Balban’s tomb which stands just after the courtyard is one of the most significant monuments in Delhi. It is now a ruined structure but it remains the earliest building to use the true arch in its construction. It has three chambers: the main tomb chamber and two adjacent ones to the west and east. Balban’s grave is no longer extant, but the chamber to the west has a grave, believed to be of this favourite son, Khan Shaheed. Climb a few steep steps and you will be walking among the remains of a residential settlement. This settlement is dated to the Mughal times and one can now see the remains of rooms, some of them being double storeyed. Our next stop is the Jamali Kamali mosque and tomb. This is the monument which gives the park its local name. Few would know it as the Mehrauli Archaeological Park. The mosque was built by a sufi saint and poet Shaikh Fazlullah whose pen name was ‘Jamali’. It is one of the finest examples of Indo-Islamic architecture. The courtyard next to the mosque has a burial ground and the tomb of Jamali Kamali. The plaster and tile decoration of this small tomb is a delight to behold! Further on our heritage trail, we rambled into the territory which was once owned by the British Resident, Thomas Metcalfe. He bought the land with its ruins and went about landscaping them to suit his English taste. He purchased Mohammad Quli Khan’s tomb and converted it into his residence; he transformed a Lodi period building into a boathouse, which stood in an artificial lake, which was created by diverting a stream! He planted follies all over this landscape and called his estate the Dilkusha or ‘delighter of the heart’! Metcalfe’s folly still stands on a hill outside the Jamali Kamali mosque. The last stop on our heritage walk was the step well. Called Rajon ki Baoli or masons’ step well, this is a Lodi period building. Now completely dry, it is undergoing restoration work. Step wells were mainly for drinking water purposes, but they were also social spaces. Being underground and near a source of water, they were extremely cool in summers and hence the galleries of step wells were places where people would sit around and spend time.

(posted by Kanika Singh, photos by Kavita Singh, team members Delhi Heritage Walks)

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When we think of old Delhi, there are many cliches about its character. We like our old cities to look a certain way: the chaos, the crowd, the noise, and yet the seeming ease with which every thing operates. Yes, on the surface perhaps all old cities are like that, and our purani dilli is no different. Yet, there is more to these that catches the eye. Cities, even historic ones, change rapidly, and often these changes come and go without us noticing them. This heritage walk to the old city tries to capture a little bit of all of this: the life of the city, what is typical and what lies beneath the typical.

We start our heritage walk just outside the Red Fort. The fort was the palace complex of Shahjahan, and what is today the purani dilli for us, was Shahjahanabad, the capital city of the Mughals in the 17th century. As we step into  Chandni Chowk, we are greeted by two monumental temples, the Digamber Jain Lal Mandir in red sandstone and the Gauri Shankar temple in white. There is a small flower market right across the road which caters to the devotees who come in and pray.  This entire land was once the estate of Begam Samru. Orignially a dancing girl from Kashmir she went on to marry a European, Walter Reinhard and covnverted to Christianity. She is particularly known for establishing the church at Sardana, near Meerut. Today whatever little of her mansion remains, has become part of Lala Bhagirath market. A little further is the entry to the famous market of Dariba Kalan, marked by the ‘old and famous’ jalebi wala. Our next stop on our heritage trail was the fountain chowk, a busy roundabout marked with many landmarks. The Sisganj gurudwara is one of the most important shrines of the Sikh community. It marks the site of martyrdom of the nineth Sikh guru, Teg Bahadur. At the centre of roundabout, stands a fountain, which is also a shrine. It commemorates the sacrifice of Bhai Dyala, Bhai Mati Das and Bhai Sati Das, who had accompanied the Guru and were also tourtured and killed. There is now a museum named after them. Adjacent to Sisganj gurudwara, is the Sunheri Masjid. The once golden domes are now jaded. But the Persian ruler, Nadir Shah, stood on the terrace of the this very mosque and watched the massacre of citizens of Delhi. He is the one who took away two of the most well known symbols of royalty from India: the Kohinoor diamond and the Peacock throne. The Kohinoor is with the British now and the Peacock throne, some say was melted down and others say that it is in Tehran Museum.

Next, we walked into the famous street of fried bread: the parathewali gali. It leads to the well known shopping precinct, Kinari Bazaar and then to a lane called Naughara which is one of the few places in the old city which retain their traditional look.  We walk out into the main street halting next at the Town Hall. This area is actually gives the street its name. The main street from the Red Fort to the Fatehpuri Mosque was decorated by a canal running through its centre. This water reflected moonlight which gave the street its name the ‘moonlight square’. The Town Hall was the headquarters of the British adminstration. And it was built by razing the garden, and sarai of Princess Jahanara.  The next sector on our heritage walk was the cloth market at Katra Neel, known for the numerous shivalayas. it is remarkable how they are hidden away behind doorways and at end of tiny alleys.

Fatepuri Mosque which stands at the farther end of Chandni Chowk was built by one of Shahjahan’s wives, Fatehpuri Begum.  It is one of my favourite places in the old city. Right behind it is the spice market of Khari baoli. The last stop of our walk was the Gadodia Market, a warehouse built by the British. It offers a wonderful view of the entire old city where from one can see the Red Fort, the Jama Masjid, the Old Delhi Railway station, and even the new MCD headquarters.

(posted by Kanika Singh & photos by Pushpa, team members, Delhi Heritage Walks)

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This year began with a pleasant heritage walk at the Lodi Garden. When the British decided to build a new capital at Delhi, the Lodi tombs at the village of Khairpur became part of the New Delhi area. This is when a garden was planned around these tombs and the Lady Willingdon Park was created. Lodi Garden is a post-Independence name. The village was removed and the garden was landscaped in such a way that the monuments stood out as singular objects of beauty. The first stop on our heritage walk was the tomb of Sayyid ruler Mohammad Shah. This tomb is similar to his predecessor’s tomb in Kotla Mubarakpur & Isa Khan’s tomb in Humayun’s tomb complex. An octagonal building with three arched openings on each side, with sloping buttresses at each corner. The interior is decorated with incised plaster work which depicts calligraphy and arabesque. Right next to the tomb is ‘Buddha’s Coconut’ the tallest tree in the Lodi Garden which is a native of rain forests in north east & south India. It is also a favoured roost with the vultures.

Walking around the park, through the butterfly conservatory & some remains of grave platforms, we made our way to the Bada Gumbad complex. Literally, the ‘big dome’ this is a gateway, a tomb, a mosque and some rooms which constitute a single complex. The most attractive feature of the Bada Gumbad is the plaster decoration on the mosque. It is an exceptional decorative work and was the highlight of our heritage walk. Right opposite stands the ‘mirrored dome’ or the Shish Gumbad: a tomb that gets its name from the band of blue tiles decorating its façade.

The next stop on our heritage trail was Sikander Lodi’s tomb. Looking like a small fortress, the tomb is one of the early examples of garden tombs in Delhi. The interior is decorated with tile work in blue, green and yellow. The path around the tomb leads around the lake to the Athpula, the Mughal period bridge. It was built over a natural stream which no longer exists and is replaced by the lake. There are a couple of smaller structures further down the path. Recently restored & illuminated before the Commonwealth Games, these are a garden pavilion & a small mosque. The last stop on our heritage walk was a turret which now stands alone, almost hidden away. It might have been once part of a enclosure wall, of which no remains exist.

(posted by Kanika Singh & photos by Awadhesh, team members, Delhi Heritage Walks)

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These are pictures by Angela Karp, who attended the 1857 heritage walk at Kashmiri Gate

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There are many a legends about the city of Tughluqabad and the Sultans after whom it is named. As one approaches the fort, our first impressions are of colossal grandeur! The fort’s boundary walls carry on a great distance along Mehrauli Badarpur Road; they are about 4 miles in perimeter & its massive bastions looking formidable. Our heritage walk in Tughluqabad was almost a small trek with a dash of adventure. Many parts of Tughluqabad fort are completely ruined and covered with their own rubble & vegetation and our heritage walk explored the hidden features like the underground granaries, the palace area to the north and the royal escape route built into the fort wall!

The ruins of Tughluqabad are frozen in time. The city was abandoned shortly after it was built, after which there was no substantial settlement here, except a small one in the late Mughal period. Legends say that it was Sufi saint Nizamuddin Auliya’s curse which brought about the decline of the city. Nizamuddin Auliya had famously prophesied ‘Ya rahe ujar, Ya base gujjar’ or ‘It will either remain deserted or be inhabited by Gujjars’.  And true enough, even today a large part of population of Tughluqabad village is Gujjars who are a pastoral community. They come into the fort area to graze their cattle and collect firewood.  Another famous saying associated with Tughluqabad is ‘Abhi Dilli door hai!’ or ‘Delhi is yet far’. There was a protracted tiff between Ghiyasuddin Tughluq the founder of Tughluq dynasty & builder of this fort and Nizamuddin Auliya. Ghiyasuddin Tughluq was out on a campaign to Bengal & threatened to teach the sufi saint a lesson when back. On hearing this Nizamuddin remarked, Delhi is yet far! And Ghiyasuddin was killed just before he reached Delhi. It is also believed that Ghiyasuddin’s son and successor Muhammad Tughluq plotted his father’s death. Muhammad Tughluq created a pavilion for a ceremony, outside Delhi, to celebrate Ghiyasuddin’s victorious campaign & the pavilion collapsed killing Ghiyasuddin. This is believed to be the reason why Muhammad was not comfortable staying at Tughluqabad & therefore built the fortress of Adilabad & later the city of Jahanpanah.

Besides the history & architecture, Tughluqabad is also a great place for bird watchers & photographers. Many variety of birds are found in the fort complex and Asola bird sanctuary is nearby. The fort also offers incredible views, panoramas and details to catch the photographer’s eye.

Across the road from the fort is the tomb of Ghiyasuddin Tughluq. The tomb is one of the better maintained monuments in Delhi. In fact the colours look remarkably sharp: the white marble contrasting beautifully with red sandstone. The tomb is built within a small fortress which once stood in water, like an island. In fact, the tomb and the fort were connected by a causeway, which we can see today, has been breached for the Mehrauli-Badarpur Road. Earlier this area on the south side of the fort and around the tomb was an artificially created lake. The water, of course, is long gone & the gate leading to the causeway has become the entrance to the fort.

(posted by Kanika Singh, team member, Delhi Heritage Walks & photos by Nirmal Dayani, a regular at our walks)

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It is a truism that the city never sleeps. Yet this restless, constant activity is what always amazes us. This was my first thought as we gathered for a heritage walk in old Delhi this Sunday morning. Old Delhi is known for many things: the grandeur of the Mughals, the street food, the bazaars, its havelis and we hoped to capture a little bit of all of this as we rambled through its streets.

Our walk starts at Digamber Jain Lal Mandir, the oldest Jain temple here, and well known for its charitable bird hospital. Next to it is the Gauri Shankar temple, built by a Maratha nobleman. We walked on the main street of Chandni Chowk till the fountain. This roundabout is surrounded by historical landmarks. The most prominent is of course the Sisganj Gurudwara which marks the martyrdom of Guru Teg Bahadur. The fountain chowk has become a memorial to 3 of the Guru’s followers who were also tourtured and killed. There is now a museum named after Bhai Mati Das, Bhai Sati Das, Bhai Dyala at the fountain chowk. Next to Sisganj is the Sunheri Masjid where upon it is said, stood Nadir Shah (the Persian ruler who raided Delhi) as he watched the massacre of citizens of Delhi. The chowk also has an old signboard where Ghantewala Shahi halwai was located earlier. Now the shop has moved location a few meters away; it has also moved with the times, as one can now order sweets online!

We weaved our way through the parathewali gali and Kinari bazaar to the Naughara, a group of havelis which still retains its traditional appearance. Our next stop was the Town Hall, which stands on Jahanara’s garden & sarai. These were replaced by the British with the Town Hall and Old Delhi railway station. The pool of water which gives the street its name as ‘Chandni Chowk’ or ‘moonlight square’ was also located here. A little further is the Chunnamal’s haveli, one of the most prominent landmarks of Chandni Chowk. It covers a very large part of Katra Neel. We walked into Katra Neel, into one of the numerous shivalayas that are located there. These are small shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Close by is Fatehpuri Masjid, located at the end of Chandni Chowk. It is one of the most serene places in old Delhi.  Entering the Fatehpuri mosque is a start contrast with the crowd and chaos of the street. The expanse of the courtyard welcomes the visitor like no other place in Shahjahanabad.  Fatehpuri is an active mosque and madrasa and often the locals approach the visitors for a friendly chat. Next to it is the famous Chaina Ram sweets’ shop, known for its Karachi halwa.

The finale of our heritage walk was the rooftop view of old Delhi from Gadodia Market. This is a warehouse in the Khari Baoli spice market.

(posted by Kanika Singh & photos by Pushpa, team members, Delhi Heritage Walks)

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On the day of separation from you in helplessness and loneliness, nothing consoles us but the sorrow we feel for you.

O Jamali! Resort to the door of the friend, for our refuge is the door of the beloved.

These are verses by poet & traveller, Sheikh Fazlullah, who went by the pen name Jamali. And his name lives on today…the park where our heritage walk was organized is locally known as Jamali Kamali. Officially, the Mehrauli Archaeological Park, very few know it by that name. Our group of 20 odd met at the entrance to the Park and began exploring. The Mehrauli Archaeological Park is a minefield of archaeological remains! Everywhere the eye goes, there are remains of historic settlements, some almost devoured by vegetation. Close to the entrance is a clearing, beyond a gateway, which is a recently excavated archaeological site. I shared some of my surface finds with the group: a small clay toy shaped like a horse, bits & pieces of pottery! They have unearthed a stone floor and a few rooms to the east, some with graves in them.

The large building just after the clearing is one of the most important in the history of Indo-Islamic architecture. It is the tomb of Sultan Balban, and the earliest building to use the true arch in construction. It is dated to second half of 13^th century. Balban’s tomb is no longer extant but the adjacent chamber has a grave which is believed to be of his favourite son, Khan Shaheed.

Our heritage trail then weaves its way through ruins of a residential settlement, to the Jamali Kamali mosque. Built by Maulana Jamali, the mosque enclosure also has Jamali’s tomb. The tomb is a fine example of decorative work in plaster and tiles. The walls are inscribed with verses penned by Jamali himself, one of which is quoted above. The second grave in the tomb, it is said, is that of Kamali, his close companion.

A few steps from Jamali Kamali mosque & tomb, sits a canopy, atop a small hill. This is Metcalfe’s folly. Thomas Metcalfe was a British Resident at the Mughal court who purchased land here and landscaped it to his liking. He bought Quli Khan’s tomb, converted it into his residence, and modified a Lodi building into his boathouse, which stood in an artificial lake! And this estate was his Dilkusha or delighter of the heart! I like to call it the first farm house in Mehrauli!

The final stop on our heritage walk was the Lodi period stepwell, Rajon ki Baoli. The stepwell is a spectacular structure, in the middle of nowhere! The complex also has a tomb and a mosque. The baoli has recently undergone conservation work and currently there is de-silting work going on.

(posted by Kanika Singh, team member, Delhi Heritage Walks)

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The ruins in Hauz Khas are one of the most amazing sites in Delhi. Tucked away behind the numerous shops in Hauz Khas village, this magnificent monument reveals itself slowly to us as we approach it. The ruins around of are that of the madrasa founded by Sultan Firuz Shah Tughluq in the 14^th century. It is built on the edge of the tank, which supplied water to the capital city of Siri. It was built by Alauddin Khalji, the ruler of Siri, who called it Hauz i Alai. Later, Firuz Shah repaired it and called it the Hauz Khas. The madrasa is a double storeyed structure, the colonnaded halls probably being lecture halls. At the junction of the two wings of the madrasa is Firuz Shah’s tomb. It has been recently repaired; however, one of the graves in the chamber was badly damaged yet again. The plaster decoration is however, much more visible after the restoration work. The tomb entrance is enclosed in a most unusual railing pattern. One is not sure what inspired Firuz Shah to come up with this; it is similar to patterns on Buddhist monuments such as the Sanchi stupa. Moving a little ahead there are steps leading down to the lower storey. Here we see some cell like structures: extremely tiny, a small ventilator and an opening acting as a doorway. There probably were rooms for students. There are also some pavilions in the lawns which contain graves. These are probably burials of officers or teachers associated with the madrasa. Our heritage walk also covered monuments in Deer Park. The most prominent monument in the Deer Park is the Bagh i Alam ka Gumbad, a lodi period tomb with an adjacent mosque. Closeby is a small hut like structure called the Kali Gumti. The last stop on our heritage trail in Hauz Khas was the Tuhfewala Gumbad, a Tughluq period tomb with some striking cenotaphs.

(posted by Kanika Singh, team member, Delhi Heritage Walks; photos by Nishant Pagare & Kumar Rahul, heritage enthusiasts)

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The Mehrauli Archaeological Park is one of the least known and yet, most interesting places in the city of Delhi. It is the poorer cousin of the Qutb Complex, adjacent to it, which is a World Heritage Site. The ruins in this Mehrauli park stretch all the way up to Andheria More. Our heritage walk this Sunday covers a small part of the Mehrauli Archaeological Park. There is a small clearing near the entrance to the park, beyond a gateway, which is a recent site of archaeological excavations. If we were here a little more than a year ago, the ground level was at least a feet higher and covered with vegetation. Now, one can see parts of rooms, some graves which are visible after excavations. There are probably remains of a settlement built around a courtyard. Balban’s tomb stands right next to it. A completely ruined structure, the main chamber of the tomb doesn’t even have the grave of the ruler for whom, it was built. But the remains are magnificent in their proportions. The adjacent chamber of the tomb has a grave said to be that of Balban’s favourite son, Khan Shaheed who died fighting the Mongols. The same part of the tomb retains some plaster decoration and a hint of tile work, which gives us an idea how the tomb might have been.  We walked through the remains of the residential settlement to the monument which gives the park its local name: the Jamali Kamali mosque and tomb. Very few would know the Park as Mehrauli Archaeological Park; Jamali Kamali what the locals call it. The tomb is a well preserved example of plaster decoration and tile work, almost like a tiny jewel box, within which lie the tombs of sufi and poet Jamali and his companion, Kamali. As one walks further on in the Park, there is a small canopy upon a hillock. This is Metcalfe’s folly. The British Resident, Thomas Metcalfe purchased the entire land around this area and converted it into his weekend retreat, the Dilkusha. He purchased a Mughal tomb, converted it into his residence; diverted a stream into an artificial lake; a Lodi period dovecot into a boat house! The last stop was the Lodi period step well: Rajon ki Baoli.

(posted by Kanika Singh, team member, Delhi Heritage Walks; photos by Hariprasad, a heritage enthusiast)

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Here are some pictures capturing details from our heritage walk at Qutb Complex on 2 October 2011. Vinay is a regular at our walks.

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