Archive for the ‘Delhi Heritage Walks’ Category
January 5, 2012 in Delhi Heritage Walks,DHW,Heritage Walks,Lodi Garden,Lodi Garden Heritage Walks | Comments (0)
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.
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December 25, 2011 in 1857,Delhi Heritage Walks,DHW,Heritage Walks,Kashmiri Gate,Kashmiri Gate Heritage Walks | Comments (0)
These are pictures by Angela Karp, who attended the 1857 heritage walk at Kashmiri Gate
December 20, 2011 in Delhi Heritage Walks,DHW,Heritage Walks,Tughluqabad Fort,Tughluqabad Fort Heritage Walks | Comments (0)
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. Continue Reading This Post
December 13, 2011 in Chandni Chowk,Chandni Chowk Heritage Walks,Delhi Heritage Walks,DHW,Heritage Walks,Old Delhi | Comments (0)
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. Continue Reading This Post
December 6, 2011 in Delhi Heritage Walks,DHW,Heritage Walks,Mehrauli Archaeological Park,Mehrauli Archaeological Park Heritage Walks | Comments (0)
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. Continue Reading This Post
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