Mehrauli Archaeological Park is one of the most interesting trails in Delhi. The route covers an archaeological site, the tomb of Sultan Balban, Jamali Kamali mosque & tomb, Thomas Metcalfe’s estate called Dilkusha (which consisted of a boathouse, Metcalfe’s follies, Mohd Quli Khan’s tomb converted into a residence) and a step well by the name Rajon ki Baoli. The walk was conducted by Kanika Singh & Kavita Singh, team members, Delhi Heritage Walks.

these photos were taken by Pankaj Jain, a corporate lawyer & photography enthusiast on our heritage walk to Northern Ridge

The image of the Qutb Minar is synonymous with Delhi. Much like India Gate, we find it on practically every book, pamphlet, publication on Delhi. There is no avoiding it in school textbooks or school picnics either! We have grown up reading about it, taking visiting relatives to the Qutb (that was before the Saket malls came up). The fact that it is one of the better maintained sites in Delhi has added to its popularity with both locals & tourists alike. And it also has a World Heritage Site tag to boot.  There is no doubt to Qutb’s importance to history & much of it is deeply contested. Our heritage walk here focused less on the Qutb Minar itself but more on the relationship of the Qutb to the surrounding monuments, their development in Delhi’s history & the anecdotes about people who shaped the site & thereby our ‘experience’ of it. (more…)

There are two large monument complexes in Delhi associated with Sultan Firuz Shah Tughluq. His capital city, now called Kotla Firuz Shah & Hauz Khas. The latter has emerged as one of the most popular hangouts in Delhi, better known as HKV. Hauz Khas Village is known for cafés, high fashion boutiques, antique shops or for just bumming around. Just beyond the shops is a gateway which leads you to the monument complex built around a lake. The tank which was originally dug up by the second Khalji ruler Alauddin Khalji in the early 14th century was much larger than it appears today. Munda Gumbad, a ruined pavilion which stands on the boundary of the water body now, is said to have been a pavilion in the middle of the lake. That alone gives us some idea of the extent of the tank. If you are a bird watcher, a good time to visit the lake will be during winter and early spring. (more…)

In a series of articles here, we are going to talk about the lesser known history of Delhi. Each article will cover details of a single site, with photographs. Delhi is practically littered with historic sites. Yes, we know of the world heritage sites, but what about the numerous ruins, by lanes of Delhi, each with a story of its own.

(Nicholson Cemetery)

Let’s start our heritage trail with the event of 1857. We all have learnt of it from our history textbooks: the tales of Tantia Tope, Rani of Jhansi: ‘khoob ladi mardani woh of Jhansi wali rani thi’, Mangal Pandey (made even more famous by Amir Khan’s movie) & Bahadur Shah Zafar, the poet-king & reluctant leader of the Uprising. (more…)