This walk covers sites associated with colonial life in 19^th century Delhi & the rebellion of 1857. We start at Nicholson Cemetery, named after one of the most revered British heroes of the ‘mutiny’. Brigadier Gen. John Nicholson was fatally injured while storming the Lahori Gate of Shahjahanabad. All through the summer of 1857 the rebels were inside the walled city & the British has taken position on the Northern Ridge & there was bitter fighting between the two sides. For Delhi the battle was pretty much decided in the favour of the British after breaching the city walls. Nicholson Cemetery has graves of many Europeans & some Indians as well. (more…)

Here’s a brief overview of our heritage walk on 1857 revolt, which was organised this past Sunday. It is great pleasure to walk around the city on pleasant winter mornings and rains only add to this experience, I think. A group of enthusiasts joined us to explore the neighbourhood of Kashmiri Gate for landmarks of 1857. Our starting point was Nicholson’s Cemetery. The cemetery is located in an area which was the battle zone between rebels in Shajahanabad & the British on the Northern Ridge. (more…)

For a small trek through Delhi’s landscapes, try Northern Ridge, in the winters. Throw in exploration of some of the sites of 1857 which played out in this area, and it is a day well spent. Our heritage walk in Northern Ridge traces a route connecting a few landmarks of 1857 in the Kamla Nehru Northern Ridge. We start at Delhi University Vice Chancellor’s office, which is a notable example of colonial building style. It used to be the Vice Regal Lodge when the new city of Delhi was under construction. One piece of gossip about this building is that it was in the Registrar’s office here that Lord Mountbatten (last Viceroy of India) proposed to Edwina. To complete the triangle & the irony, we now have a bust of Nehru looking wistfully towards the building!!

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Our heritage walk in the Kashmiri Gate area covers some of the sites where the rebellion of 1857 played out. Through this trail we try to weave the story of the revolt, the lives of people around involved in it & memorials left by them.

We begin the heritage walk from Nicholson’s Cemetery. Brigadier General John Nicholson had quite a reputation, as a strict no-nonsense chap who was fatally injured in 1857. The cemetery is named after him. (more…)

For a walk leader, it is good to see a large group come out in chilly winter mornings to join us on these heritage walks. Our heritage trail in Kashmiri Gate focuses on some sites connected to the events of 1857 rebellion. The walk starts at Nicholson’s Cemetery, the most important burial being that of British General John Nicholson. He is one of the most well known heroes of 1857 ‘mutiny’ for the British. (more…)