The neighborhood of Mehrauli is a delight for a lover of history, for someone who revels in looking under the multiple layers of time. Mehrauli is the area where the first cities of Delhi came up & even when the capital shifted this area was never abandoned. Which means that as dynasties came & went, politics changed, the river shifted course, Mehrauli continued to be inhabited. So understanding the development in Mehrauli, its changes, helps us understand Delhi. (more…)

There are many a stories of cities of Delhi; how many people came, made it their home, only to be replaced by a new bunch. Today, their remnants are most visible as monumental heritage of Delhi. And south Delhi happens to be one of the densest in terms of these remains. After all, this is where the story of urban Delhi started, this is where the first cities of Delhi came up. Even when the capital moved up north & closer to the river Yamuna, this area was never abandoned. As a result, Mehrauli sees a continuous settlement for a 1000 odd years, which is an incredible trail back to the past! (more…)

(photos by Heritage & Food Walk in old Delhi, by Henri Laniece, a regular at our walks)

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. Continue Reading This Post