These are some of the shots by Mariya, a traveler & photographer. Find her @ http://mashabarinova.com/a78.html.

This heritage walk in old Delhi covers the main street of Chandni Chowk, from Digambar Jain Lal Mandir opposite Red Fort right up till the Fatehpuri area. The Jain temple and Gauri Shankar temple are the two most important temples in old Delhi. Their shikhars are most prominently visible from a distance. The first one is contemporary to Shah Jahan’s time (mid 17^th century) & is known for a bird hospital in its premises and the second was built in 18^th century. It was in news recently as President Pratibha Patil visited the temple to offer prayers. (more…)

Mehrauli lies on the Aravallis; the terrain is uneven and now Acacia is the most commonly found variety of tree. Centuries ago, this landscape was interspersed with natural streams & the rocky landscape provided plenty of scope for habitation. There is evidence of prehistoric settlements on the Aravallis in the Delhi region. Our heritage walk today covered a small part of this landscape. The neighbourhood of Mehrauli is located on the southern part of Delhi on the Aravallis & this is where the first cities of Delhi came up. As a result Mehrauli is a minefield of historical remains. We traced a heritage trail through the Mehrauli Archaeological Park in search of some of these. (more…)

(Nirmal Dayani is a regular at Delhi Heritage Walks)

This Sunday evening, our heritage trail was planned at Hauz Khas village, a shopper’s paradise & the Deer Park nearby. Walking together to the complex towards our first stop was the high parapet which overlooks the Hauz or Tank. Hauz Khas complex contains a water tank, madarsa, several tombs and graves, mosques and pavilions etc. Hauz Khas is an urban village now surrounded by fashionable boutiques and restaurants. As early as 13^th century, it was a plain battlefield where important battles were fought especially the one between Mongols and Alauddin Khalji and Timur and Tughlaqs.

At the end of the 13^th century, Alauddin Khalji decided to construct a large water reservoir to cater to the needs of growing population in and around his fortified city and new capital, Siri, which lies to the east of Hauz Khas. The tank was named Hauz-e- Alai which means ‘the tank of Alauddin’, & it was spread over some 28 hectares.  To explain the extent of the tank, it was necessary to talk about a structure, Munda Gumbad or a bald domed structure which once formed the centre of the tank and was built during Khalji period when the tank was first dug up. Sadly, after the decline of Khalji dynasty, the focus shifted from Siri to other capitals and the tank fell into disuse and the water got silted. (more…)