Heritage walk at Hauz Khas complex also aims at telling people that there’s more to Hauz Khas than the village. The place known as hippest shopping centre in Delhi, the group walked along the lane to a monumental complex amongst all that greenery along the banks of the Hauz, an artificial tank constructed by Alauddin Khalji in the 13th century named as Hauz-e- Alai. We all climbed on a slightly raised, platform which overlooks a stunning view. I am sure people must have thanked Alauddin for constructing a tank of 28 hectares which catered to the water needs of the villagers around the place. Sadly, after Alauddin’s reign ended, the hauz was abandoned and water channels got silted. The Tughlaqs took over in the 14th Century; & Firuz Shah Tughluq decided to make use of the water body once again. (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)

Starting this month, we are making the street food walk in old Delhi a regular feature of our calendar. Moreover, the route we have chosen is a combination of food stops & some hidden gems of history in old Delhi. Hence the title ‘Heritage Walk & Street Food’.  The group met at Jama Masjid, one of the most famous landmarks of Delhi & negotiated our way to Sitaram Bazaar, the end point for this heritage trail.  Getting there can be quite a task though. Delhi Metro has made the old city easily accessible, but once out of the metro, get ready to face the madness here. The nearest metro station is Chawri Bazaar & the road leading from Chawri Bazaar to Jama Masjid is perpetually jam packed. There are rickshaws, hand pulled carts, scooters, cars, dogs & a sea of humanity all trying to keep going. One wrong move & the traffic comes to a standstill!!  (more…)

Lodi Garden is one of the greenest & most pleasant places to walk around in the city of Delhi. It was originally royal burial area for Sayyids and Lodis. Today, it is more of joggers- paradise; the park works as a breather from the busy life of the city in the middle of numerous medieval Islamic monuments. The plan of the garden was laid down by British as a part of re-landscaping Delhi and was christened as Lady Willingdon Park. It was renamed ‘Lodi Garden’ post  Independence. Not just the scattered monuments, one can find variety of plants and trees here including Jamun tree, royal bottle palm, Neem, bamboo, Eucalyptus trees etc and numerous birds such as Parakeets, Mynahs, Kingfishers etc. (more…)