This Sunday morning we marched out for a walking tour of the city of Shahjahanabad. The focus of the walk was the main street of Chandni Chowk, which runs perpendicular to the Red Fort. I started with a brief introduction about the history of what is today called old Delhi. The first landmarks of interest are two very old temples: the Digambar Jain Lal Mandir, the oldest Jain Temple of the city & adjacent to it was a Shaiva temple called Gauri Shankar Mandir. Braving the chaos and traffic we reached State Bank of India building which is built on the estate of Begam Samroo. (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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Hauz Khas is one of the urban village in the city of Delhi & Delhi Heritage Walks organizes walks to this area regularly. Our walking tour here covers the monument complex which lies behind the Hauz Khas village market. This is a 14^th century madrasa built by Sultan Firuz Shah Tughluq. It overlooks a water tank which was originally created by the most well known of Khalji Sultans, Alauddin Khalji. He called is Hauz I Alai. Later Firuz Shah Tughluq renamed it Hauz I Khas. The madrasa complex has remains of classrooms, tombs of teachers associated with the school, colonnaded halls probably classrooms and the tomb of Firuz Shah himself. This heritage walk also covers monuments in Deer Park which include the Bagh I Alam ka Gumbad, Kali Gumti & Tuhfewala Gumbad. This blog entry has photographs of our heritage walk to Hauz Khas & Deer Park on 23 Dec 2012, led by Moby Zachariah. Photographs are by Kavita Singh, team member, Delhi Heritage Walks.

Hauz Khas Heritage Walk

Here are some photographs of our walking tour in old Delhi. This heritage walk is one of the most popular options in our list. This route covers the main street of Chandni Chowk starting at the Digamber Jain Lal Mandir, opposite Red Fort. Next is the Gauri Shankar Temple & the SBI building all of these being very prominent landmarks in old Delhi. A well known historic site is the fountain chowk with Sisganj Gurdwara, Sunheri Masjid, Ghantewala Shahi Halwai around it. It is just a few steps from Dariba Kalan with its jalebi shop at the corner. Central Baptist Church stands opp. Dariba Kalan. (more…)

Delhi Heritage Walks organizes heritage walks to different parts of the city of Delhi. The focus is on lesser known areas which are best seen & observed by walking.  Lodi Garden is one of our regular walks, repeated frequently. This walking tour covers the tomb of Mohammad Shah Sayyid, Bara Gumbad, Shish Gumbad, tomb of Sikandar Lodi, a Mughal era bridge called Athpula, a couple of late Mughal buildings & a turret, probably from the 14^th century. The above are photos of the heritage walk to Lodi Garden on 25 November 2012, led by Moby Zachariah, team member, Delhi Heritage Walks.

Lodi Garden Heritage Walk