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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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…)

This is without doubt, one of the best places to see in Delhi. A heritage walk here combined history with the sense of adventure & exploration. Our heritage walk in Mehrauli Archaeological Park covers Balban’s tomb, a site of archaeological excavation, ruins of a late Mughal residential settlement, Jamali Kamali mosque & tomb, Rajon ki Baoli (a Lodi period stepwell) & Dilkusha, or Thomas Metcalfe’s estate. The last comprises of altered landscape & modified ruins including Metcalfe’s folly, Mohammad Quli Khan’s tomb & a dovecot converted into a boathouse.

(posted by Kanika Singh & Kavita Singh, team members, Delhi Heritage Walks)

Our heritage walk to Tughluqabad is one of the most awaited events. It always gets a large crowd, last year we had 55 people, this year, 62. And winters are the perfect time to visit this massive site. There is large area to be explored, and walking here is almost a mini trek, with its rocky terrain & ruins almost consumed by vegetation. Add to it the reputation of its builders, the dynasty of the Tughluqs & the notorious tiff between the rulers & Nizamuddin Auliya, the revered Chishti sufi saint, which led to the site & the dynasty being cursed. (more…)

Our heritage walk in old Delhi covers the main street of Chandni Chowk. Starting from outside the Red Fort we cover a distance of about 2 kms till the famous spice market in Khari Baoli. On the way are some well known & some not so well known landmarks which are of historical interest. In most cases, even though the landmarks are old, the buildings standing to commemorate them can be quite modern. (more…)