There are many landmarks of 1857 rebellion in Delhi. Delhi was one of the centres of the revolt & after the rebellion was suppressed, India officially became a British colony. By all accounts this was the greatest revolt faced by the British empire, even though they have stuck to the calling it the ‘mutiny’. There are many stories, diaries, histories, documentation of 1857 rebellion by the British which indicate the its impact on their lives & the empire. Naturally, many memorials were built to commemorate the dead on the winning side. (more…)

As we all know, Lodi Garden is a paradise for joggers, nature- lovers and history buffs in our city, Delhi. This vast ground was established in the 15-16^th century by Sayyid and Lodi Dynasty and it remained active in Mughal Rule, Imperial and post independence Period. Well- preserved gardens and medieval monuments lend a charm to these gardens. One walk member noticed it’s not just the structures, but also the trees, birds, butterflies the picturesque scenery which attract many people to sit and relax here. (more…)

The wait for monsoons is desperate & the weather is unrelenting. Still, a bunch of enthusiasts gathered this Sunday morning to explore old Delhi. Our heritage walk takes us along the main street of Chandni Chowk. This street was the main axis of the city of Shahjahanbad & still retains its centrality to movement & life in old Delhi. We meet at Digamber Jain Lal temple opposite the Red Fort. This is the oldest Jain temple here and is known for the charitable bird hospital in its premises. Next to it stands the Gauri Shankar temple dedicated to Shiv & Parvati. (more…)

Our restlessness in your love has passed beyond bounds, our hope is that you will pity our weeping.

How could your pardon be known, had we not shown ourselves guilty!

These are verses penned by Jamali, a traveler and poet who lived in the 16^th century. Today his name lives on as an area in Mehrauli called ‘Jamali Kamali’ or the Mehrauli Archaeological Park. Our heritage walk in this park covers some very interesting landmarks of Indian history. We start our heritage trail near Balban’s tomb. The area around the tomb was recently excavated to reveal a courtyard and some rooms and grave platforms. (more…)

It is quite an experience to roam around in historical complexes with a bunch of history lovers. The monsoons are here & no matter how little rainfall we get, one can’t help but feel good about it. I couldn’t but feel that the dim colour of the rainy day merged very well with grayish brown colour of the monuments. After walking through the chaotic road of Hauz Khas village, we stood at the high parapet overlooking the water tank for a brief introduction about the history of the complex. The area gets its name from the artificial water tank built by Alauddin Khalji in the 13^th century to ensure water supply to the growing population of Siri. (more…)