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)

‘On the day of separation from you in helplessness and loneliness nothing consoles us but the sorrow we feel for you.

O Jamali, resort for protection to the door of the friend, for our refuge is the door of the beloved!’

There lie many a stories behind the picturesque ruins in Mehrauli. Delhi is well known as a historic city & within Delhi, Mehrauli is a minefield of historical & archaeological data. Our heritage walk in the Mehrauli Archaeological Park covers some stunning monuments which have incredible stories behind them! The above verse was penned by Maulana Jamali, a sufi & poet whose mosque & tomb gives the park its local name, Jamali-Kamali. (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…)

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…)