About Delhi
About Delhi

Delhi Karavan

 

We at Delhi Karavan have been conducting regular heritage walks and baithaks across the city. To start with, we can offer the following few out of the many offbeat yet interesting trails that we have been exploring:

 

Mehrauli Archaeological Park

This walk will take you on a thrilling journey to explore the city within cities, accompanied by an interesting session of storytelling around the history and myths surrounding the Mehrauli Archaeological Park, which holds in its recesses centuries of heritage from the Sultanate to the Lodis, and from the Mughals to the British and the Sufis.

The Heritage Walk will cover the following:

  • The 19th century Metcalfe House, which was a 16th century Mughal Tomb, and was used as a guesthouse by the British, for couples on their honeymoons.
  • Jamali Kamali Mosque, which has an eerie aura to it. There are stories of the place being haunted, and Sufi saints are said to have found great resonance with the place.
  • Balban's Tomb dating back to the Mamluk dynasty.
  • Rajon ki Baoli or the stepwell, which is the oldest and one of the finest stepwells of Delhi.

 

Mehrauli Village

With every turn of the wheel of time, the story of Delhi too changed. But throughout this story, Mehrauli always played a significant character. Since 736 AD, when Anangpal Tomar first fortified it as Lal Kot, it grew in political prominence under the Chauhans and the subsequent Sultan rulers. Even with the power shift with Lodis and the Mughals, it remained a cultural and Sufi hub, and BahadurShah Zafar's and Sir Thomas Metcalfe's favored summer destination. Mehrauli was never abandoned. It has the footprints of the Prophet Mohammad and revered saints in its folds. To talk about Mehrauli is to talk about Delhi expanding, changing, assimilating and growing. We will take a walk down the plethora of monuments that pervade the lanes of the Mehrauli village and turn a few pages listening to the stories of the kings, warriors, generals, eunuchs and saints of this first city of Delhi.

Places to be covered:

  • Adham Khan's Tomb ( Bhoolbhullayya)
  • Gandhak ki baoli
  • Dargah Qutub Sahab
  • Zafar Mahal
  • Hijron ki Khanqah
  • Jahaz Mahal
  • Hauz e Shamshi
  • Mughal period Jharna

 

Feroz Shah Kotla

As we walk around the ruins of the fifth city of Delhi, be prepared to be mesmerized by the stories of mysticism, legend and history. It is a place where belief is stronger than logic.. and devotees write letters, stick coins on the walls of the mosque, offering sweets and milk to appease the unhappy spirits.

Built by Ferozeshah Tughluq in the year 1354, it has till date:

  • The ruins of a palace
  • A circular baoli i.e. circular stepwell
  • Dungeon cells
  • The Asokan pillar, standing tall as if a witness to the history that flowed through here, like the river Yamuna once did.

 

Khirki Masjid

Saket, which is now synonymous with glitzy malls, global brands, and a swankier lifestyle, was once dotted by beautiful medieval structures, stretching from the Qutub to Chirag Delhi, comprising of the fourth city of Delhi - "Jahanpanah".

We will take you to the unknown alleys of the Khirki Village, where the Khirki Masjid, 'The Window Mosque' still stands tall amidst a crowd of urbanity, like a breath of fresh air. The next stop would be Sheikh Yusuf Katal's Tomb. Still off the usual heritage circuit, this 16th century Lodhi era tomb is hidden away and even difficult to locate on Google. We shall further move to the Satpula Dam, the seven arched waterways of the medieval period, showing the excellent canal system that existed during the Tughlaq's Sultanate. Experience with us the aesthetic beauty of symmetry of these structures, the multitude of domes and the peace which surrounds the otherwise busy streets and traffic of the posh locales of South Delhi.

Places to be covered:

  • Khirki Masjid
  • Sheikh Yusuf Katal Tomb
  • Satpula Dam from the medieval era

 

Following points can be kept common for all the above tours:

  • Language: All tours are available in Hindi and English
  • Duration: 3 hrs. approx.
  • Charges: 1 Participant - INR 2,000
  • 2 Participants - INR 3,500
  • Group of 3 to 7 Participants - INR 5,000
  • Group of 8 to 15 Participants - INR 8,000
  • Charges to be discussed for group of over 15 participants

 

Thanks again for trusting us. It's an honor to get on board with Delhi Tourism and we look forward to a fruitful association.

 

Team Delhi Karavan
9818278665