Getting to know Purani Dilli: Heritage Walks in old Delhi -

Old Delhi is one of the most popular areas for heritage walks. A heritage walk in old Delhi evokes all kinds of response one can think of: Nostalgia for lost glory; hunger for authentic food; and wonder at the systematic chaos that is the old city, sometimes combined with a feeling of impending doom! Our heritage trail this Sunday morning walk was a mixture of all of these.

Here are descriptions of two of our most popular routes in the old city.

Through the moonlight street: the Chandni Chowk

At Chandni Chowk

At famous poet Ghalib's Haveli

Digamber Jain Lal Temple

We start our walking tour at Digamber Jain Lal Mandir, the one famous for its bird hospital. With Red Fort forming the backdrop, we follow the main street of Chandni Chowk right up to the Sisganj gurudwara. On the way is Gauri Shankar temple, SBI buiding, Dariba Kalan and its famous jalebi shop and the Central Baptish Church. The fountain chowk where Sisganj stands has many important landmarks: it marks the spot where Guru Teg Bahadur’s & his followers were tortured and killed and there is a museum dedicated to their memory.

The chowk also has the Sunehri Masjid where the notorious raider Nadir Shah stood to watch the massacre of citizens of Delhi. The Ghantewala Shahi halwai was originally located at the chowk. We leave the main street at Parathewali Gali and entre the lane famous for its shops selling stuffed fried bread (parathas). Gali Parathewali leads into the Kinari Bazaar, know for trade in laces and embellishments of all kinds. One of the kuchas of Kinari Bazaar has the Naughara, a group of havelis which still retain their traditional appearance.

At Katra Neel

Back on the Chandni Chowk, our next stop is the Town Hall. Further ahead is Katra Neel, the area famous for its cloth. Katra Neel also had numerous temples dedicated to Lord Shiva (shivalayas).

At Fatehpuri Mosque

Walking through the Mosque

Congregation before Namaaz

At the end of the Chandni Chowk is the Fatehpuri Masjid, one of the best places to visit in old Delhi. As we enter the courtyard, we instantly feel the stark contrast from the rest of the city. It is amazingly quite in the mosque and the crowd and noise of the street outside seem distant. The mosque has a pleasing atmosphere which welcomes all.

The last stop for our heritage walk was Gadodia Market in Khari Baoli. A warehouse for spices, it is located in the heart of the famous spice market. The air is thick with spices which, frankly, can be overwhelming. But it offers one of the most spectacular views of old Delhi: one can see down the Chandni Chowk, as far as the Red Fort and Jama Masjid, the old Delhi railway station, the courtyard of Fatehpuri Mosque and the Kashmiri Gate metro station…a fitting finale indeed!

Jama Masjid & the by lanes of old Delhi

The old city of Delhi is the capital built by the Mughal emperor Shahjahan, who named the new capital after himself, Shahjahanabad. The Red Fort was his palace-fort complex and Jama Masjid the congregation mosque of the city. This heritage trail begins at the Jama Masjid.

Steps to Jama Masjid

It is one of the largest mosques in Asia. One is awestruck when walking up the steps to reach the entrance to the mosque. The vast courtyard has pigeons cooing, old men, women and children resting & chatting or offering prayers at the mosque. The best thing about visit to the Jama Masjid is that one of the minarets is open for climbing. And the view from up there is one of the most fantastic sites in Delhi.

The View From The Top

Stepping out of the mosque, we wandered through the narrow lanes of old Delhi: looking at the haveli facades in Katra Khushal Rai. This old city is like a warren. One narrow lane leading to many others, criss-crossing the entire area. The next stop is the Digamber Jain Naya Mandir an exquisite temple with beautifully decorated shrine. We then walk into the Naughara, another group of havelis which still retain their traditional appearance.

At Kinari Bazaar

Out into the Kinari Bazaar, one is in a different world all together. The colours are vivid and chaos maddeding! This walk ends at Parathewali Gali. 

For details on both the Heritage Walks in terms of timings and pricing :(Please open the attached PDF's) 

http://terrainspotter.com/files/chandni%20chowk.pdf

http://terrainspotter.com/files/Jama%20MAsjid.pdf