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Holi

Holi is a festival that Indians look forward to the most. It is that one day of the year when everybody- old and young, rich and poor, is in their best of spirits to celebrate and enjoy this festival. Holi not only marks the beginning of spring for Indians, but it also symbolizes the feeling of love, harmony and belongingness for fellow humans. The colors we color each other in stand for the love and respect we have for each other.

Delhi is the cultural hub of India and every festival here gets a different flavor as the city sees a coming together of people from different cultures and different corners of the country. All these people bring with them their own rituals and ways of celebrating the festival and gives the festival a unique character. For an international tourist, to be able to witness and enjoy Holi in Delhi would be a completely new and exotic experience. But at the same time, there are safety concerns that give birth to inhibitions in the tourists’ mind regarding the festival. Keeping all of this in mind, Delhi Walks, a specialty vertical of India City Walks organized a group tour on Holi, for people who wanted to witness the colors of Holi in the city. With a group of ten tourists from different parts of the world, we started with what we call the Holi Walk.

We all met at Karol Bagh metro station and boarded an AC coach to go through the various lanes and streets of Delhi and experience the many hues and shades of Delhi. We were to go to Karol Bagh, Rajendra Nagar and Kailash Colony to have a look at Delhites celebrating Holi. We also planned to tell the tourist the story of Holi with all its history, mythology and legends and give them a taste of delicacies that are prepared for this special day. The priority for us was to give the tourists a safe, exciting and never-before experience.

We saw people all drowned in Holi masti at all these places. People were playing colors and gulaal on the streets and all faces were covered with many many colors. All divides of sex, religion, status ceased to exist in the celebrations. We also saw people enjoying Holi parties at various places and having a god time with colors, music and food. Children were the most fun to look at. They looked very excited with colors, water balloons and pichkaris and they seemed to be very excited. And, thei excitement was infectious; looking at everybody play Holi, we all wanted to get out there and play with colors. And to do exactly that, we stopped at India Gate. There was a group of people at India Gate, who were playing Holi and we joined them. We had made arrangements for colors and gulaal for the tourists beforehand and the Holi playing was very much fun and intoxicating for all of us. In no time, we were all throwing colored water at each other and running around the whole place.

Playing Holi was exciting as well as tiring. But the excitement won over the tiredness we had. With the excitement and energy we had in our hearts, we stopped at a café in Kailsah Colony for a cup of coffee and some food. And then came the big surprise for the tourists, a rain dance party. We had organized a rain dance party for them to give them the feel of dancing on bollywood and Holi songs. The rain dance was really enjoyed by all of us.

With the rain dance, the Holi Walk came to an end. We all said our goodbyes to each other with lots of memories that will be cherished for a long time to come. The walk was a real experience for the tourists, which cant be gained by reading or listening or talking about it. This was an experience that can only be lived, that can only be felt. We created an experience for the travelers, who wanted to live and explore Holi. The bestpart about the walk was that it was safe, well planned and gave the tourists a panorama experience of Holi complete with its story, food, colors and fun.

December 19, 2017 admin Blog, Festivals of Delhi Holi

Standing Tall & Proud

Cradling through the shadows of Indian history the city of Delhi is marked by the consecutive dynasties of the royal families in the monuments, shrines, memorials and citadels established by the royals. Today Delhi is one of the most visited cities in India from people all over the world and the city has been successful in continuing these ongoing colorful affairs with its admirers from every nook and corner. The imperial city has been the seat of power from centuries and offers a traveler an insight into the history of India and various places to explore.

Delhi has been a confidante to some of the wealthiest, powerful and controversial royals, princes, princesses, kings and queens. What we see today as a metropolitan was nothing but a mere frontier for the Afghans and Turks coming with aim to plunder and sometimes establish their territory. It is believed that this is how the city got its name. The word “Frontier” in Persian is “Dahleez” which eventually change to Dehli and then Dilli or Delhi as we all know now. The history of Delhi dates back to around 5000 BC but it was in 13^th century that started an era of glory, power and major historical events happening here.

The first sultan of Delhi was Qutb-ud-din Aibak, the founder of Slave dynasty in 1206 AD who also erected the famous Qutab Minar, one of the most visited monuments in Delhi as well as India. Though, these were not entirely the Golden times, there was continuous unrest and rebellions by the native rulers. It was in the 14^th century with the advent of Mughals a continued Golden period started for the imperial city of Delhi. The Mughal emperors truly converted this city into what one may say today a Heritage City. As times passed and rulers changed, each and every one of them constructed and recorded their own architectural and cultural grandeur & warrior feats.

The history of Delhi is extremely rich and one cannot miss the chance to witness the remains of our Golden past and walk through what remains of those times. Sachin Bansal of Delhi Walks organizes one of the best Heritage Walks in Delhi which take you back in time through stories and tales and lets you explore at your own pace. With the mantra of “Exploring the city’s soul” Delhi Walks is the finest ways to explore and experience the colorful city of Delhi.

As the national capital, Delhi is a geographically well placed city in the map of India and is well connected by air, railways and roads. Different types of packages with affordable and cheap rates for the train and air tickets to the city of Delhi are available in all major cities of India.

December 16, 2017 admin Blog, Standing Tall

Street food of Delhi

The culinary and cultural heritage of India illustrates the harmonious blending of diverse influences over the centuries. Indian cuisine displays the genius of our culture and our people. As time has passed, with reducing distances and the hunger for taste and variety the different regions of the country have interacted with one another and influenced each other’s cuisine, flavours and fashion.
Delhi, the imperial capital for many dynasties, has drawn talent in diverse fields to seek their fortune here. The result was the city became a unique merger of multi cultures and cuisines. Its cuisine incorporated the best of Hindu-Rajput, Bania and Kayasthaas well as the Tusrkish, Afghani, Persian and Mughal influences. The interest of Mughal was so deep in their food that today Mughal cuisine is synonymous to the Indian cuisine.
Delhi has a vibrant tradition of snacks and street foods, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian and it truly is the gastronomical capital of India. The best place to have some amazing street food is Old Delhi, the famous paranthewali gali and the lanes of Dilli 6. For some extremely tasty and mouth watering non-vegetarian dishes, walk through the lanes near Jama Masjid. You will find everything from the normal aloo and gobhi to the crazy bhindi and karela to the exotic meva and rabdi filled ones. These paranthas are deep-fried in ghee for that heavenly taste. Chole bhature and jalebi with warm milk are also breakfast favourites.
Being a city of vivid heritage and people from all the states of India here and thus it has turned out to be an alloy of all the sub-cultures in India. People from different states have brought a variety of cuisines to Delhi and there’s nothing you can’t find here. So if one starts Purani Dilli or Old Delhi or what was once called Shahjahanabad, you will find a number shops selling a number of variety of dishes. Some of the streets and places are totally dedicated to these food items only.
The Gali Paranthewali, where you can find a number shops selling various kinds of paranthas, which is actually traditional Indian bread. As you go near Jama Masjid you shall see shops selling variety of non vegetarian items starting from Tandoori items and Kabobs at Karim’s to authentic Mughal sweetmeats at Ghantewala Sweet. Each lane in Purani Dilli has its own range of cuisines. If you go to Ballimaran, you have Nehari at Bismillah and authentic Afghani Pilao and Green tea at Pathanwadi.
Pandara Road Market’s famous kebabs and biryanis and Bengali Market’s sweetmeats & chaats are but a few to be mentioned where you can relish this city’s culinary specialities.
One of the favourites of Old Delhi are the Kulle an unusual chaat made by scooping out the centre of either a tomato, a banana, sweet potato or cucumber and filling it with chick peas, pomegranate seeds, spices and lemon juice, fruit sandwiches,regular tikkis, samosas, kachoris papri chaat and golgappas.
With the amalgamation of cultures over centuries, Delhi today offers an enormous variety of exquisitely prepared cuisines from all over the world – all individually suited to every type of food style preference and budget. During our tours of this city one comes across some of the best of eateries, offering truly sumptuous fare. Be it an elite boutique restaurant located in Chanakyapuri, Qutab Minar, Khan Market or Greater Kailash I & II, the highly popular restaurants around Connaught Place, Hauz Khas and Defence Colony, or the simple, yet bustling & friendly roadside ‘dhabas’, the inquisitive foodie in you will most definitely find delicacies to appeal to and tantalise your taste buds.
Although Delhi’s gastronomic fare is not characteristic of any specific, original food culture, the most popular cuisine enjoyed by Delhi-ites and visitors alike is ‘Mughlai’ Cuisine. Mughlai preparations have always been favoured in Northern India, and today is popular the world over for its distinct aromatic nuances and spicy flavourings.
If you want to have something spicier, then head for Chaat Corner near Chandini Chowk Metro Station. Rabri Faludas at Giani near Fatehpuri Masjid. Apart from it you can taste food of every state at Dilli Haat. You can also go for Continental, European and other Asian cuisines if you like. There are some of the very popular fast-food giants such as Subway and Mc. Donald’s, who have their outlets in Delhi.
For the faint hearted – when it comes to the devilish little ‘Red & Green Chili’ – please do not despair, for Delhi has attracted many, many Continental, European and Asian Master Chefs of distinction to offer friendlier morsels of perfection and familiarity for you. The flavours and textures of European cuisine have now become so popular to Delhi-ites, and other Indians, that the fusion style restaurant has also become highly in vogue.

December 16, 2017 admin Blog, Food

Cradle of Heritage & Culture

The Lal Quila, also known as the Blessed Fort is one of the finest architectural Marvels of Mughal periods. Built between 1638 and 1648 by Shah Jahan is the seventh Muslim city within the boundaries of Delhi. The fort has 2 gates which open into the city of Delhi; first one is the Lahore, which faces the city of Lahore in Pakistan. The fort was built using the red sandstone which gives it the name “Red Fort”. The walls which are about 2kms in length vary in height from 18 meters to 33 meters.
Like any other fort the Red Fort is also divided into several parts, each one of them has their individual functions and importance. For example, ‘Diwan-i-am’ i.e. the public audience was where the emperor held meetings with the public and his private meetings were conducted in the ‘Diwan-i-khas’. “Rang Mahal” or “The Palace of Colors” was meant to be private quarters for the emperor’s wives and mistresses. The hall is decorated with beautiful mirrors and paintings; the famous “Mumtaz Mahal” has now been converted into a museum. The Turkish styled baths which are known as the ‘Hamams’ and the private working area of Shah Jahan was called the “Shah Burj”. The royal chambers or the ‘Khas Mahal’ is another tourist attraction. A courtyard specially designed for the musicians adds to the grandeur of the fort. Later, Aurangzeb had extended the Fort with the Pearl Mosque or the ‘Moti Masjid’
The fort has witnessed the extravagant lifestyle of the royals during this period, many a people have been rewarded with riches of lifetime by the Mughal, but as we all know nothing lasts forever no matter how powerful and rich you are. The Mughal Empire eventually declined and this falling out resulted in the falling of the fort with the invasion of Nadir Shah and eventually the British Government. The Fort what we see today also houses the settlements constructed by the British within its complex.
“The Blessed Fort” Walk of Delhi Walks takes you through the whole timeline of the Red Fort along with tones of stories and legends associated with them. Ms Nidhi Bansal one of many such walks taking you into an era of glory and power. Explore the rich heritage of Indian History with Delhi Walks.

December 16, 2017 admin Blog, Culture, Heritage

Travel back in time with a tour in the Metro: Yellow Line

Have you thought that your thirst for explorations can be quenched by not making a hole in your pocket? The metro yellow line lets you cover at least seven historically relevant places in a span of some hours, without worrying about the chock-a-block traffic or an unpredictable weather. Does that sound impossible to you? India City walks, is here to make this happen!

‘Metro Walks’ is an interesting new way to experience your heritage offering world class comfort and convenience where in a zipped air-conditioned comfort you can listen to stories of your city while you are on transit from one destination to another. No need to worry, just hop into the metro to make the metro ride full of memorable experiences with utmost diverse yet intriguing history and legacy. So before you hop on with us, get a glimpse of what you will be going to see on our carefully curated pit stops. Handpicked by us to block your day for some history of Delhi and an exciting ride around the city!

Starting from the Southern part of the long line, one of the first brick minarets of Delhi, Qutub Minar, is something which you can see even from the metro, while reaching towards Qutub Minar metro station. A short rickshaw ride from the metro station towards the ticket counter of Qutub Minar, would lead us to the 72 metre high brick minaret which is also UNESCO World Heritage site, is the tallest brick minaret. Roughly 700 mts away is another off beat place which is overshadowed by the world heritage site. Spread over 200 mts of lush greenery, it has layers of history trapped in it, which was also the first city of Delhi.

From Qutub Minar, our next stop can be Hauz Khas, where we travel ahead in time, come to the ruler who built the Hauz-i-Illahi tank and the fort city of Siri? Baffled? Don’t be, we are talking about Allauddin Khilji, who was famous for having an eye on a beautiful Rajput princess Rani Padmini, and building the second city of Delhi which was known as Siri. He understood the importance of reservoirs in Delhi, which is why he had built a huge tank called Hauz-i-Illahi, later name by Feroz Tughlaq as Hauz Khas. The tank overlooked an educational centre of the 14^th century which was built by Feroz Tughlaq, as well as houses the tomb of Feroz Tughlaq, inside the Huaz Khas complex. Hauz Khas, now, is a go-to place for upbeat café’s, pubs and clubs. This compact village is aperfect blend of history and urban culture.

Right from the 14^th century monuments we can travel ahead in time, towards the gardens which houses heritage of the Sayyids and Lodhis unknowingly. Lodhi Garden can be easily accessible from Jor Bagh metro station, by taking a rickshaw ride from the metro station. Packed in greenery and rooted in history, the garden houses grandiose structures, which are possibly the last remains of Lodhis in Delhi. Nearby is Safdarjung’s tomb, which is a stone throw away from the metro station, a last ray of light in the lamp of Mughal architecture, this mid 18^th century mausoleum was built by the Nawab of Awadh for his father, Safdarjung.

Hopping back to the metro and travelling further, we come across a station called central secretariat, which will transport you to the last city of Delhi known as Lutyen’s Delhi . The eighth city built by the British, between 1911and 1931. Of all of Lutyen’s Delhi, the main landmarks buildings are Rashtrapati Bhawan, India Gate and the Viceregal Lodge which were the headquarters of imperial authorities of pre-Independent India.

Going further towards the north of Delhi, get down at either Chawri Bazaar or Chandni Chowk to access the heart of Dilli, Old Delhi. The bustling 16^th century Mughal Walled city will suck you in its colours, and culture. So come, breathe in the living fabric of Delhi!

November 20, 2017 admin Blog, Metro Walks, Miscellaneous

The Greenery of the Metropolitan Delhi!

A usual metropolitan city is an image of being overpopulated concrete jungles. Delhi reflects these characteristics but it also has a lot of green covers and refuge from the hustle and bustle of a city life. One such example of a protected green cover is Lodhi Garden, a name which already provides a hint to the characteristic of the place. One of the beautiful landscapes with perfect manicured gardens in Delhi has a good mix of history, nature and gives a sense of peace whenever someone decides to spend time there. It is this location, where people, from all walks of life, come, interact and have a good time, during the afternoon. Mornings are quite hustled as joggers getting their morning exercise routine on the stone path, or families coming for a garden picnic next to the lake for an exquisite quality time, while photography enthusiasts can delve in taking different angles of the pictures coupled with beautiful tomb structures in the background dating back to the Lodhi period as one can explore the serenity of the garden only on a leisurely walk.

Lutyen’s Delhi is another area which is filled with greenery. The wide roads, built around 18^th century by the British, which reflects the colonial as well as neo-classical architecture. The prowess of the British Empire can be seen in the way the roads have been laid as well as the monuments which were built by them. You can imagine, if you have a separate elaborate gateway for King George the Vth, which is the India Gate, the amount of prowess they would have had is humungous.

Delhi offers opportunity to even deep dive in history and simultaneously enjoy the greenery at Mehrauli Archaeological Park. With the clearly visible Qutub Minar in distance greeting everyone and beckoning them to explore the 200 acres’ area sprawling with greenery and ruins from seven historic cities of Delhi. In terms of history and the city of Delhi having a character we have provided enough examples to prove that there is more to Delhi than just the traffic and its metropolitan status.

Even the area we refer to as Lutyens Delhi was built in the late eighteenth century by the British, so the modern and colonial architectural style that one sees in Connaught Place or the area around Rashtrapati Bhawan or the Civil Lines area are part of the built heritage of the city and add to its characteristics.

November 20, 2017 admin Blog, Miscellaneous Cosmopolitandelhi, Dilwalonkidilli, gardensofdelhi

Travel back in time with a tour in the Metro: Purple Line

The Purple line has been termed by the metro itself a heritage line because the line is travelling through the history of Delhi from Sultanate to Mughals and back. The originating station which is Kashmiri Gate is itself a historical site, offers a plethora of places to look around and unravel a lot of stories related to the British Empire in India.

From Kashmiri Gate, we can hop into the metro, and travel Lal Qila, which is the Hindi name for Red Fort. Qila-e-Mubarak was the residential complex for Shahjahan. Commissioned in 1638, the palace was conceptualized after the decision to shift the capital from Agra to Delhi was taken by the emperor. The precincts surrounding the residential complex later was supposed to be the seventh city of Delhi, called Shahjahanabad, which is in modern times called as Old delhi.

Walking a little ahead from Red Fort towards main street Chandni Chowk, is one of the picturesque mosques in the country. Commissioned by Shahjahan, located right at the beginning of Chawri Bazaar street, the mosque is one of the main spots of the city of Shahjahanabad. Feast your eyes on the magnificent four towers and beautiful architecture of the mosque. Walking through Jama Masjid towards the Red fort area, you can stumble upon a small mosque, which was built by the Mughal 18^th century nobleman Roshan-ud-Daulah, later repaired by Bahadur Shah Zafar II. The prominence of the mosque is of the fact that the invader Nadir Shah would sit and watch the massacre of Delhi, from this mosque precinct.

Traveling right from the Red Fort complex towards the Delhi gate area, to enjoy a plethora of anecdotes that the monuments carries with itself. Once a gate, out of the total 14 gates which were part of the walled city had a lot of heritage significance till the British period.

At Janpath, when we get down and look around, we can understand that the place has lot to tell you. While you are preparing to get spooked by the Khooni Darwaza, the gate of the Walled city which was believed to be haunted, we are quick to take you out, and transport you to a beautiful stepwell of the 14^th century which again is haunted but a favourite spots amongst the nearby schools.

Taking an auto from Agrasen ki baoli, we can travel to one of Delhi’s eccentric historic site, which is a collection of curving geometric buildings that are carefully calibrated to monitor the movement of stars and planets. The observatory was constructed by Maharaja Jai Singh II in around 1725. The first one was built by the Maharaja in Jaipur which was later replicated in Delhi.

November 20, 2017 admin Blog, Metro Walks, Miscellaneous

Delhi’s Hidden Museums

Museums form a part and parcel of our lives, as they are the show window to the culture and heritage of our past. A place where the material remains of our past are kept, reflecting the cultural legacy that we come from. Delhi being the heart of India has been the most preferred place for showcasing the cultural heritage of India. While people were mourning for the burning down of the National Museum of Natural History, there are many lesser known Museums which many people don’t know about. There is a list of gems which celebrate the artistic, cultural and historical importance of these treasure troves.

Replica Museum:

Replica Museum inside the Siri Fort complex gives us a glimpse of ancient and unique replicas which give us a hint of the rich and cultural traditions of our historical past. It was inaugurated during the Commonwealth Games in 2010, the conception and execution was done under Indian Archaeologist K.K Muhammad. The replicas focus on Indian heritage, and are made by the students of Patna’s College of Arts and Crafts. The replicas made with fiberglass are no less majestic than the original pieces. Right from the Fasting Buddha of the Kushana period to other modern day artefacts, it is a great experience to visit the place. The museum not only has the replica artifacts but also houses the Astitva Gallery, which keeps having exhibitions time to time.

Where: Siri Fort Sports Complex
Entry: Free
Timings: 10 am to 5 pm

Archaeological Museum:

Qila-e-Mubarak or the Red Fort which was the residential complex of the Mughal Emperors since Shahjahan’s time, is now a main tourist spot in Delhi. The grandeur of the Fort, houses a Museum which is less known amongst people. The Archaeological Museum which is also called as the Mumtaz Mahal houses gems for history lovers, as it stocks relics like pottery, antiquities from the Mughal times, coins, jewellery, seals and a lot more artefacts which were interestingly, found in the excavations at Purana Quila in 1955 and then again from 1969 to 1973. There are also objects dating back to to the Mauryas, Sungas to those from Kushanas and Rajput era and even the Sultanate period. While one section displays the artifacts from 2^nd and 3^rd century, there is another section which focuses on the relics of the First War of Independence of 1857.

Where: Red Fort
Entry: Free
Timings: 9 am to 5 pm Daily (Closed on government holidays)

Ghalib Museum:

The Museum as the name suggests, is dedicated to the poet Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib, his time and life. Situated in Nizamuddin, as we walk towards the dargah, the museum is seen on the third floor of the academy, which has an auditorium and a library. Two rooms of the museum are dedicated to with a statue of Mirza Ghalib smoking a hookah at the entrance. There is also a storehouse which houses the replica’s of Ghalib’s favourite food like shahi kofta, murghmusallan and jalebi along with his plate and glass tumbler. Ghalibs books, rare photographs and important documents along with his handwritten pages are kept there. There are seals and coins which date back to the Mughal era are also kept in the museum. The rooms only happen to be open if you only ask the officials to open it for you.

Where: Nizamuddin, Near Dargah
Entry: Free
Timings: 9 am to 5 pm

National Police Museum:

Established in 1991, this museum is located in the ground floor of CBI headquarters. The museum is a real reflection of the tough world of the police force and a detailed insight into the skills along with the investigative methods used by both, the Indian as well as an insight into the International investigative methods. The museum is a showcase of all objects and methods used by Indian as well as International Police Forces. In the museum, don’t get scared if you stuble upon gruesome pictures of criminals, weapons and even counterfeiter equipments used by police over the years. Apart from equipments, remnants of challenging case studies are also in display. The cherry on the cake being, the different uniforms from different countries. The only thing to remember is, you need special permission for photography.

Where: CGO Complex, Lodhi Road
Entry: Free
Timings: 9 am to 5 pm (closed on Saturday, Sunday and government holidays

Musical Instruments Gallery Museum :

If you have an ear for music, do visit the Musical Instruments Gallery at FerozShah Road. It is a treat for music enthusiasts, showcasing around four hundred instruments which provide an information on these instruments and other collectibles kept for display.

November 20, 2017 admin Blog, Miscellaneous HiddengemsofDelhi, MuseumTours, Seedelhifromaneyeofadelhiite

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