Dance at the Purana Qila!

For all you lovers of heritage out there, how would you love to be served with a delectable combination of dance, history, and ruins? I, for one, find it fascinating. The beautiful annual show Ananya  is back again in Delhi to celebrate Indian Classical Dance against the backdrop of the magnificent Purana Qila (Old Fort)…

One thousand desires | An Ode to Mirza Ghalib

It has been more than 200 years since the birth of the great poet Ghalib but his poems continue to have a remarkable relevance to our time. His works, when recited with élan, still leave people spellbound. Born as Mirza Asadullah Baig Khan, Takhallus Ghalib Ghalib (meaning, not surprisingly, ‘the most excellent’),  as he chose…

The “Delhie” Book and a Picnic atop the Qutb

I am excited as I’ve stumbled upon the “Delhie Book” of Thomas Metcalfe. Does not ring a bell? Well, Metcalfe was an officer of the British East India Company, and the Governor-General’s  Resident at the Imperial court of Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar in early 19th century Delhi. He ran the ‘Delhi territory’ from 1835 to…

Sibling Rivalry

The fascinating story of blood thirsty rivalry between two crown princesses… I know you must be wondering what’s the big deal about a little fighting here and there with your own brothers and sisters. You all fought as kids, got your parents to scold the ‘other one’, and while you smiled gleefully, your sibling secretly…

Wonder where this is?

An ornate little tomb cordoned off from the world…do you know what or where this is, dear readers? Update: This is the mausoleum of Atgah Khan, foster-father to Mughal Emperor Akbar, and minister at his court. He was murdered by Adham Khan  (a foster-brother of Akbar, not Atgah Khan’s son) out of jealousy. Those who’ve seen…

The Less Favorite Mosque

In the chaos of Chandni Chowk, in the horrific blare of horns and pushing and shoving of thousands of people going about their daily business and shopping sprees, history is often lost… What remain are yards and yards of sequinned sarees displayed on shop windows, vendors selling everything kitschy in the world, and a din like…

Poetry in Stone

Little did I know before I started my discovery of Delhi that this was once a land of many poets. Khusrau, Rahim, Zauq, Ghalib and countless others gave to this city its beautiful culture of lyrical poetry over the centuries. I owe my discovery of one poet’s grave to that of another…and each of them…

Pic-A-Day Project: The Story of Delhi

On the last day of the Pic-A-Day project, here’s bringing to you the story of Delhi itself, projected in brilliant colors on the walls of the Old Fort. If you want an introduction to the story of this magnificent city, there’s nothing better than this Sound and Light show, replete with colors, projections, music and…

Pic-A-Day-Project: Garden Tomb

World Heritage Monument, first garden tomb in India, and an inspiration to the Taj itself… This, my dear Delhi lovers, is the Tomb of the second Mughal Emperor Humayun. It was built by the wife of the emperor and its location near the Yamuna was selected so that the king could rest in peace near…

Pic-A-Day Project: The Last Flicker

A relatively unknown monument in the plethora that adorn Delhi, Safdarjung’s Tomb was the last important building created by the mighty Mughals. Architects and puritans have often mourned its lack of subtlety and refinement when compared to earlier Mughal monuments, some even pinning the reason on the culture of that period itself -when showiness, bawdiness,…

Pic-A-Day Project: Standing Tall

Standing tall as a part of the Delhi skyline since 1192 when the first Muslim ruler of Delhi- Qutbuddin Aibak– settled here and started building a victory tower, there’s a lot that this minar has seen. Many a ruler built over and renovated it (Iltutmish, Feroze Shah Tughlaq, even Lord Hardinge). Some even tried to…

Pic-A-Day Project: Tribute to a Guru

Here’s a picture of the historical Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib, which you must have seen while in Chandni Chowk. Although the current structure came up only in 1930, the site commemorates the spot where the 9th Sikh Guru – Tegh Bahadur – was beheaded on the orders of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1675. In 1735,…