New Delhi Trip Overview
A walking tour to unravel the legends and unique history of this precious heritage corner of Delhi. Whole Old delhi revolves around “Chandni Chowk”. An erstwhhile posh street with canals during Mughal era filled up with running waters & in the night the canal waters used to reflect moonlight. Hence it came to be known as Chandni Chowk, literally meaning moonlight street. It is having the mansions of the Mughal nobility — typical courtyard houses with a grand gateway (deori). After the British occupation of the city, especially during the nineteenth century, the Jain merchants of Delhi prospered in trade and started building havelis, which now form the streetscape of the old city, in their quite deplorable state. The Jain traders re-introduced Rajasthani elements in Delhi’s architecture. The long running verandahs of these havelis, their austere courtyards, and heavily decorated drawing rooms mark a period of socio-cultural transition.
Additional Info
Duration: 2 to 4 hours
Starts: New Delhi, India
Trip Category: Private & Custom Tours >> Private Sightseeing Tours
Explore New Delhi Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting New Delhi, Delhi, India
A walking tour to unravel the legends and unique history of this precious heritage corner of Delhi. Whole Old delhi revolves around “Chandni Chowk”. An erstwhhile posh street with canals during Mughal era filled up with running waters & in the night the canal waters used to reflect moonlight. Hence it came to be known as Chandni Chowk, literally meaning moonlight street. It is having the mansions of the Mughal nobility — typical courtyard houses with a grand gateway (deori). After the British occupation of the city, especially during the nineteenth century, the Jain merchants of Delhi prospered in trade and started building havelis, which now form the streetscape of the old city, in their quite deplorable state. The Jain traders re-introduced Rajasthani elements in Delhi’s architecture. The long running verandahs of these havelis, their austere courtyards, and heavily decorated drawing rooms mark a period of socio-cultural transition.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Red Fort, Netaji Subhash Marg, New Delhi 110002 India
Meet our expert local guide outside the “Lal Quila” metro station, our guide immersed in the local history and culture of Old Delhi will brief you about the secrets to be unraveled. Soon we will visit our first point of interest “Bhai Matidas Square”. On this very square, holy “Sikh” saint “Guru Tegbahadur” attained martyrdom by offering his head instead of leaving his faith and to be religiously converted by tyrant “Mughal” forces. Just opposite to this square is the temple built in the memory of martyred guru known as “Seesganj sikh temple. After a quick halt we will walk by the “Town Hall”, build by the British after the mutiny. The garden and canals near the hall still suggests the opulence once enjoyed by the area, although the British destroyed most of the historical settlements and paved way for the Old Delhi as we know it today.
Moving on to the better known alleys of the area called “Katra Neel” (Blue Alley) the name comes from neel (indigo) trade that flourished here at one point of time. That trade no longer exists but what we have now are a series of small shivalays (Shiva Temples), built for personal purposes although many of them have now become public temples. We will see few of the havelis, and understand their architecture and the purpose of various components. For instance we will learn that the word “Otla”, the square platforms just outside the buildings on both sides of the door. These were build so that people can sit for a while and socialize with the people passing by. So, in a way, these otlas played a major role in the social life of erstwhile Old Delhi.
After Katra Neel we will slowly move India’s biggest Booksellers street known as “Nai sarak”, it is a heaven for the school-goer and college-goers alike for finding their studying material at unbelievable prices, also many works of the local artists like posters, calendars find a place for sale over here.
Now enter “Parantawali gali” (bread-makers alley) be amazed to watch breads of different enormous sizes for sale and being devoured by the food buffs, it is said that no one can finish off a single bread completely due to its size and richness. Adjacent to it is a complex of Mughal era mansions known as “Nau Ghara” literally meaning 09 homes. The descendants of the erstwhile merchant families still live here and continuing their hereditary mercantile business of clothes and apparels. A very good spot for doing photography besides the giant old gateways & wooden doors.
Now we are landing on the giant stairs & steps of “Jama Mosque”, biggest mosque of India built by the creator of Taj Mahal ” The Shah Jahan”. After visiting the mosque our Rickshaw and our guide will drop you back at the “Lal Quila” metro station to conclude the tour.
Duration: 2 hours
