Diwan-i-Am, Red Fort, New Delhi

Indian history is replete with instances of so many intriguing & interesting personalities that most historians studying it have often been forced to ignore or relegate to obscurity some of the relatively minor characters. Nevertheless, it has never been a source of disappointment to those who wish to find enchanting stories & plots woven in its many schemes. Boasting of numerous sultans, princes & princesses, generals, nobles & warlords, saints, priests & mendicants alike, the scope & expanse of Indian history is enough to confuse even those who claim to be masters over it. & yet one does not understand why many of our historians - both native & foreigners alike - felt compelled to distort historical narratives & introduce scenes & players in order to alter the storyline or prop up new theories that are seemingly absurd to begin with but gain wide currency caused by these misinterpretations & false premises. One such personality that keeps cropping up when one is dealing with the reign of Mughal emperor Shahjahan (ruled AD 1628-58) is the Florentine goldsmith Austin de Bordeaux. Modern historians are no longer sure if Austin actually existed or was a fragment of imagination of those Europeans who took it upon themselves to define & pen medieval & ancient Indian history.

The Diwan-i-Am hall

Austin has been credited with the construction of three of the most widely acclaimed architectural achievements of Shahjahan’s reign – first is the famed Taj Mahal of Agra, some historians, especially the European ones, claim that Austin had a role in laying out the design & the plan of this magnificent mausoleum, but most historians concede that if Austin did exist, his role was merely limited to designing & executing the silver doors of the mausoleum. Second, Shahjahan granted Austin with several kilograms of gold & numerous precious jewels & gems to build a splendid seat for the emperor. The final craft was christened the “Peacock Throne”, you can read about the throne’s history in one of my previous articles here - Pixelated Memories - Diwan-i-Khas, Red Fort. However, even this theory seems largely unlikely as Austin is considered to be one of the greatest frauds alive in 17th century Europe & it is said that he escaped to India after conning several European kings & princes out of their family heirlooms. It would be very stupid of Shahjahan to keep such a person on his payroll & given charge of gold & pearls worth millions of rupees. Given Shahjahan’s shrewd nature & bargaining capabilities, & the intelligence capability of his army – it is not possible that Shahjahan did not know the past of a man he was harbouring in his court & instead of condemning the fraud’s existence & activities, had granted him the position of court jeweller, the title of “jewel-fingered” & a monthly pay of two thousand rupees. Shahjahan is also said to have commissioned Austin to design & execute the pietra dura work on the wall of the Diwan-i-Am palace hall in Delhi’s Red Fort. The Peacock Throne was carried away by the Persian invader Nadir Shah when he overran Delhi in AD 1739. The Taj Mahal’s silver doors were looted & melted in AD 1764 by the Jat invaders who took to plundering Delhi & other neighbouring provinces after the later Mughal rulers proved too weak to retain command over the massive empire bequeathed to them by their forefathers. The only remain of Austin’s superior craftsmanship is the pietra dura work in Diwan-i-Am & even that has come under great scrutiny lately as a result of a series of discoveries of manuscripts & records that actually whitewash the existence of Austin & instead credit native Hindu & Muslim artists for several of the designs & creations that have been attributed to him. One again wonders what reasons could have compelled Shahjahan to retain a man of dubious character & questionable integrity in his court, entertain him & even allow him to conceive & build enchanting artworks in stone & marble when native craftsmen & stonemasons far excelled in the craft of pietra dura (Pietra dura, locally called “Parchin kari”, has been traditionally used in Indian jewellery & construction industry). Moreover what were the previous achievements of Austin that prompted Shahjahan to hire him?? He isn’t even known in France or Florence & no records or remains of his impeccable craftsmanship exist, then why did Shahjahan employ a fraudster with no real skills to boast of?? Furthermore, I am at loggerheads with the accepted belief because of one simple doubt - why don't contemporary writers mention Austin if he was such a skilled (& notorious!!) goldsmith. Court gossipers & sycophants wrote almost everything about their sultan - why not mention that the sultan found an artist in a crook??

Shahjahan loved arches!!

Nonetheless, here is a primer about the Diwan-i-Khas or the “Hall of public audience” – Built with red sandstone, the striking palace was Shahjahan’s idea of a lavish court room where he could meet his subjects, listen to their grievances, take note of petitions & pass judgements & grants. The impressive hall was once covered with a layer of ivory & shell plaster giving it marble-like finish & boasts of nine arches on its front face & three arches on its sides, all supported on sturdy pillars. Chattris (small umbrella domes supported on very thin pillars) adorn the front of its roof. Its stateliness is further spelled out by the arches that give it an appearance of curves & waves. The hall boasts of chajjas (hanging eaves), an Indian architectural innovation that was combined with Islamic design elements by the Mughals. During the reign of Shahjahan & his son & successor Aurangzeb (ruled AD 1658-1707), the hall used to be draped with heavy curtains & was decked with stunning stucco work that incremented its opulence manifolds.

The throne - not made of gold, but impressive nonetheless (Photo courtesy - mountainsoftravelphotos.com)

At present, the most attractive part of the hall is the niche in its back wall where a canopied marble throne (called a "baldachino") rests. The emperor would sit on the throne & listen to his subjects’ grievances, the wazir (prime minister) would sit on a four-legged marble pedestal kept in front of the emperor’s throne. At one time, both the throne & the wazir’s pedestal were inlaid with jewels & designed in such a way that they sparkled & glittered in the daylight. The throne pavilion was referred to as Nashiman-i-Zil-i-Ilahi or “the seat of the shadow of God” & is an impressive piece of craftsmanship with its fluted pillars & curved Bengali roof. The marble wall at the back of the canopy throne is the one supposedly crafted by Austin. The white marble is inset with precious black stone & several stones of different colours are used to create exquisite patterns within the black stone. This is the renowned pietra dura artwork of Diwan-i-Am – the inlay stones are used to create replicas of several birds, flowers & foliage that are worth mentioning. Over 200 types of birds have been depicted in these panels, including numerous mythical birds - the most realistic being the parrot & the crows, but all of them being breathtakingly stunning. Since figurative workmanship is very unusual in Islamic buildings, this sort of pietra dura work is not seen anywhere else in India & this is the sole reason that gives weightage to the theory about the presence of European artists & their influence in Shahjahan’s court. But the most widely renowned panel amongst these is not that depicting any bird – real or imagined, it is another panel, much smaller than the rest, that sits on the very top of the arched niche & depicts the Greek minstrel Orpheus sitting under a tree & playing violin to a charmed audience that sits near his feet & consists of a lion, a hare & a leopard. Orpheus was the son of King Oeagrus & Calliope in Greek mythology – he possessed a melodious voice & was taught to play the lute (& not violin as the panel shows) by the Greek God Apollo. With his songs he could even make inanimate objects obey him. His voice facilitated his inclusion in several mythical adventures & he even travelled to the netherworld to rescue his wife Eurydice from death. However in the context of the Diwan-i-Am, not many people are aware of the image’s history nor has it ever been determined who conceived it & what its purpose was, but most scholars hold that the decontextualized image was meant to serve as a commentary about the just rule of Shahjahan where the mighty (lion) & the weak (lamb) would lie down together & pay obeisance to the king.

Pietra dura artwork behind the throne - Who designed these?? (Notice the small Orpheus panel in the center, top)

After the defeat of the Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah ‘Zafar’ II (ruled AD 1837-57) at the hand of the British during the Sepoy Mutiny/First War of Independence in 1857 & the subsequent takeover of the fortress by the British military, the fort’s riches were confiscated & even those items were taken away which even the previous barbaric plunderers would never have thought of looting – several of the pietra dura panels were damaged, & 12 of these, including the Orpheus panel, were removed from their niches & carried away to be displayed in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. They were returned to their respective places in 1903 following concerted efforts by the then Viceroy Lord Curzon. What would be interesting to know would be if the story concerning Austin’s employment & position in the Mughal court came into existence before or after the return of these panels. Sadly I could not find any books/sources on the internet that deal with the subject. The Archaeological Survey of India (A.S.I.) accepts Austin’s existence & credits him for the construction of the ornamental marble wall on its website. The A.S.I. put up an iron railing around the emperor’s throne & the accompanying pedestal to prevent visitors from touching the same, but I still don’t understand the point of covering the two & the marble wall with thin synthetic net – it actually perplexed me to see a net thrown over the entire baldachino but then my friend Adil at DHPC explained to me that the net is used to keep the pigeons out. There are actually too many pigeons in the complex if you did not notice already!! The photo of the throne I uploaded here is an old one sourced from another website - here the throne is not covered with the net - having visited the fort complex several times over the past few years, I can say that the net is seldom taken down.

The emperor would enter the hall from the verandah on the first floor towards the back of the hall & follow a passage that opened up on the side of his marble throne. The stairs that the emperor would have climbed to reach his throne from the passage’s exit can still be seen inside the hall, however entry to the passage or the other rooms that exist towards the back of the hall is now prohibited. Although today the back of the hall & the verandah are in a run-down condition with the plaster peeling off & the walls getting blackened due to exposure to the elements, once even these were coated with plaster mixed with shell dust. At that time even the announcement of the emperor’s arrival would have caused all mutterings & whisperings to cease & hush up his subjects, today the hall continuously abounds with the incessant chatter of the visitors. The French traveller Francois Bernier describes his travels through India during the reign of Aurangzeb in his memoirs & recounts how the hall would become the site for many extravagant & majestic ceremonies & how the gifts to the emperor, which often included elephants, oxes, rhinoceros & leopards, would be paraded in front of the hall. The elephants would be decked up with jewels, colours & embroidered clothes & would often steal the show. The emperor would then indulge in a hearty chat with his astrologers, dream interpreters & physicians regarding illness, dreams & other (supposedly ominous) happenings in the kingdom. The nobles would entertain him with anecdotes, stories & debates. Then the emperor would proceed to hear petitions & matters related to day-to-day administration of his empire, he would often impart justice on the spot – often causing an aggrieved party to be compensated, or an oppressor to be whipped or even beheaded. The subjects held the emperor in awe, for them he was the Zil-i-Ilahi, the “shadow of God” , a concept conceived by the mighty Sultan Balban (ruled AD 1266-86) but carried forward by all the later Sultans of India, including the Mughals.

This (now shabby) side was where the emperor entered the hall from.

Visiting the Diwan-i-Am now, one can only wonder with astonishment & disbelief mixed in equal measure at the might & grandness of the Mughal court, but never can be the brilliance of the court & the nobility of gestures be surpassed or even re-achieved. The Mughals brought a certain lavishness to the country, of which the Diwan-i-Am is a prime example. It might be battered & ignored now, but what still matters even today is that once European historians invented figures such as Austin to claim their land’s association with the Mughal structures!! These stories aren’t going anywhere for they too have become a part of the record & been assimilated in the collective Indian history just like the thousands of invaders, travellers & refugees who came to the country & got intertwined in its enchanting life & culture.

Location: Red Fort
Nearest Metro Station: Chandni Chowk Station
Open: All days except Monday
Timings: 10 am - 4 pm
Entrance Fee: Rs. 10 (Indian), Rs. 250 (Foreigners)
Photography Charges: Nil (Rs. 25 for video filming)
Relevant Links -

1. Pixelated Memories - Diwan-i-Khas, Red Fort
2. Pixelated Memories - Red Fort

Suggested Reading -

1. Mythweb.com - Story of Orpheus
2. Wikipedia.org - Pietra dura

Hira Mahal, Red Fort complex, Delhi

This article is part of a series about Red Fort, Delhi. Refer Pixelated Memories – Red Fort complex for the composite post.

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“In dino garche dakkan mein hai badi qadre sukhan,

Kaun jaaye Zauq par, Dilli ki galiyan chhod kar?”

“Let it be granted that there is today a greater patronage and love of art in Deccan;

But, Zauq, who has the heart to leave the lanes of Delhi and go away?”

– Sheikh Muhammad Ibrahim “Zauq” (1789-1854),

Emperor Bahadur Shah “Zafar” II’s court poet and Urdu tutor

At their lowest ebb, the tragically feeble dregs of the dying Mughal Empire had to content themselves by dejectedly manifesting in the uninspiring forms of artistically and architecturally inconsequential minor palatial edifices and religious/funerary structures scattered about Delhi, including within the bewilderingly impressive Red Fort fortress-palace that one of their formidable progenitors had extravagantly constructed and opulently adorned. In the penultimate moments of their sovereignty, not long before the shallow breath of their empire was to be conclusively extinguished, these last of the “Great Mughals” commissioned several insignificant edifices with the optimistic intention of these reflecting favorably upon their distinguished existence and sumptuous prosperity, but which in reality had an unforeseen effect quite to the contrary. And although numerous of these trivial edifices were viciously obliterated in their entirety, except in contemporaneous documentary records, by vengeful British forces that ferociously occupied and avariciously devastated the magnificent fortress-palace following the Sepoy Mutiny/First War of Independence of 1857, the few that were intermittently spared in the onslaught wretchedly remain to affirm the miserable ignominy of the despairing last of this unparalleled line of sovereigns.

Disguising reality - Bahadur Shah “Zafar” II
(Photo courtesy - Columbia.edu)

Prior to being contemptuously exiled to distant Rangoon on charges of treason and conspiracy, the last emperor Abu Muhammad Sirajuddin Bahadur Shah “Zafar” II (reign AD 1837-57), ostensibly entitled “Zil-i-Ilahi Badshah Ghazi Al-Sultan-al-Azam Shahanshah-e-Sultanat-ul-Hindiya-wal-Mughaliya” (“Shadow of God, Champion of Faith, The Great King, King of Kings, The Lord of the Empire of Hindustan and the Mughals”), commissioned several inconsequential palaces within the eminent fortress-palace and elsewhere in Delhi – of these, two minor ones are still existential within the colossal fortress-palace amidst the smattering of other far superior edifices that defined the noteworthy seraglio. The first, a tiny, vibrant red pleasure pavilion has already been documented on this blog here – Pixelated Memories - Zafar Mahal.

The second, grievously narrating its pitiful tale and exposing its stark nakedness devoid of even the minutest of ornamentation, is ironically known as “Hira Mahal” (“Diamond Palace”), and was one of two identical sparkling white marble pavilions built in the year 1842 as minuscule constituents of the long row of breathtakingly splendid regal palaces commandingly overlooking river Yamuna lethargically flowing barely a stone’s throw away from the fortress’ immense peripheries. While Hira Mahal thankfully escaped post-1857 upheavals with only minor damages, its twin counterpart, “Moti Mahal” (“Pearl Palace”), was decimated to imperceptible dust.

Unfathomably unadorned vis-à-vis Emperor Shahjahan’s (reign AD 1627-57) matchless bewitching palaces to which it looks up to like an unfamiliar impoverished pauper while extraordinarily standing on their own high plinth, the pavilion, measuring a measly 15.9 X 6.8 meter squares, was envisaged as possessing three arched openings on each of its four sides, therefore rendering it wholly open to the environment and bestowing upon it the alternative nomenclature “Baradari” (“Twelve-pillared pavilion”).

Hira Mahal - Nakedness articulated!

Given the last monarch’s self-acknowledged insurmountable destitution, one assumes that neither was the poor edifice shrouded by profusely embroidered tapestries during winters, nor would it have been enclosed with continuously-watered fragrant Khas grass (Andropogon muricatus) screens during summers. It wouldn’t be disorienting to learn that the outrageously penurious emperor sat here disgracefully stripped of all authority under an appallingly tattered canopy even more shameful than his regal audience hall!

The diminutive pavilion is presently closed for public entry and the sloping walkway providing access to the imposing seraglio on this side remains barred by stretched chains and barricades. Awestruck visitors can admire the strikingly symmetrical line of copiously ornamented palaces, and endeavor to comprehend how the unequaled Mughals disastrously managed to lose all they had and squander the world’s richest kingdom to recurrent military defeats and reprehensible court intrigues and internal strife. If visitors could climb up to the level though, they wouldn’t anymore observe the river flowing opposite for it too had abruptly shifted course long time back, only to be replaced by the slithering arterial Ring Road with its ceaseless barrage of vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians. The lethargic flow of the widespread river immediately adjacent, like the prodigious Mughals, is now the envious stuff of oft-repeated legends, remembered in cherished folklore and documentary tales, yet availing little except endlessly prompting incredulous folks to wide-eyed wonder and assess what was and what could have been.

Talk about insignificance - That's all the Archaeological Survey has to offer!

Location: Red Fort, Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad). The fortress, located at an extremity of the renowned Chandni Chowk street and connected to all parts of the city via regular bus and metro services, remains open everyday from 9 am to 6 pm, followed by a light-and-sound show.
Nearest Metro Station: Chandni Chowk
Nearest Bus stop: Red Fort
Nearest Railway Station: Purani Dilli
How to reach: The fortress is a mere half kilometer from the metro station and about a kilometer from the railway station. Walk from either of them. The bus stop is located immediately across it and is connected to all parts of the city via regular bus service. There are regular trains throughout the day to Purani Dilli on Delhi circular railway line and from the neighboring suburbs.
Entrance fees (inclusive of museum charges): Indians: Rs 15; Foreigners: Rs 250
Photography/video charges: Nil. Tripods not allowed without prior permission.
Relevant Links -
Composite post about the fortress complex - Pixelated Memories - Red Fort complex
Other edifices/museums located within the fortress complex -

1. Pixelated Memories - Baoli, Red Fort complex
2. Pixelated Memories - Chatta Chowk, Red Fort complex
3. Pixelated Memories - Diwan-i-Am, Red Fort complex
4. Pixelated Memories - Diwan-i-Khas, Red Fort complex
5. Pixelated Memories - Freedom Fighter Museum and Salimgarh Fort complex
6. Pixelated Memories - Khas Mahal, Red Fort complex
7. Pixelated Memories - Mumtaz Mahal and Rang Mahal, Red Fort complex
8. Pixelated Memories - Naubat Khana, Red Fort complex
9. Pixelated Memories - Shah Burj and Burj-i-Shamli, Red Fort complex
10. Pixelated Memories - Sawan-Bhadon Pavilions and Zafar Mahal, Red Fort complex

Other monuments/landmarks located in the immediate vicinity -

1. Pixelated Memories - Jama Masjid
2. Pixelated Memories - Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib
3. Pixelated Memories - Sunehri Masjid (Chandni Chowk)
4. Pixelated Memories - Sunehri Masjid (near Red Fort)

Red Fort Baoli, New Delhi

Baolis or step-wells were constructed throughout India during medieval times for the purposes of pleasure as well as daily use. They were used as a retreat from the sweltering heat during summers & as a communal gathering point all year around. The baolis were an escape from the city’s heat & noise, & were a magical place for the inhabitants for whom the baoli functioned both as a religious space & a congregation point. There is at least one baoli in each of the medieval settlement of Delhi, many boast more than one. There is one even located in the busy marketplace we refer to as Connaught Place!!

It is therefore no wonder that the Mughal emperor Shahjahan, during the course of construction of his magnificent Red Fort, renovated & elaborately redesigned the Tughlaq-era baoli that pre-existed at the site of the fort complex. The Tughlaqs ruled over Delhi from AD 1320-1414, more than 200 years before Shahjahan ascended the throne. Before the construction of the Red Fort, another fortress called Salimgarh existed at that particular site (Shahjahan integrated Salimgarh with Red Fort & used it for housing his troops & prisoners), & some historians concede that the baoli might have also been used by the inhabitants of Salimgarh. Shahjahan, being a skilled architect-builder, worked on the baoli & turned it into a unique specimen of architecture serving both form & function.

Symmetrical!!

The baoli is locked for public entry (perhaps because of the danger of falling down the deep reservoir is magnified when the number of visitors is increased, also because the place is said to be heavily infested with snakes, though we did not spot any) – I had the opportunity of exploring the elegant step-well when the photography club DHPC obtained permission to conduct a photo walk to the baoli.

Deep!!

Unlike other baolis that have steps going down to the water-level, this large baoli has two perpendicular staircases descending down. At the intersection is a circular pit built within an octagonal pit which is further built within a large square tank. The circular pit holds the water.

Slippery!!

The steps go deep & are on each side lined by small chambers. The British, who became the white rulers of India after replacing the Mughals, occupied the fort & felt that they had no need for these chambers & filled up many of the arched-entrances with bricks, grilles & padlocks & converted the chambers into jail rooms. Officers P.K. Sehgal, Shah Nawaz Khan & G.S. Dhillon - the heroes of the Indian National Army (INA) that Subhash Chandra Bose instituted for freedom struggle were incarcerated here in 1945-46 during the course of their trial. The British even constructed a toilet for the prisoners within the baoli itself, it was dismantled along with other unflattering additions after the Archaeological Survey (A.S.I) took over the control of the baoli in the year 2002.

Picturesque!!

Unlike the exteriors, the interiors of the chambers are plastered & have started crumbling – at many places they show signs of damp-induced decay. From these chambers one can move into the passageways that lead to another side of the baoli & view the water reservoir – deep, dark & dank – I was scared out of my wits looking down the reservoir, afraid that the stone ledge underneath my feet will give way (I don’t know how to swim!!).

The baoli, built of Delhi quartzite stone, is relatively well-maintained, though it was being used as a dump yard till the year 2005 since the fort was under Indian Army occupation then. Although the garbage & the vegetation that hid the baoli from view are now gone, one can still spot cobwebs lining the grilles & the arches – however nobody visits the place anymore & this one concession can be made to the fort complex’s caretakers.

& artsy!!

Interestingly, this is the only baoli in Delhi where you can hear the sound of water trickling down – the water emerging from the ground is lifted up & allowed to fall back into the reservoir & also flow into the tank. Such was the ingenuity of the Indian architects at a time when taps & pumps were not even thought of!!

Emerging out, I walked over the ledges that exist high above the periphery of the tank. A scary but inspiring experience – the view down sent a shiver down my spine (I guess I am now afraid of heights too!!), but made me reflect upon the beauty of the structures that hide in plain view even in the most visited spots in Delhi.

I walk alone..

A 2002 Times of India report noted that the baoli would be converted into a tourist-cum-cultural spot, honoring the heroes of the INA & the freedom struggle (refer Times of India Article dated Oct 13, 2002) – it has been more than 10 years since that report was published, but the baoli still remains out of bounds for visitors. I sure hope the authorities can open the structure for the visitors to enjoy, of course after adding precautionary measures such as grilles next to the reservoir. Why keep the city’s heritage from its own people??

Location: Red Fort Complex
Nearest Metro Station: Chandni Chowk Station
Open: The complex is open on all days except Monday, however special permission is required to enter the Baoli.
Timings: 10 am - 4 pm
Entrance Fee: Rs. 10 (Indian), Rs. 250 (Foreigners)
Photography Charges: Nil (Rs. 25 for video filming)

Relevant Links - 

1. Pixelated Memories - Agrasen ki Baoli
2. Pixelated Memories - Connaught Place
3. Pixelated Memories - Red Fort

Delhi Gate, New Delhi

Suppose you are walking down a street flanked by a bustling marketplace on both sides - the shops stock everything - clothes & accessories, electrical instruments & articles that have become a commonplace in the modern world. The street is in fact a modern one, wide, filled with cars & low-floor buses, there are banks, hospitals & ATMs jostling for space with mosques & Victorian buildings. All of a sudden you come across a medieval structure with arches & bastions, standing in the middle of a traffic square & looking down upon the passer-bys with an impertinent gaze. What would be your reaction??

Mine was literally "Oh Delhi!". The city never ceases to surprise me, every time I think I have covered an entire area & there isn't much left to document, a new structure pops up out of nowhere. So here I was in Shahjanabad (now referred to as Old Delhi), the city that the Mughal emperor Shahjahan (ruled AD 1628-58) established in the year 1638 - Shahjahan had intended the city to be a replica of paradise, had commissioned huge mansions for his nobles & generals, built wide-tree lined avenues, created canals & public squares. But as the city's population increased, magnified by the influx of migrants from Pakistan after the country was divided, Shahjanabad turned into cramped quarters, the mansions were divided into smaller houses, the streets were taken over by shops & flea markets, the ancient structures have all but disappeared. Just a few of them survive not being encroached upon - the Delhi Gate that now stood before me was one of them.

Shahjanabad was enclosed by a high rubble wall as a protection against foreign invaders. The strong wall was interrupted by 14 large, square gates & several smaller ones. Very few of these gates & wall portions have survived the ravages of time & human maltreatment - most of them were destroyed during the British bombardment of the city during the 1857 revolution. The larger gates were named after the cities they faced - the Delhi Gate faced the older citadels of Delhi that existed before Shahjahan built his capital.

The square-shaped, bastion guarded gate is majestically located on one of the major streets of Shahjanabad/Old Delhi, at the beginning of Daryaganj Street (literally “River Facing Avenue”). Close by exists a small portion of Shahjanabad's wall - there is even a Martello Tower that the British added for defense after retaking the city. Not to be confused with the Delhi Gate of Red Fort nearby, this was the city gate, used to enter the city & not the fort. A road next to this gate leads to Red Fort. These aren't ordinary gates, to be opened up one way or the other, these gates are large, monumental structures, built of stone & rubble, with high walls, arches & bastions. Soldiers kept guard over these gates & made sure no hostile element entered within the city limits.

The Delhi Gate

The gate, built with a combination of locally available stone & red sandstone, is now kept locked & a guard stands on duty inside it in order to prevent any encroachment by hawkers or any illegal activity inside its premises. The guard would open the gate if you request him & even tell you about the historical importance of the place & the fact that over the years, the number of enthusiasts wishing to enter the gate has been increasing. The high arches seem inviting & yet cleverly conceal all their secrets from onlookers. The arched doors are large enough to permit the emperor’s convoy of horses & palanquins to pass through without any difficulty during his royal procession to the nearby located Jama Masjid & other parts of the empire. The outside walls have stone carvings & are embossed with geometrical designs & medallions.

The front view

Once inside, you notice that the place is being used to store large concrete slabs & stacks of building material along one of its arched inner sides. I saw mongooses running amok in the interior. The walls had once been plastered & one can still see the remnants of geometrical patterns amidst the flaking plaster in the niches.

The inside view

The 2 bastions along the side of the gate stand tall, keeping an eye all around with their numerous arrow slits. As a whole the structure looms desolately over its surroundings, higher than other buildings & shops nearby, with a small unkempt garden for company behind it. The garden is now used as a cricket ground by local kids, which in my opinion is a good thing in today’s playground-starved Delhi localities. Interestingly enough, the playground is said to be haunted!! Legend has it that a British soldier ("Sipahi"/"Tommy" - take your pick) was in love with a local girl & wanted to spend the rest of his natural life with her. However he later found out that the girl was soon going to be married - in a fit of rage & desperation he shot the girl & himself too. It has been claimed that the Peepal tree (Ficus religiosa - Sacred fig) is now haunted by a Chudail & people can hear her heart-rending screams at night (A chudail is the Indian version of a banshee - she has a dreadful appearance with her feet turned towards the back, is said to appear to young men as a pretty maiden & then drains their blood & virility). The Tommy is also spotted at times - he comes walking out of the gate with his head in his hands & then walks through the Daryaganj street. Now the atheist in me loves these stories - why does the banshee only haunt that certain tree? How come the Tommy carries his head in his arms - he shot himself, he wasn't beheaded. & why isn't entire Daryaganj considered haunted since the Tommy walks past the entire area. People & their silly stories!!

The side view

Entry to the upper floors is prohibited & the doors are now grilled & locked. No amount of persuasion moves the guard to open the grille.

This impressive structure is now being maintained by A.S.I. If you ever happen to visit this structure on Sunday, do pay a visit to the Sunday Book Bazaar which is one of the major attractions of Daryaganj, drawing hordes of people from different parts of the city in search of their literary fill (refer Pixelated Memories - Daryaganj Sunday Book Market).

The "How-can-it-be-haunted??" view

6 months after this post was published - The Govt. has become strict with its orders, entry to the gate premises is locked. The guard refuses to let you enter even if you tell him you have been inside & you write for the city. Another monument taken away from the people. Sad!

Location: Daryaganj, Chandni Chowk
Open: All days, Sunrise to Sunset.
Nearest Metro Station: Chandni Chowk Metro Station
How to reach: As you exit the metro station, walk straight till you reach a temple, a small street near the temple exits to the main Chandni Chowk Street (just follow the crowd, they would enter a very narrow lane). On this street, on one side, you can see the large Red Fort looming, walk till there & take a bus from near the Fort to Delhi Gate. Alternately, buses ply to Delhi Gate from different parts of the city, just climb on those going to Old Delhi (Purani Delhi)
Entrance Charges: Nil
Photography/Video Charges: Nil
Time required for sightseeing: 20 minutes
Relevant Links -

1. Pixelated Memories - Daryaganj Sunday Book Market
2. Pixelated Memories - Red Fort

Sunehri Masjid (Chandni Chowk), New Delhi

In AD 1739, the Persian emperor Nadir Shah invaded India in order to plunder the magnificent wealth of the floundering Mughal Empire. Although the Mughal army was crushed & all forts & public utilities handed over to the invading army by the then emperor Muhammad Shah, in the absence of proper governance & policing & fuelled by several rumours regarding his assassination, Nadir Shah faced a rioting by the local population of Old Delhi/Shahjanabad. Several of his soldiers were killed, many mutilated. As retaliation, he ordered qatle-aam (massacre) of the local citizens on March 22, 1739 & within a spell of 6 hours his soldiers slaughtered a staggering 20,000 men, women & children in the city. It is unbelievable that such a large population can be killed within such a short duration. However, several of the eye-witness accounts & contemporary chronicles affirm the aforesaid figures. The Tazkira, an account by Anand Ram Mukhlis, recounts the horrible day “Here and there some opposition was offered, but in most places people were butchered unrelentingly The Persians laid violent hands on everything & everybody. For a long time, streets remained strewn with corpses, as the walks of a garden with dead leaves & flowers. The town was reduced to ashes.”

This part of history becomes important in the context of the aptly named Sunehri Masjid ("Golden Mosque"), located on the central Chandni Chowk street of Old Delhi as it was from the ramparts of this mosque that Nadir Shah displayed his unsheathed sword as a signal to commence the slaughter & witnessed the entire scene unfold in the next 6 hours. Not to be confused with another mosque of the same name located near the Delhi Gate of Red Fort (refer Pixelated Memories - Red Fort), this beautiful mosque was constructed by Roshan-ud-daula, a Mughal nobleman during the reign of Muhammad Shah, in the year 1721.

The mosque as seen from the roof of Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib

Situated right next to Gurudwara Sis Ganj, the mosque, seldom visited now, presents a picture of loneliness. Its three large, grey-painted wooden doors remain locked most of the time & are opened only at the time of Namaaz. The 3 golden domes that surmount the mosque have rusted & become blackened over the time. The arches around the doors are decorated with floral plaster work & the walls appear to be whitewashed recently. However that too was done carelessly & one notices the irregularities on the surface of the wall. The white pillars too are decorated with green floral symbols near the base. Niches in the walls contain prayer books & oil lamps. Cheap clocks cover the wall. The eaves ("chajja") are marked by profuse metal latticework ("jali")

Minimalistic ornamentation

A railing interspersed with miniature domes marks the courtyard. In sharp contrast to the glistening domes of Sis Ganj, the domes of this mosque, with their broken, tilted finials lie in a sorry state. Reached by climbing a small flight of narrow stairs, the mosque lies forgotten & uncared for despite its impeccable history. Lacking the large courtyards & gardens & overshadowed by the surrounding buildings, the mosque is easily ignored & mistaken to be a part of the Sis Ganj complex, yet stands silent witness to events of the past, mostly gory, & has seen the lanes & by lanes of Old Delhi getting choked in time & retaining their look & structure since time immemorial. I too did not know it was an altogether different structure until I read about it while studying Delhi’s history.

A picture of contrasts - The miniature dome of the mosque vs. the glistening domes of the gurudwara

As I roamed around in the heated up marble courtyard of the mosque, a caretaker arrived, stunned to see a visitor, salaamed me & sat in a corner next to the stairs leading to the roof. A lady looked down from the roof & shrank back on seeing me. The caretaker too left in order to see her upstairs. Maybe they were related. A wife or a sister perhaps. Left alone in the quiet atmosphere of the mosque, the shouts & car honks from the nearby heavily-congested Bhai Mati Das Chowk drowned by the silence of this place, I just sat on one of the prayer rugs to observe the sparsely decorated arches (& also to escape the fiercely heated up marble floor - one is required to take off their footwear near the staircase one climbed up from). Downstairs, business went on as usual for the vendors selling flowers, reading materials & eatables.

The relatively more elaborate side arch

Nearest Metro Station: Chandni Chowk Station
Open: All days, Sunrise to Sunset
Entrance Fee: Nil
Photography/Video Charges: Nil
How to reach: As you exit the metro station, walk straight till you reach a temple, a small street near the temple exits to the Chandni Chowk Street (just follow the crowd, they would enter a very narrow lane). Sunehri Masjid is located on the street towards the left of the narrow lane you just exited, next to Gurudwara Sis Ganj.
Time required for sight seeing: 30 minutes
Relevant Links -

1. Pixelated Memories - Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib
2. Pixelated Memories - Red Fort

Parathe wali Gali, New Delhi

Tucked in the heart of Delhi in the narrow, twisting and turning lanes and by-lanes of the old city is another such dark, decrepit lane (Does it even qualify to be called a lane? There are no more than 5-6 shops set on either side of an unbelievably crowded, narrow passageway!), virtually indiscernible from the others except for the fact that it entirely consists of shops selling “paratha/paranthas” (Indian bread stuffed with different varieties of fillings). Aptly named as the "Gali Parathe/Paranthe wali" or “Street of the Paratha sellers” ("gali" is the Hindi equivalent of "street"), it is one of the most famous culinary destinations in the city, glorified by glowing mentions, appearances and portrayals in numerous TV serials, Bollywood movies and newspaper travel columns. Located near the famed Gurudwara Sisganj Sahib, the lane is accessed from a turning dotted by shops selling jalebis (savory fritter prepared by soaking deep-fried wheat flour batter into sugar syrup), sarees and other traditional female attires. The first impression that one experiences is that of a very congested pathway full of pedestrians, cyclists, vendors and day laborers carrying large bundles of what-nots on their heads and cycles. However as one moves in a few meters, small eateries come into view and one notices the street to also be thoroughly crowded with incredibly slowly slithering lines of patrons queuing up outside these eateries and awaiting their turn. These are the renowned Paratha shops whose fame far exceeds their appearance! Even though I am no food critic, having been to the place several times in the past year alone and having tried several of their parathas, I firmly believe that the place is overhyped and regular parathas – the ones stuffed with potatoes, cottage cheese, lentils, radish and cauliflower – are more sumptuous when cooked at homes by Indian wives and mothers. Though all the parathas here are deep-fried and cholesterol-heavy, am yet to try the exotic, super-fattening specialty parathas such as those stuffed with jaggery, khurchan (the dry, burnt sugary cream left over following milk condensation) and cashew-almonds, but will do so whenever next I'm around Chandni Chowk area, which would be soon hopefully. My personal favorite is the lemon paratha, filled with lemon juice and rinds along with some kind of filling that imparts it a sour flavor. My sister likes the one stuffed with papad (fried, chips-like accompaniment to be had with simple home-cooked meals). The shops here serve more than 30 varieties of parathas and literally everyone can find a favorite or two from such a long list. Eaten with chilled lassi (buttermilk) or soft drinks, these parathas remind one of home. Moreover, priced at Rs 35-50, they aren’t very costly either, especially when compared to expensive restaurants like “More Than Parathas”. The place, with its cheap parathas resembling large dumplings and fried in ghee (clarified butter), is often touted as a gourmet heaven by many of my vegetarian friends. Added bonus – all complementary side dishes such as helpings of bland potato-peas curry, sweet banana-tamarind chutney, tangy mint chutney and spicy radish-chili pickle are provided by the shops free of cost and one can ask for unlimited refills. The downside is that one has to order parathas in pairs, so if you have space for only one paratha, you either buy two, or don’t buy at all (or order two for two people in a single plate!).

Variety!

The considerably old shops, now being run by sixth generation descendants, still employ the same traditional methods of cooking which have been passed down from one generation to next since late 19th-century when they were set up. Originally, this area was known as “Chota Dariba” (“Street of the Silver Jewelers”) and was destroyed by infuriated British administrators following the Mutiny of May 1857. Several years later, when the Paratha shops started doing a flourishing business, the name “Parathe wali Gali” stuck. All the shops here are categorically vegetarian and hire upper-caste Hindu cooks; also prohibited is the use of onions and garlic since these are considered unconsumable by “pure” Hindus because of their aphrodisiacal properties. History dictates that all the parantha shops in the narrow lane are owned by members of the same family who decided to withdraw their shares from the family business because of internal feuds and set up their individual eateries. The street saw unparalleled violence during the Hindu-Sikh riots of 1984 and was incinerated in its entirety – of the one score shops, only six were rebuilt and reopened (the rest left the business and took up other professions elsewhere) to serve mouthwatering parathas, and even of these only three survive now catering to a clientele originating from nearly every corner of the globe and of all age groups, genders, outlooks, religious and sectarian differences, financial and social statuses and belief systems.

The oldest

At the shop entrance, the cook sits sifting through the plethora of ingredients at his disposal – radish, potatoes, carrots, peas, lemon rinds, bananas, cauliflowers and chilies form colorful mounds; cashews, almonds, khurchan are kept in small square containers, to be picked and stuffed in the flour, which is then shallow-fried in cast iron pans. The process is suggestive of making “poori” (deep-fried Indian bread), except here the dough is much thicker and stuffed with the fillings, and this is the secret behind the unique taste of the parathas here – my Dad often reminiscences that he had similar, but far more delectable, parathas as a child growing up in different districts of Uttar Pradesh. The cooking process has remained the same from the time the shops were opened up in late 1870s. The aroma and sight of the parathas being cooked is enough to make one feel ravenous and eager to find a seat. My first encounter with the flavors of this renowned street was at the humble shop of Pandit Kanhaiya Lal Durga Prasad (established 1875), said to be the oldest surviving shop in the business (others are Pandit Baburam Devidayal and Pandit Dayanand Shivcharan). Fascinatingly, framed black and white photographs hang along the walls displaying eminent personalities – from Bollywood stars to powerful politicians and even Prime Ministers – who have visited these shops for the mouthwatering food in the past. It makes one slide back in the past and reflect upon the incredible history of these shops that have been serving parathas to rich and poor and catering to millions of citizens for nearly 150 years. Every shop has a large signboard indicating the owner’s name and the year of establishment; another board details the names and prices of parathas available in Hindi as well as English (the clientele includes hordes of foreigners who flock to Chandni Chowk and nearby Red Fort, the pinnacle of Mughal architecture, refer Pixelated Memories - Red Fort complex). The only difference between 19th-century and the present that this place, otherwise stuck in that medieval time frame, has witnessed is that now people prefer soft drinks and mineral water over lassi (buttermilk) traditionally served in “kulhar” (earthenware containers). Disappointingly, the waiters are not courteous and one often has to shout at them several times to pay heed and list the order. Of course, the number of customers bee lining outside the shops make them believe they can behave as their wont. More often than not, one has to wait at least 20 minute in the queue for the turn to get inside and savor the parathas – although, for me the wait has almost always been worthless since I don’t find the parathas here irresistible nor am I a very big fan of vegetarian fare.

The Paratha business

A lot of people I know consider Parathe wali Gali unhygienic, congested and unpleasant, preferring instead to gobble at McDonalds, Giani’s or other numerous restaurants that dot Chandni Chowk. But even though I myself don’t enjoy having parathas here, there really isn’t any point of coming to Old Delhi if one isn’t going to gorge on the sumptuous street food that these historic lanes are famed for. McD's or KFC's can be eaten at later too, right? After parathas, one can run off for a serving of Dahi Bhalla (gram-flour doughnuts, deep fried and served with lots of sweet curd and chutneys), Papri Chaat (crisp fried dough wafers, again served with sweet curd and chutneys), Halwa (sweet, extremely oily confectioneries) of several types and Jalebi (savory fritter prepared by soaking deep-fried wheat flour batter into sugar syrup). And if like me, you can have lunch after lunch, there is always Karim’s and the numerous smaller eateries lining the Matia Mahal/Gali Kebabiyan area that serve traditional non-vegetarian dishes like Biryani and Nihari. My mouth is already watering and stomach groaning with hunger, am off to have some more street food! Guess there’s another article coming soon!

(Update March, 2014) Finally tried the sweet khurchan paratha on a Delhi Instagramers Guild photowalk to Chandni Chowk. Disappointed yet again.

Nearest Metro Station: Chandni Chowk
Nearest Bus stop: Red Fort
How to reach: As you exit the metro station, walk straight till you reach a temple. A small street besides the temple exits to the main Chandni Chowk Street (just follow the crowd, they would enter a very narrow lane). Gali Parathe wali is located just across the main street. Walk from Red Fort if coming by bus/auto.
Open: Everyday, 9 am–11 pm
Photography/Video Charges: Nil
Cost: Rs 200 for two (Parathas at Rs 35-50 each (can only be ordered in even numbers per plate), Lassi at Rs 25/glass).

Other monuments/landmarks located in the neighborhood - 

1. Pixelated Memories - Jama Masjid
2. Pixelated Memories - Gurudwara Sisganj Sahib
3. Pixelated Memories - Red Fort complex
4. Pixelated Memories - Sunehri Masjid
5. Pixelated Memories - Sunehri Masjid (adjacent Red Fort)

Suggested reading - Tribuneindia.com - Article "Frozen paranthas posing a challenge to Paranthewali Gali fare" (dated Nov 10, 2012) by K.R.N. Swamy

Razia Sultan's Grave, New Delhi

Although Delhi as a whole is a heritage city, filled with tombs, forts & citadels of kingdoms & dynasties long gone by, the area known as Shahjanabad (Old Delhi) is brimming with such treasures. The narrow lanes, teeming with crowds are filled with heritage & history that is lost from the collective psyche of masses & trodden upon on a regular basis, discovered only to be lost again. The twisting & turning roads & paths lead to some monuments & structures, ignored by authorities, known only to residents & some select few who can feel the aura of romance & mystery surrounding them, & once you see these structures you are lost uncomprehending in their beauty & craftsmanship of those who built it. However there is one such place in Shahjanabad that doesn’t invoke any feelings of beauty or astonishment, but of pity. The grave of Empress Razia Sultan is located in center of an area called Bulbuli Khana/Pahari Bhojla & is a difficult find for those who are not familiar with these roads & their sudden curves that may either end nowhere or bring you back to your starting point. When I had decided to go see the grave of the only woman ruler of India (in fact the entire Asia) I did not even know where to start looking for it. The details on Wikipedia about the location of the tomb are incomplete & other pages I searched for are also as inaccurate. Google maps show the location of the grave only 700m from Jama Masjid (refer Pixelated Memories - Jama Masjid), however as I was standing next to Jama Masjid & trying to flag down rickshaws to take me to Razia’s grave & asking the local shopkeepers & vendors for its location, I realised even the people here are not sure there is some grave or tomb whatsoever built for some lady called Razia. Illiteracy levels remaining very high in this part of Delhi, people did not even know that India was once ruled by a woman other than Indira Gandhi. This post would be my tribute to this forgotten empress & direct all fellow wanderers to her grave’s location.

These aren't just anonymous graves!!

First, some details about Razia - She was the daughter of Shams-ud-din Iltutmish (ruled AD 1211-36) who belonged to the Slave Dynasty that was established to administer almost the entire country with Delhi as its capital by Qutub-ud-din Aibak. When Iltutmish was on his deathbed, he faced a unique dilemma - his sons were unworthy of the power that would come with being the Sultan of India & unfit for ruling such a vast country. As a consequence, he named his daughter Razia as his heir apparent. However after his death, the nobles, averse to being dictated by a woman, put his eldest son Rukn-ud-din Feroz Shah on the throne. But as Iltutmish had predicted, Rukn-ud-din neglected the royal business altogether & spent his time & energy satisfying his sexual urges. Rukn-ud-din's wily old mother & Iltutmish's widow, Shah Turkan, ran the whole show. Frustrated with the new Sultan, the population pressurized the nobles to install Razia as the Empress. She ruled with an iron hand, consolidating the empire & adding more strongholds through wars & treaties. She checked the noble’s powers & openly disregarded all religious customs & beliefs of that time, her support for her Hindu subjects against state oppression & taxation made her a thorn in the Turkish nobility’s side. Though supported by the army & general citizenry, this brave lady was hated by her brothers & the nobility, the former thought she had usurped the kingdom from them, while the later didn’t want to take orders from a woman. She fell in love with a slave named Jamal-ud-din Yaqut & was openly defiant of the court traditions in consorting with him. In AD 1240, at the end of her fourth year of reign, Malik Altunia, the governor of Bhatinda (Punjab), following in the tradition of other provincial governors revolted against Razia. She marched against Altunia with her trusted confidant Yaqut, but Yaqut was murdered by Altunia's men & Razia herself imprisoned. Her brother Bahram Shah was put on the throne of Delhi. Seeing no way out of the quagmire but one, Razia offered to marry Altunia if he supported her against her brothers. Altunia agreed to the pact & as a husband fought beside her against her brothers. They marched against Bahram Shah, but were deserted by their supporters. The couple was chased & killed by Bahram's men near Kaithal (Haryana). Some accounts say she escaped the scene with her husband & moved from place to place in despair. As a result of this ambiguity in accounts, no one is sure as to what fate Razia met finally. Three spots have emerged as contenders to Razia’s final resting place. The first is Bulbuli Khana/Pahari Bhojla in Old Delhi where many believe she was laid to rest by her brother. However many scholars argue she may be buried after being looted & decapitated by Jats in Siwan in Kaithal & a third set of scholars believe she, along with Yaqut, was killed by her brother’s henchmen & buried in Tonks, Rajasthan. Ironically, Bahram was later dethroned for being a weak ruler.

The only sign that this is an ASI-protected monument

Since I had decided to visit all three sites starting with the one in Old Delhi first, here I was standing outside Jama Masjid with a copy of Google Map to the grave. However either the rickshaw pullers did not know the way to the place, or if any did, demanded exorbitant amounts of money. Asking from shop to shop if there was any shortcut or some other route, I had lost all hope after drawing a blank everywhere. Finally a shopkeeper told me that Razia’s grave was located very near his residence. He advised me to take a rickshaw to Pahari Bhojla & get down there & take a left from the first meat shop I encountered. In the lane I was supposed to ask my way to Bulbuli Khana which was some distance away & from there ask for Razia’s grave as everyone there knew about it. The man was kind enough to even call a rickshaw for me & bargain the price. The rickshaw is supposed to charge only Rs 15 from Jama Masjid to Pahari Bhojla per person.

Finding my way from Pahari Bhojla to Bulbuli Khana was easy. However once we had reached Bulbuli Khana, Razia’s grave was again “just” out of sight. Asking for directions from shopkeepers & even passer-by’s I moved from one place to another, until I finally met a shopkeeper with an entire shop of multi-colored beads in different sizes & shapes. His shop was mesmerizing & kept me spellbound for what seemed like an eternity!! When I had difficulty comprehending the complex directions he was explaining (Go straight, turn left from chicken shop, then right, right, left..& so on) he decided to accompany me to the grave. Though I protested that he should not leave his shop like this & tend to it, he brushed them aside saying it was also his duty to help others. Bless his soul, really why are people like him & the first shopkeeper disappearing from Delhi. Criss-crossing our way through the maze of narrow lanes & by-lanes, I had a tough time keeping up with the jovial man. Taking photographs of almost everything that I found unique, we finally reached an extremely narrow street where at max 2 people could walk side-by-side, a small lane that extended from the end of the street led to an iron-grille gate that formed the entrance to Razia’s “tomb”, marked by A.S.I plaques (in Hindi & English). There was no grand domed structure for this tomb, no plaster work, no marble or inlay on any of the graves. In fact the graves, set on a pedestal, l look more like crumbling stone mounds, lying in the open with the sky for roof & enclosed by the walls of houses that surround them. It is said the second grave belongs to Razia’s sister, Shazia, who was killed alongside her. No one is sure which grave belongs to whom. Little is known about Shazia, whose life, unlike her sister’s, remains shrouded in mystery. At first sight, the scene makes one fill with pity & anger, the empress of India’s grave is no different than that of any ordinary wayside person. Unlike the tomb of her father in another part of Delhi (refer Pixelated Memories - Iltutmish's Tomb), Razia's tomb has been ignored throughout time, first by her brothers & relatives, then by subsequent generations of kings & A.S.I after India got independence. But after some time, the place fills you with peaceful vibes, one of the walls facing the graves has been turned into a wall mosque (Qibla). A small make-shift wooden bathroom has been built some 2 meters away from the grave. The neglect, the ignorance is shameful. But it is bliss too. The place is void of tourists, the least visited place of importance in Delhi’s history. In death, as in life, Razia is neglected & uncared for by everyone.

The wall mosque

Spending some time taking photographs & sitting on the mats kept there for the devotees who frequent the mosque, I was there for an hour & except for a lady talking to her boyfriend on phone, no one came to the place. She too left on noticing my presence. Coming back the way I had come, through the narrow lanes & mazes, I realize the A.S.I probably cannot do anything for the place. Shahjanabad is so densely populated that creating tourist facilities & renovation of the graves would be a formidable task. It was difficult for a Delhi resident like me to locate this forgotten place, how & why would tourists come here? But then at least A.S.I could take care of the place, employ a caretaker to clean the place which is now the residence to several pairs of pigeons & rats. Only the wanderers & birds visit this place now. Despair hangs in the air around. A fate not fit for an empress.

Does he know the history of the place??

Nearest Metro Station : Chandni Chowk
How to reach : Take a rickshaw from Jama Masjid to Pahari Bhojla & walk from there to Bulbuli Khana. One can ask directions from the shopkeepers, however it is better to enlist someone for help. The graves are located quite some distance away from Bulbuli Khana.
Open : Everyday, sunrise to sunset
Entrance Fee: Nil
Photography/Video Charges : Nil
Time required for sightseeing : 20 minutes
Relevant Links -

1. Pixelated Memories - Iltutmish's Tomb
2. Pixelated Memories - Jama Masjid