EXPLORE THE TOWN
MORNING
Each of New Delhi’s seven capitols has left its mark on the city’s urban landscape, and tombs, mosques and shrines seem to be hiding around every corner. One of the most notable, Humayun’s Tomb, burial place of the second Mughal emperor, seems to float in the center of its surrounding gardens, inhabited by squawking parakeets. The arched facade of the tomb is inlaid with bands of red sandstone and white marble, and the building follows rules of Islamic geometry, emphasizing the number eight. Take your time at this first tomb built by the Mughal dynasty in India — it directly influenced their masterpiece, the Taj Mahal. The Qutab Minar complex contains the city’s oldest Muslim monument, a soaring victory tower built in the 12th century by Sultan Qutb-ud-din to proclaim his supremacy over the vanquished Hindu rulers of Qila Rai Pithora, Delhi’s “first city.” The tower is set in an expansive complex built from elaborately carved pillars ransacked from ancient Hindu temples. Morning is an ideal time to visit, before the crowds and heat of the day.
MIDDAY
It’s hard to truly get a sense of a region’s cuisine by going to a fancy restaurant, so let your taste buds roam free with one of 16 custom food tours with Delhi Food Walks. The New Delhi Lunch Tour blends tradition and modernity and follows the city’s food evolution from Paharganj to Connaught Place ( CP). Or, considering the variety of Indian teas, follow along on the Tea Trail, where you’ll get a look into the changing tea culture of the city and stop at chai houses and tea stalls for tasting and snacks before winding up the tour with a South Indian lunch.
AFTERNOON
Converted into a barracks by the British, the Red Fort, above, conjures a picture of the splendor of Mughal Delhi. The marble and sandstone monuments were built at the peak of the dynasty’s power, when the empire was flush with gold and precious stones. Shah Jahan founded the fortress between 1638 and 1648 to protect his new capital city of Shahjahanabad, and the looming red sandstone walls remain — but instead of repelling invaders, they now keep out the bustling city’s noise. As day turns to dusk, make your way to the Lodi Gardens, a peaceful park dotted with the crumbling tombs of Sayyid and Lodi rulers, including those of Mohammed Shah and Sikander Lodi, which have strikingly different features. The 90-acre park is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India, because there is hardly any architecture from this period remaining in the country. The gardens are popular with residents, and as you wander along the paths, you’ll pass power walkers, amorous couples and families taking advantage of the last moments of daylight.
EVENING
On Thursday nights, as the scent of rose petals mixes with the aroma of grilled kebabs in the narrow lanes of the Nizamuddin area of Delhi, the Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah comes to life with Sufi qawwali music. Named after Sheikh Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, the dargah can be visited during the day, as well, but people from all walks of life flock there in huge numbers on Thursday evenings after namaaz (prayers) to be swept up in the magic of the soul-stirring devotional music. The building is set around a garden that seems to magically hold an air of tranquillity despite the intense, almost insane energy of the crowded urban village outside the stone walls. Suddenly, the sounds of a voice and harmonium float down on the breeze, and you’ve completely forgotten that you’re in the middle of a sprawling modern city.