Beyond the crowded bazaars and familiar landmarks of Old Delhi lies a carefully layered historic city shaped by faith, community, poetry and a distinctive way of urban life. Shahjahanabad was a city of neighbourhoods, markets, sacred spaces and grand residences, each organised according to the social and cultural needs of the people who lived there.
This walk journeys through the sacred streets and hidden neighbourhoods of Shahjahanabad to understand how this remarkable Mughal city was planned and experienced. Participants explore the differences between a kucha, katra and gali, discovering how these distinct urban spaces shaped community life and movement through the city. The walk also examines the design of traditional havelis and the architectural principles that created private worlds behind their seemingly modest street-facing entrances.
From the remarkable legacy of Digambar Jain Lal Mandir and Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib to the hidden heritage of Naughara and the enduring presence of Fatehpuri Masjid, the walk reveals how different communities shaped the city. A visit to Ghalib ki Haveli adds another layer, connecting Shahjahanabad's streets with the literary and cultural world of nineteenth-century Delhi.
Walk theme & Highlights:
Planning of Shahjahanabad
Mughal urban neighbourhoods
Community life in Old Delhi
Design and architecture of traditional havelis
Sacred geography and shared heritage
Digambar Jain Lal Mandir
Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib
Naughara Lane and Jain heritage
Ghalib ki Haveli
Chandni Chowk and historic urban life
Fatehpuri Masjid
Detailed Itinerary & Flow of the Walk:
"- Introduction to Shahjahanabad as a planned Mughal city and an exploration of how its streets, markets and neighbourhoods developed around communities, occupations, faith and everyday life.
- Visit Digambar Jain Lal Mandir and explore the remarkable legacy of Delhi's oldest Jain temple while understanding the relationship between sacred spaces and the surrounding urban neighbourhood.
- Continue to Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib and uncover its powerful story of faith, sacrifice and resilience within the historic landscape of Chandni Chowk.
- Walk through the historic streets and neighbourhoods of Shahjahanabad while understanding the difference between a kucha, katra and gali, and how these spaces shaped movement, trade, privacy and community life.
- Explore Naughara and discover its hidden Jain temples and beautifully preserved heritage havelis.
- Understand how traditional havelis were designed, from their relationship with the street to the organisation of private and shared spaces within, and examine how architecture responded to the social life of the city.
- Continue through the hidden streets of Chandni Chowk, discovering architectural details and neighbourhood stories that reveal how Shahjahanabad functioned as a living city.
- Visit Ghalib ki Haveli and step into the literary world of Mirza Ghalib, exploring poetry, culture and everyday life in nineteenth-century Delhi.
- Visit Fatehpuri Masjid and understand its significance within the urban and commercial landscape of Shahjahanabad.
- Conclude with a discussion on how faith, communities, neighbourhood planning and architecture came together to create one of India's most remarkable living historic cities."
Important Information:
1) Please carry a valid photo ID and your confirmed e-ticket for entry.
2) Kindly arrive 30 minutes before the scheduled start time of the heritage walk.
3) Monument entry tickets are not included in the heritage walk fee and must be purchased separately by participants either via ASI website or at the ticket counter.
4) The registration fee covers only the heritage walk (guided tour).
5) Outside food and beverages are not permitted within the monument premises.
6) Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable, except in the event of cancellation by the organizer.
Event venue
Shri Digambar Jain AtishayKshetra Lal Mandir:Delhi, Netaji Subhash Marg, Opposite Red Fort, Old Delhi, Chandni Chowk, Delhi, NCR 110006, India, New Delhi
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