Old Delhi Heritage and Street Food Walk with a Local
Overview
Join me on an immersive walk navigating the narrow bylanes of Old Delhi - a treat for history and food lovers, a delight for all the five senses. This heritage walk is a recollection of my childhood growing up in Chandni Chowk - its many tastes, sounds, and smells, that linger fresh in my memory.
I grew up in Chandni Chowk, but left Delhi at the age of 14 on an academic scholarship to Singapore. I travelled as a student to almost 20 countries across 3 continents. I am passionate about history and cultural exchange and love hosting people from different parts of the world.
In this thoughtfully curated walk, you will discover and witness Delhi's syncretic culture and past. Together, we will uncover the complexity of India and its various layers of history from the Mughals to the British.
I grew up in Chandni Chowk, but left Delhi at the age of 14 on an academic scholarship to Singapore. I travelled as a student to almost 20 countries across 3 continents. I am passionate about history and cultural exchange and love hosting people from different parts of the world.
In this thoughtfully curated walk, you will discover and witness Delhi's syncretic culture and past. Together, we will uncover the complexity of India and its various layers of history from the Mughals to the British.
Inclusions
- A well-travelled host who grew up in Old Delhi and is passionate about history and cultural exchange
What to expect
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Red Fort, Netaji Subhash Marg, New Delhi 110002 India
I will meet you at the Jain temple overlooking the magnificent red stone ramparts of the Red Fort. You will hear the story of Shah Jahan, the Mughal Emperor, who built the Taj Mahal and then moved his capital from Agra to Delhi to build this fort in 1648.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Sri Digambar Jain Lal Mandir, 55 Jain Lal Mandir Near Red Fort, New Delhi 110002 India
You will hear the story of how a Jain temple came to be located next to the Mughal Fort with a Muslim Emperor. Being a Jain, I will also share some stories from my own childhood and interesting facts about Jainism as a religion/way of life.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Begum Samru's Palace, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi 110002 India
Begum Samru - one of the most powerful women of Northern India in the 18th century - a nautch girl turned mercenary warrior who rose to become a ruler of a province near Delhi and a diplomat in the Mughal court. This is her grand mansion gifted by the Mughal emperor.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib, Chandni Chowk Rd, New Delhi 110006 India
Who succeeded Shah Jahan to the Mughal throne once he shifted his capital to Delhi? Why was a Sikh guru executed here along with his followers? You will hear the stories of the martyrdom of a Sikh guru and the beginnings of the decline of the Mughal Empire.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Central Baptism Church, 2006/3, Katra Lachhu Singh, Bhagirath Palace, Chandni Chowk Rd, near McDonald's, Chhippy Wada, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi, Delhi, 110006, India
As the Mughals decline, the East India Company ascends and captures political power in India. The year 1857 shook the foundations of this church when India fights her first war of independence. However, the Company triumphs and India becomes a British colony under Queen Victoria.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Jama Masjid, New Delhi, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi 110002 India
We will end our tour at the splendid and peaceful Jama Masjid. The adventurous can climb the minarets and marvel at the panoramic views of the Old city.
Duration: 30 minutes
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Red Fort, Netaji Subhash Marg, New Delhi 110002 India
I will meet you at the Jain temple overlooking the magnificent red stone ramparts of the Red Fort. You will hear the story of Shah Jahan, the Mughal Emperor, who built the Taj Mahal and then moved his capital from Agra to Delhi to build this fort in 1648.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Sri Digambar Jain Lal Mandir, 55 Jain Lal Mandir Near Red Fort, New Delhi 110002 India
You will hear the story of how a Jain temple came to be located next to the Mughal Fort with a Muslim Emperor. Being a Jain, I will also share some stories from my own childhood and interesting facts about Jainism as a religion/way of life.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Begum Samru's Palace, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi 110002 India
Begum Samru - one of the most powerful women of Northern India in the 18th century - a nautch girl turned mercenary warrior who rose to become a ruler of a province near Delhi and a diplomat in the Mughal court. This is her grand mansion gifted by the Mughal emperor.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib, Chandni Chowk Rd, New Delhi 110006 India
Who succeeded Shah Jahan to the Mughal throne once he shifted his capital to Delhi? Why was a Sikh guru executed here along with his followers? You will hear the stories of the martyrdom of a Sikh guru and the beginnings of the decline of the Mughal Empire.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Central Baptism Church, 2006/3, Katra Lachhu Singh, Bhagirath Palace, Chandni Chowk Rd, near McDonald's, Chhippy Wada, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi, Delhi, 110006, India
As the Mughals decline, the East India Company ascends and captures political power in India. The year 1857 shook the foundations of this church when India fights her first war of independence. However, the Company triumphs and India becomes a British colony under Queen Victoria.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Jama Masjid, New Delhi, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi 110002 India
We will end our tour at the splendid and peaceful Jama Masjid. The adventurous can climb the minarets and marvel at the panoramic views of the Old city.
Duration: 30 minutes
Additional information
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Ticket delivery
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.
samuelprithiv
April 2023
It’s one of the best tours I’ve ever been on. It is a carefully curated tour that is grounded in the host’s personal experience. Since Akshay grew up in Chandni Chowk, he gives you an excellent historical journey through its local culinary delights and uncharted sights. He is extremely well read ...
It’s one of the best tours I’ve ever been on. It is a carefully curated tour that is grounded in the host’s personal experience. Since Akshay grew up in Chandni Chowk, he gives you an excellent historical journey through its local culinary delights and uncharted sights. He is extremely well read and will make sure that you learn as much about this interesting area as possible. If you want an actual local’s journey through Chandni Chowk, carefully and thoughtfully curated, you wouldn’t want to miss this opportunity!237tanvij
May 2023
Had the most wonderful time today! Despite living in Delhi my whole life, and having been to Old Delhi quite a few times before this, never had I experienced my Delhi like this before. Akshay is a master storyteller, who adds personal touches all throughout the tour. He is well versed with the a...
Had the most wonderful time today! Despite living in Delhi my whole life, and having been to Old Delhi quite a few times before this, never had I experienced my Delhi like this before. Akshay is a master storyteller, who adds personal touches all throughout the tour. He is well versed with the area, and knows all the hidden gems of Delhi-6. Especially loved how he beautifully recited one of Ghalib's poems for us. Thank you, Akshay. I would totally recommend this tour to anyone who wants to fall in love with Delhi! Pro tip: go on an empty stomach because there is lots and lots to try.k_s12p
May 2023
Booking a walking tour is highest on my priority list while travelling to a new place. Unfortunately, I’d stopped doing this in India given one disappointing experience after another. I’m happy to say that that streak was broken by my Old Delhi tour with Akshay. The tour had everything a well-tra...
Booking a walking tour is highest on my priority list while travelling to a new place. Unfortunately, I’d stopped doing this in India given one disappointing experience after another. I’m happy to say that that streak was broken by my Old Delhi tour with Akshay. The tour had everything a well-travelled tourist would expect: the right choice of location with a rich history, a well-planned itinerary with food breaks in between, and an engaging host with the ability to craft a narrative. Upfront, Akshay provided me with a mental map of what the tour would entail and a geographical overview of the location we were at – not something most tours do well. After that, we proceeded to walk through the narrow lanes of Chandni Chowk to be transported back in time. The spots we visited included a beautiful Jain Temple, a small Mirza Ghalib museum where Akshay’s expertise in Urdu ensured that Urdu wasn’t Greek to me, and his own ancestral home buried deep inside Chandni Chowk. To my surprise, we also climbed to the top of a Jama Masjid minaret, not something I’d expected to be publicly accessible in India. And oh, did I mention the delicious food? The walking and the food ensured a perfect caloric balance. Highly recommend this to anyone visiting Delhi.parul14t
April 2023
Akshay is a passionate history buff and anyone taking a trip with him to old delhi would know that immediately. I loved the stories told by him about Delhi's history weaved through the ages. I relished the amazing street food, the lesser known stuff that most don't know about. But my best experie...
Akshay is a passionate history buff and anyone taking a trip with him to old delhi would know that immediately. I loved the stories told by him about Delhi's history weaved through the ages. I relished the amazing street food, the lesser known stuff that most don't know about. But my best experience was climbing the spiral stairways to reach the top of the Jama Masjid minaret overlooking the entire walled city. I would absolutely recommend this tour to anyone with a keen interest in history and exploring different cultures. You are sure to love this one.msP4592PQ
May 2023
Awesome tour! Akshay is very knowledgeable and tour was great fun. Definitely saw lot of great sights.
Awesome tour! Akshay is very knowledgeable and tour was great fun. Definitely saw lot of great sights.fuggsym
May 2023
We are delighted that we chose Akshay to be our guide. He really made our tour of Old Delhi into something special. He has a keen interest in history and weaves historical facts with poetry and tales of his youth living in the area. Walking with him meant we were able to meet people we wouldn't...
We are delighted that we chose Akshay to be our guide. He really made our tour of Old Delhi into something special. He has a keen interest in history and weaves historical facts with poetry and tales of his youth living in the area. Walking with him meant we were able to meet people we wouldn't have met alone, ate food we wouldn't have tasted and had a truly memorable encounter with magical Old Delhi.