Delhi is made of lesser-known corners, especially monuments, which are languishing in the shadows with untold stories. As a way of celebrating World Heritage Day—it is on April 18—South Delhi-resident Rohan Aniruddh Singh has organised a heritage walk around forgotten monuments of Delhi today.
Paths of tradition
Organised by Path Rarely Taken, a heritage blog that was started by Singh in 2010, the walk—titled ‘Forgotten Monuments & Scary Stories about them’,it will commence at 4:30pm from Mayfair Garden, Hauz Khas—will take its participants around three heritage sites in the area. Singh, who is currently pursuing a masters in Persian from Delhi University, says, “The architecture of these monuments is a means of passing knowledge. It is imperative we inform people that the only way to secure knowledge is by conserving monuments.”
This Sunday exploration will cover Chor Minar, Idgar, and the Makhdoom Sabzwari Mosque. “These are minor monuments that will probably be the first to be taken down. So, it is important to understand their value,” adds Singh. Speaking of the ‘scary stories’ that he will narrate during the walk, Singh explains that it’s about their horrifying history.
The walk will begin with the 14th Century Chor Minar, a place where severed heads would be placed as exhibits, and the participants will move towards the notorious qatl-e-aam of Delhi by Timur that resulted in the building of Idgar. It will end with a talk about the displacement of many during the Partition of India.
Explaining the significance of the Makhdoom Shabwari Mosque, Singh elaborates, “Although now uninhabited, this Masjid was once a place where many resided. However, they were displaced after the Partition. This feeling of uprootedness is nothing short of horrifying.” The walk embraces Delhi’s history from a holistic perspective from the mediaeval to the contemporary times.”
In that way, the walk embraces Delhi’s history from a wholesome perspective from the mediaeval to the contemporary. Speaking of the importance of stories in heritage walks, Singh concludes, “People were never interested in reading history through academic books. It is important to have stories and oral narratives about these places to make them more accessible.”