Delhi has seen the rise and fall of many powerful empires, the existence of which makes this city a treasure trove of riveting stories. Historians trace the existence of seven cities built in place of Delhi between 1100AD to 1947AD during the middle ages, each contributing notably to the current geography. If one looks closely, remnants of past dynasties and empires can still be spotted. Khirki, a quaint urban village situated near Malviya Nagar, South Delhi, is one of the few areas that houses fragments of Delhi’s past. Built in the 14th Century, as a part of the fourth city of Jahanpanah in Medieval Delhi, the Village is urban in view yet largely rural in practice.
In a pursuit of unravelling tales from the Village, over twenty city dwellers met at Khirki on Sunday morning for a heritage walk organised by Purani Dilli Walo Ki Baatein, an Old Delhi-based organisation that works to promote the history and culture of Delhi. The walk was led by Ekta Chauhan (28), a resident of Khirki Village and a PhD candidate at Brandenburg University of Technology, Germany. Through anecdotes and personal stories, Chauhan helped the participants acquaint themselves with the history of Khirki, a lesser-known part of Delhi.
Exploring the city
The two-and-a-half hour long walk on Sunday commenced outside Satpula Lake complex, an ancient water harvesting dam built by Muhammad bin Tughlaq of the Tughlaq dynasty in early 14th Century. The Lake, now dried up, and the adjoining gate, platforms, and arches hold significant historical value.
By outlining the timeline of development, Chauhan touched upon religious and architectural accounts of the area while also talking about how caste and politics impact the Village’s history and geography. Participants were then taken through the lanes and alleys of the Village wherein another Khirkee-resident Shri Chand Chauhan talked about the area’s history and also sang a ragini (song) for the participants.
The walk concluded at Khirki Masjid, a mosque built by Khan-i-Jahan Junan Shah, the prime minister of Feroz Shah Tughlaq in the mid-14th Century. Architecturally, the symmetric design and three-storey plan of the mosque are unique, mentioned Chauhan. The restoration of the mosque is also pending.
In a nutshell, the walk was a novel chance for Delhiites to explore their city via stories. “I have lived in Delhi all throughout my life but never really explored these places. We always come to the mall, but never to such historically important places. This was a great experience,” shared Srishti Singh (27) who joined the walk from Rohini.
Documenting oral history
Chauhan has been working to record the oral history of Khirki Village through her project ‘Delhi ki Khirki’ (translates to A window to Delhi in English) that is in collaboration with The Citizens’ Archive of India.
“I wanted to see where urban villages are positioned vis-à-vis the development of the city. The people have been here for generations, they have seen it all and they have very nice stories to share. A lot of these stories have come out really well,” she said while talking about the interviews she has recorded with the people of Khirki Village for the project.
Chauhan also mentioned that many false narratives have been floated around about the two monuments. “It is a very personal walk. As a student of history and as someone who lives here, I was very distressed to see my generation falling victim to false narratives [about this place]...this walk is an attempt to preserve its history,” concluded Chauhan.