Sacred Streets of Shahjahanabad

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.