The capital city of Agra became impossibly crowded in the beginning of 17th century. This is when the 5th Mughal emperor Shah Jahan decided to shift his capital by the banks of river Yamuna and laid the foundation stone of Shahjahanabad. The choice of the new city, Delhi, which although a landscape of ruins and fallen arches then, held an important place in the religious imagination of both Hindus and Muslims.

This walk will pause the present and take us to time when Shah Jahan ruled the city of Delhi. At the Red Fort, we will witness the pavilions of gorgeous marble inlay, architectural features like the Bangladar roof and the profuse use of red and buff sandstone over Mughal Lakhori bricks. The words attributed to Amir Khusroe: gar firdaus bar rū-yi zamīn ast: hamīn ast, hamīn ast, hamīn ast! “If there is paradise on Earth, it is here, it is here, it is here!” are appropriated and inscribed on the walls of the throne room of the fort. It is here that Shah Jahan would address his durbar, seated on his famed peacock throne- an artefact that rivalled the Taj Mahal in its cost of production.

We will touch upon the planning principles of the city and how Shah Jahan was deeply invested in its design, his vision as one of the greatest patrons of architecture in Indian history and the ways in which the residential spaces of the elite captured the essence of Mughal architecture. The walk will end at the Jama Masjid, the mosque bestowed upon the city by the emperor himself which cast an enduring shadow on all others. We will sit on its steps, in a touch of 18th century storytelling and talk about the society and life in the city, the places of worship for the royal women, the imperial tasters at the Galli Kebabiyan and the scribes.

Registrants get a Fabindia coupon worth INR 500!

Know your Experience Leader- Riya

An architect by training, She is interested in the continuity of medieval cities as a means to explore and question identity, livelihood and community. She has worked with craftsmen and artists in the past to engage and understand intangible heritage conservation.

Please Note:

• Please consider wearing full pants and full sleeves as we will be passing through religious places
• It is a good idea to bring a cloth bag, a scarf and a water bottle