From Shahjahanabad to Ashoka: MCD invites residents on heritage journey

Each month, one event will take participants to a different corner of the city’s past. Highlights include guided walks along the surviving walls and gates of Shahjahanabad, explorations of Ashoka’s rock edicts, and sessions on the Persian language and its influence on Delhi’s culture

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is inviting residents on a journey to rediscover the city’s rich past through a series of heritage walks and seminars, scheduled on Saturdays every month from October through March.

An old mansion in Shahjahanabad. The December event will focus on the walls and gates of Shahjahanabad. Many of them, such as Kabuli Gate, Lahori Gate, and Mori Gate, no longer exist. (HT Archive)

Senior officials said the events will cover a fascinating mix of history, language, music, and dance, offering a fresh perspective on Delhi’s layered heritage.

Each month, one event will take participants to a different corner of the city’s past. Highlights include guided walks along the surviving walls and gates of Shahjahanabad, explorations of Ashoka’s rock edicts, and sessions on the Persian language and its influence on Delhi’s culture. Classical music and dance enthusiasts can look forward to demonstrations of Kathak, Odissi, and Kuchipudi in the city’s “waste to wonder” parks.

To make the walks more accessible, e-bikes will be provided on longer routes. “We will guide visitors along the surviving walls of Shahjahanabad and its remaining gates, including Kashmiri Gate, Dilli Gate, and Turkman Gate. For longer routes, e-bikes will be provided. Experts will share the fascinating history and stories behind these gates, bringing Shahjahanabad’s past to life,” an official said.

According to the schedule, a seminar on October 11 at the Old Town Hall will explore the Persian language and its role in Sufism, governance, and everyday life, along with its contemporary relevance, followed by a session on Old Persian in November. “The December event will focus on the walls and gates of Shahjahanabad. Many gates, such as Kabuli Gate, Lahori Gate, and Mori Gate, no longer exist,” the official explained.

A second official highlighted that Delhi is home to Ashoka’s rock edicts, which will be the focus of a January heritage walk. “Surviving pillars and rock edicts in Prakrit will be the focus of the January walk,” the official said.

Events celebrating classical music and dance will be held in the city’s “waste to wonder” parks. “An introduction to classical music will be held at ITO Shaheedi Park, while sessions on dance forms such as Kathak, Odissi, and Kuchipudi will be organised at Bharat Darshan Park in Punjabi Bagh,” the official added.

The initiative builds on last winter’s successful series of walks, which covered landmarks such as Feroz Shah Kotla, the oldest city near Qutub Minar, Siri, Tughlaqabad, Jahanpanah, Firozabad, Purana Qila, Shahjahanabad, and New Delhi, giving residents and visitors a chance to see familiar places in a completely new light.