Hauz Khas - A Melting Pot

Contemporary Delhi usually associates Hauz Khas (the Hauz Khas village, more specifically) with chic fashion boutiques and avant garde restaurants, nestled in a slightly bohemian setting. The restaurants are, of course, something that keep bringing me back to this place. There are, however, historical trinkets littered all over. I have often walked past these monuments without so much as a thought about their historicity. This weekend, I decided to rectify this, and do a comprehensive review of the area.

The word Hauz is derived from Persian and refers to a pond or similar water body. The water body in question here is an early 14th century artificial lake created by Ala-ud-din Khilji to supply water to his new fort at Siri (built between 1297 and 1307). Initially called the Hauz-i-Alai, the name Hauz Khas just seems to refer to it's royal origin. Around this lake, a plethora of buildings came up, housing everything from mosques to tombs to madrasas. Today, they form something of a historical theme park, with architecture spanning the periods of the Khiljis, Tughlaqs and Lodhis. Acting as a magnet to tomb builders, the surrounding areas (the Deer Park, Green Park and Aurobindo Market) have a relatively large concentration of tombs as well. The relatively upscale nature of the place has prevented the encroachment and ensuing dilapidation that one sees in so many other cases.


Located where it is, in the heart of posh south Delhi, there should be little trouble getting here. I chose to start with the monuments in the Hauz Khas village, then move on to the lake and the monuments inside Deer Park before finally wrapping up with the tombs on the road linking the village to Aurobindo marg. The Green Park metro station is close enough to be usable, but still a substantial walk away (1.5 km) from the entrance to Hauz Khas village. There is a large parking lot at the entrance to the village (one can't drive in unless one is a 'villager'), but getting in or out during peak hours can be slightly daunting. 


To get to the cluster of monuments in the village, one has to walk straight down the road (past all the fabulous restaurants; walking ahead can be a challenge if you're a foodie) for about 150 metres. This set of monuments is nestled in a well laid out compound that is, incidentally, unticketed. Walking in through the gate, the first sight is that of monuments flanking either side of the path that leads up to a clear view of the lake  a good 20 feet below. It isn't possible to get to the lake from the compound itself, but this is really the best place from where one can appreciate the size and beauty of the lake. I probably regretted not having a wide-angle lens more during this trip than any other in the recent past.

The Hauz-i-Alai or Hauz Khas

Timur the Lame (the Mongol who invaded and pillaged Delhi in 1398), is supposed to have noted that it was so big that one could not shoot an arrow across the length of the lake. Today, the Hauz has shrunk somewhat, from what it once was, but it is still quite impressive.


Coming back to the monuments around the lake, as you enter the compound, there is a three domed structure on the right. I believe nobody really knows what it was for, but it is probably one of the older buildings here. On the left are a set of cenotaphs of more recent vintage - the leaf motifs on the edge of the dome is apparently a hallmark of the Lodhi dynasty of the 1500s. 

Three-domed structure at the entrance

Cenotaphs - this place did seem to have been a magnet for dead people

The real centre-piece of this place, however, is the madrasa to the left, towards the lake. The building is L-shaped and is built on two levels. This was established in 1352 by Feroz Shah Tughlaq and was a prominent centre for Islamic (and secular) education, particularly on account of the academic vacuum that was created by the siege of Baghdad by the Mongols in the mid 1200s. While the building did allow access to the lake historically, the ASI seems to have taken it upon themselves to close these access points with barbed wire.

Madrasa - steps leading down to lower level

Madrasa - East-West arm

Madrasa - living quarters on lower level

Madrasa - North-South arm (taken from outside)

At the pivot of the L-design of the madrasa is the tomb of Feroz Shah Tughlaq. True to form, the tomb is austere and has the sloping walls that are characteristic of Tughlaq buildings. Still, Feroz Shah had an almost Soviet approach to building in wanting to have awe-inspiring structures. Hence the size, scale and relative ubiquitousness of his buildings. What is really noteworthy is the decoration on the inside of the dome. The level of detail is stunning.

Tomb of Feroz Shah Tughlaq

Grave of Feroz Shah Tughlaq and family

Dome of Feroz Shah Tughlaq's tomb

With all this done, I decided to move closer to the lake. I walked out of the compound and retraced my steps to the entrance to the village, and turned left into the Deer Park. As soon as one enters the park, there is a pathway to the left by the side of the Park Baluchi restaurant which leads to the lake. However, I decided to take the scenic route via a few Lodhi-era buildings. Heading along the straight path from the entrance, and turning right as the path forked, I arrived at a wall mosque and a tomb that is known as the Bagh-i-Alam ka Gumbad. This building is locked up now, but is quite an imposing sight, almost directly out of a horror movie. Close to it is what is known as Kali Gumti. Continuing along the path leads one to yet another tomb. However, I chose to circle back towards the lake. Walking back towards Park Baluchi and taking the road to the side, I arrived at a rise, atop which is another monument (I don't know if this was really a tomb), called the Munda Gumbad, on account of its missing upper level. Unlike the Bagh-i-Alam ka Gumbad or the Kali Gumti, this was from the Khilji period and apparently stood in the middle of the original boundaries of the lake. Finally, walking down from there brought me to Hauz Khas/Hauz-i-Alai, diametrically opposite the madrasa. 

Bagh-i-Alam ka Gumbad

Kali Gumti

Munda Gumbad

Hauz Khas across from the madrasa

Along the road from Hauz Khas village to Aurobindo marg are several more tombs. I decided to visit all of them, knowing fully well that historical details are a bit sketchy. Starting off along the road, there are two monuments on either side of the T-junction with the road from Green Park to the left. The first monument is a tomb called the Chhoti Gumti, just before the left turn. The only historical detail about this tomb is that it is from the Lodhi period, based on the clover pattern along the edge of the dome. Unfortunately, the door of the building was locked and I couldn't take a look at the painting and plaster work on the inside. Just across the road from there is the Sakri Gumti, which may not have even been a tomb at all. The word Sakri means 'narrow' in Persian, and is an apt way of describing this. This building was also locked shut (I wonder why). There are ruins of a wall adjacent to this, suggesting that it might even have been a gateway. If you have an interest in detail, there is a building stone to the left of the entrance door, slightly lower than eye level, which shows worn-out Jain carvings of a seated Mahavira. If you walk down the road towards Green Park, there is a tomb called Biran ka Gumbad in the park across from the market, which I decided to skip because I was already beginning to OD on tombs. 


Just a little further ahead on the right is a tomb on top of a rise, called the Barah Khamba (there are a couple of other monuments in Delhi with the same name, in case you're wondering why Barakhamba road is nowhere near here). This is another remnant of the Lodhi-era, and has, like it says on the box, 12 pillars supporting the roof. Refreshingly, this building is freely accessible (though it lacks the plaster painting of the earlier structures. There is a dried-up well on the north side, begging the question of why someone would try to dig a well on a hillock. Finally, moving further along the road, there are the twin tombs called the Dadi (grandmother) and Poti (granddaughter) Gumbads. Again, nothing is known about these apart from their age. The Dadi Gumbad is the larger of the two, and is Lodhi-era. The Poti Gumbad has sloping walls and is, therefore, considered to be Tughlaq-era. The Poti Gumbad has some lovely marble on the northern face. Even the Dadi Gumbad has a pair of ornamental columns on the north face. This is considered unusual since tombs of that time typically had entrances on the south side.

Chhoti Gumti

Sakri Gumti

Barah Khamba

Dadi (left) and Poti (right) Gumbads

Intricate marble work on the north face of the Poti Gumbad

By this time, I was reeling from the sheer number of places visited. I've always felt that historical monuments are interesting when there is some context behind them. The last set of monuments were a bit of a drag because of the lack of information about them, made more annoying by the lack of access to the insides of the monuments. In any case, I now have a good idea of where everything is in Hauz Khas. Hopefully I can appreciate the view better the next time I'm here for lunch. Here is a map of the area, along with paths mapped out:

View Hauz Khas in a larger map