Meander through 750 years of history centered around the tomb of the great 14th century Sufi saint, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya and stimulate your senses with the magnificent architecture from the Tughlaq and Mughal eras, the fragrance of rose petals and attar, the local cuisine of khamiri rotis, kababs, Biryani and Kormas. The basti is known for its culture, pluralism, customs and rituals. It’s a home to various historical monuments. People from all around the world come here to seek the spiritual blessings of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya.

The world heritage site of Humayun’s mausoleum is a marvelous combination of red sand stone and white marble. The monumental scale, architectural treatment and garden setting are outstanding in Islamic garden-tombs. Humayun’s Tomb is the first important example in India, and above all else, the symbol of the powerful Mughal dynasty that unified most of the sub continent. The walk through this 16th century site talks of the architecture, construction and conservation stories by the Sair E Nizamuddin group members.

Abdur Rahim Khan i Khanan who lived at the time of Emperor Akbar was a well known poet and his sayings/proverbs are still immensely popular today with children. His tomb stands in Nizamuddin East. As part of the project supported by InterGlobe Foundation, heritage walks are being conducted to Rahim’s Tomb, which apart from the architecture of the tomb and cultural significance of Rahim’s personality, also explains the conservation works being undertaken on the site.

The entire stretch along River Yamuna once thrived as a forest retreat for wandering fakirs (saints) seeking the solitude of the city’s outskirts for meditation. The area eventually transformed into a necropolis, becoming home to the graves of numerous sages, around which, later, shrines were built. While some are simple, comprising of a grave shrouded beneath a pall, others are more elaborate, such as the dargahs (shrines) of Patte Shah, Dada Pir and that of Matka Pir (near Pragati Maidan), which continue to attract pilgrims.

Nizamuddin has a rich legacy of Sufi traditions including the music and poetry associated with the 14th century Sufi Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya and his disciple, the legendary poet-composer Hazrat Amir Khusrau ‘Dehalvi’.

Apart from Hazrat Amir Khusrau, several other literary luminaries like: Mirza Ghalib, Abdur Rahim Khan-i-Khana and Jahan Ara also have their presence in the historic precinct of Nizamuddin.

Food is an integral part of the basti’s culture and heritage. The food habits and tastes of the local residents are largely showcased on the lanes of basti. The walk offers an opportunity to immerse into the taste and aroma of the basti’s indigenous food. One of its food cuisines includes the mughliya food which has its root of spices and ingredients from the kitchen of the Mughals

A team of master-craftsmen and conservation architects conduct workshops demonstrating the traditional building crafts in conservation for school children.

During the workshops, students learn about the incised lime plaster craft, making of a stone jaali, making of Mughal tile, followed by a walk through the Nizamuddin Area to connect them to these elements on the monuments. These workshops inform them of the entire process of conservation, introduce them to our traditional building craft, and also appreciate them on our historic monuments.

Humayun’s Tomb and the other contemporary 16th-century garden tombs within the property form a unique ensemble of Mughal era garden-tombs. The monumental scale, architectural treatment and garden setting are outstanding in Islamic garden-tombs. The walk also goes to Lakkarwala Burj, Sundar Burj, Mirza Muzaffar Hussain’s Tomb, Sundarwala Mahal, ‘Unknown Mughal Tomb’, Chota Batashewala Tomb and Nila Gumbad’s garden setting, and Rahim Khan-i-Khanan’s tomb which is within the Buffer Zone.

On World Heritage Day, heritage walks by Sair E Nizamuddin are organized for school children of Delhi NCR.

Besides the guided heritage walk, the group also conduct interactive learning sessions which included onsite demonstration of the ongoing conservation works, calligraphy workshop, painting and quiz workshop, all relating to the World Heritage Site of Humayun’s Tomb.

The community volunteers organized an Iftar Walk: a unique experience on an auspicious occasion during Ramzaan to explore the centuries old heritage and living tradition at the Basti. The walk was followed by breaking the fast, “IFTAAR”- the most important part of the day during the holy month of Ramzaan with the larger community.