A walk through the bylanes of Hauz Khaz Village

Explore Hauz Khas Village's hidden monuments, revealing its rich history and architectural beauty away from trendy hotspots.

For most Delhites, Hauz Khas conjures up images of trendy cafes, rooftop bars, boutique stores and boho vibes. But scratch beneath the surface — a stroll through the deer park and the quiet lanes of Hauz Khas village reveals a layered past. Forgotten tombs, crumbling mosques and eerie towers with bloody legends tell a tale of executions, ascetics, scholars and sultans. Tucked away in green havens and offbeat lanes they offer glimpses of architectural transition from utilitarian Tughlaq forms to ornate Lodi designs and an ideal exploration for history buffs and wanderers.

Just off Aurobindo Marg, in a quiet residential lane lies a cylindrical sandstone, ‘tower of thieves’, built during Alauddin Khilji’s reign in the 13th Century dotted with 225 small holes. Legend has it that the holes once held the severed heads of convicted thieves, rebels and enemies, mounted as a warning to all who dared to defy the sultan.

Chor minar | Photo Credit: Pooja Kashyap

Hauz Khas was a major military zone during Alauddin’s time froth with fear of Mongol invasion which explains Alauddin’s rigorous centralisation of authority, military expansion, price control measures, and an exceptionally strict intelligence, policing and law enforcement system, of which Chor Minar was a product.

Idgah | Photo Credit: Pooja Kashyap

Just next to this execution monument is the Mullah Mosque, a Tughlaq era open air mosque with sturdy sloping walls made up of local quartzite stone rubble. Built by a powerful noble Mallu Iqbal Khan during Muhammad Bin Tughlaq’s reign, this spiritual structure offers perfect space for afternoon namaz and morning solitude.