“Hazaron khwahishein aisi, ki har khwahish par dum nikle. Khoob nikle mere armaan, lekin phir bhi kam nikle.” These famous words of Mirza Ghalib have been listened by most of us in various forms till date – the original, the twisted and the musical.
Recently, these words came to life when Amir Ahmed, the host of the Nizamuddin Walk, uttered them while the group of attendees stood near the grave of the world acclaimed Urdu poet.
Amir, member of the India City Walks team, said, “I have been born and brought up in the Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti. I have decided to work here only. The place means so much to me; I cannot get myself to move out of it.”
India City Walks is an experiential travel brand which organises various walking tours and city experiences. These experiences are curated to showcase the culture and heritage around the country. The Hazarat Nizamuddin basti is one of the oldest areas in the National Capital Territory and a treat for the tourists looking for a soulful experience.
The walk started with a visit to the Nizamuddin Baoli, which unlike others in Delhi, still receives freshwater. Afterwards we moved to the dargah. Inside, the attendees received a glimpse of the living culture of the area as Amir had promised them at the beginning of the Walk.
The next stop was everyone’s favourite: Ghalib Kabab Corner. One of the well-known kabab places in the basti, this place provided a feast time as everything was prepared fresh. A must try here are the shammi kababs that melt in the mouth.
It was followed by a visit to Urs Mahal where Amir engaged us with questions like, “what is the meaning of Urs?”which elicited many answers from the group. He then took us to the Chaunsath Khamba and asked us to count all the 64 pillars, which none could without his help.
The last and final stop was the Mirza Ghalib’s mausoleum, where Amir set the mood by reciting various verses of the great poet.
The Walk was especially arranged for the Les Clefs d'Or India members in order to make them aware about this treasures the place hold.
