Mehrauli Archaeological Park, Archaeological site in Mehrauli, Delhi, India
Mehrauli Archaeological Park is a large site in southern Delhi with structures from different periods of Indian history, including tombs, mosques, pavilions and crumbling walls. The grounds extend over hilly terrain and dense tree cover, with monuments scattered along red earth paths and often partly overgrown by vegetation.
The earliest structures in the park date back to the 11th century, when the Delhi Sultanate was founded, and the site grew over several centuries under different rulers. The tombs and mosques document the shifting power dynamics between dynasties that controlled Delhi until the British classified the area as an archaeological site in the 19th century.
The name Mehrauli comes from Hindi and refers to the historic city of Mihirapuri, named after a Hindu king and later transformed into a center of Islamic architecture. Visitors often notice stonemasons and conservators working on-site to maintain the ruins and pass on traditional craft techniques.
The site is best explored on foot with sturdy shoes for the unpaved paths, and some structures lie off the main routes. Early morning or late afternoon work well for a visit, as the midday heat retreats among the trees and the light softens on the stone walls.
Inside the grounds stands a 16th-century stepwell that once supplied water to surrounding villages and now lies dry, but still shows its complex terraced structure. Some of the tombs retain original frescoes on interior walls, often overlooked when viewing only the exterior.
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