The Mehrauli Archaeological Park is a historical marvel. It is a beautiful expanse of about 200 acres and is right next to the UNESCO World Heritage Site: Qutub Minar. There are about 100 small and big monuments here including the Lal Kot (the oldest extant fort of Delhi), Balban’s Tomb, Rajon ki Baoli (stepwell), a dargah and a mosque. This area has been occupied for over a thousand years!
You will be picked up from your hotel at a suitable hour. It is best to visit this place during the morning when the sun is not too harsh. You will take an auto rickshaw ride like millions of Delhi-ites. The serene beauty of the park will mesmerize you. It is rare to find such a quiet green area in an otherwise busy city. Your guide will tell you about the history of the significant monuments here, starting with Balban's tomb, built around 1287 AD, and that contains the first true arch constructed in India. This noble structure is made with stone and masonry and is devoid of any ornamentation. Around the tomb, you will find ruins of a late-medieval settlement.
Next we will visit the Jamali Kamali mosque and tomb. The prayer hall has five arches and the central one has the dome on top. There are Quranic inscriptions, verses and colorful tiles on the walls. And if rumors are to be believed, this place is even haunted by a jinn!
You can see what remains of the second house of Thomas Metcalfe's, an EIC civil servant. This was originally the tomb of Muhammad Quli Khan but Metcalfe bought it and remodeled it in the European style. If you have time left, you can pop over to see the two baolis (step wells). Rajon ki Baoli is a three-storeyed step well believed to have been built during the reign of Sikandar Lodi, in 1516. Gandhak ki Baoli is a five-storeyed step well nearby.
