OUR STORY

A neighborhood worth projecting.

Project Mehrauli is a Go Deeper Travel and Blue Darwaza Travel initiative — partnering with the people of Mehrauli to preserve, restore and share its honor.

WHAT IS PROJECT MEHRAULI?

Delhi's most historic neighborhood, partnered with travelers who want to go deeper.

Mehrauli, sitting in the shadow of the Qutub Minar, is Delhi's most historic neighborhood. It's dotted with the remains of kingdoms from the last thousand years, housing six major world religions, and bustling with modern-day life. The juxtaposition of new against old creates an incredible journey through time.

Project Mehrauli is an initiative of Go Deeper Travel and Blue Darwaza Travel that invites partnerships with the people of Mehrauli. Our vision is to preserve and restore the honor of historic Mehrauli and its people. We do that through a travel model that benefits the community while creating authentic, educational, and fun adventures for travelers in this often overlooked area of Delhi.

IMPACT

Project Mehrauli Impact

10 years of economic impact, restoration, and community service in Mehrauli

Historic property restoration

Two brothers built Siddiq Manzil 1936 as a dream home for their families. After only 11 years it was abandoned during Partition. Following Partition, the haveli (villa) changed hands a number of times and slowly fell into disrepair. Through a collaboration of visionaries, artists, and builders, the property was carefully restored over a number of years. Today, Siddiq Manzil 1936 is a beautiful display of traditional architecture, welcoming guests into the heart of Mehrauli.

Education initiatives

For years we have offered English classes to village girls in a local boarding school. Others on our team serve families in underprivileged pockets of the neighborhood by providing simple health education and wellness support. Recently we launched an after school program for children in a community of migrant laborers. The Project Mehrauli team regularly hosts chess clubs, English literacy initiatives, and health projects to holistically serve our community.

Economic impact

Over the past 10 years, we have equipped people from a variety of ages and backgrounds with valuable market skills to support their families. Many have been trained as language and culture nurturers in our language center, Launch India. They joyfully help learners from all over the world take their first steps in understanding the many languages and cultures of India. Others have been trained in skills to facilitate and lead tours, manage accommodations, and provide excellent service for travelers from around the world. Still others have the opportunity to invite guests into their home to showcase their home-based hospitality and share stories from their lives.

OUR PEOPLE

Storytellers, Hosts & Creators

Each partner provides an irreplaceable contribution to our conservation, storytelling, and hospitality efforts.

Roshanara

CHEFSTORYTELLERHOST

Originally from a small village in Bihar, Roshanara Auntie moved to Mehrauli with a dream to create a better life for her children. She is an excellent chef, a storyteller, and a warm host for groups visiting her home in Gosiya Colony.

Nisha

TEACHERSTORYTELLERHOST

Nisha Auntie is an experienced teacher in our language and culture immersion program — Launch India. She is a captivating storyteller and loves welcoming visitors into her home to share meals and stories together.

Nizaam

MASTER FLORISTCARETAKERHOST

After moving to Delhi from a quiet riverside village in Uttar Pradesh, Nizam Uncle provided for his family by learning the skill of a master florist. He spent years creating India's world-famous traditional floral designs for weddings and events. Today he partners with us as a caretaker for our Launch India property and a host, inviting guests to his home in Gosiya Colony to share rooftop meals cooked over a traditional village clay oven.

Hina

COOKTEACHERHOST

Hina is a wife, mother, and a joyful host. She is an excellent cook and loves to lead guests through the process of creating a great home-cooked Indian meal. She walks with guests through purchasing goods in the neighborhood farmers market, using Indian cooking methods, and savoring a delicious family meal. She brings laughter into every step of the process. She spends most of her days working with guests enrolled in our language and culture program at Launch India where she is one of the favorite teachers.

Auronjeb

COOKHOSTMARKET GUIDE

Auronjeb's father moved to Mehrauli as a young man and found a back-breaking job as a daily wage laborer in the market, carrying heavy loads of products on his back and earning just $1 per day. From those humble beginnings Auronjeb's family has grown and now owns their own vegetable stall in the market and a home in Islam Colony where generations of the family live together. Auronjeb and his wife are incredible cooks and gentle, kind hosts for our guests. In between running up and down their narrow staircase to the kitchen, Auronjeb takes guests on a journey of understanding life in his village and daily life in the Mehrauli farmers market.

Parvati

CARETAKERHOST

Parvati is a second generation Mehrauli resident. Her family immigrated from Nepal to Delhi in search of a better life. She is a valuable member of our Siddiq Manzil 1936 team, ensuring the property is well-maintained and inviting for guests. She carries out her role joyfully and her children often tag along to enjoy the cool courtyard of the haveli.

Afreen

MEHNDI ARTISTLANGUAGE NURTURERHOST

For generations, Afreen's family lived a stone's throw away from Jama Masjid in Old Delhi. Now their home is near the famous Qutubbudin Kaki Dargah in Mehrauli. Afreen is a multitalented artist, language nurturer, and friendly host. She works miracles with mehndi, transforming ladies' hands into beautiful works of art.

Faeem

CHEFHOSTSTORYTELLER

Faeem is an incredible chef, a wonderful host, storyteller, and entrepreneur. As part of our Siddiq Manzil 1936 team, he ensures that each guest's stay is a wonderful experience. Faeem assists facilitating tours and leads cooking classes at the haveli where guests can enjoy and learn from his passion for cooking delicious food.

Farman

HOSTHOSPITALITY

With family roots in the historic neighborhood of Old Delhi, Farman shifted to Mehrauli several years ago and now partners with Project Mehrauli to maintain the beautiful Siddiq Manzil 1936. He is always ready to welcome our guests and make them feel at home with a smile, a warm breakfast, and a delicious cup of chai.

Salman

HANDYMANPRESERVATION

As a skilled handyman, Salman is a vital partner in our vision to preserve the beauty and quality of the nearly-century-old Siddiq Manzil 1936. He is always ready to step in when there is a need in this historic haveli.

Kaka Ji

DESIGNERARTISTRESTORER

Kaka Ji grew up in a family of Sikh refugees who moved to Delhi from Pakistan during Partition. From a young age he was inspired by the marble colonnades of the breathtaking Gurudwara Bangla Sahib and dreamed of designing beautiful buildings one day himself. Decades later, as a self-taught decorator and artist, he led the effort to revitalize the Siddiq Manzil 1936 and restore it to its original beauty. He collected stone architectural elements, vintage furnishings, and antique decor to create the ambiance our guests enjoy today.

Chavinath

MASTER GARDENERPRESERVATION

Chavinath is a master gardener and quiet member of our Siddiq Manzil 1936 preservation team. He cares for our greenery daily and ensures that the courtyard of the haveli is an oasis in the midst of the busy city.

Mazda

COOKHOST

Hailing from a remote village of thread weavers in Bihar, Mazda moved to Mehrauli as a single mother with her infant son in pursuit of a better future for him. Though she never learned to read or write herself, her son excels in school and has aspirations to work in international business. Mazda is a warm host, an incredible cook, and a valuable part of the Mehrauli community.

Samad

GUIDEHOSTLOGISTICS

Mehrauli native Samad had a successful career path in a corporate tourism company when he discovered Project Mehrauli. He loved the vision of the project and began partnering with us several years ago. He is an avid learner, a friendly host, and a knowledgeable guide for our Project Mehrauli heritage walks. He currently manages many of the logistics for group tours and is pursuing his tour guide license in pursuit of his dream to introduce people to the stories of India.

Ajaz

LEAD GUIDESTORYTELLER

After a chance encounter through a friend, Ajaz learned about the vision of Project Mehrauli before it even officially launched. He was a foundational member of the team and currently leads most of our Project Mehrauli heritage tours. He spent the past decade hosting guests from across the world, introducing them to his neighborhood, its vast history, and the incredible people who live here today.

Nazhat

MEHNDI ARTISTLANGUAGE NURTURERSHOPPING GUIDE

Nazhat was born and raised in Mehrauli. She is a mehndi artist, language nurturer, and loves leading groups on shopping excursions in Mehrauli. Guests who have the privilege of meeting Nazhat love her friendly, gentle demeanor.

Fatima

TEACHERENTREPRENEURHOST

Fatima is a wife, entrepreneur, and extremely entertaining host. She loves to teach language and culture, and often takes ladies shopping for traditional clothing in Delhi's famous markets.

Mahima

TEACHEREDUCATOR

Mahima's family migrated from Assam before she was born, but she maintains a connection to her far east roots. She and her siblings are artists, educators, and entrepreneurs. Her mother hosts dinners with delicious Assamese dishes which can't be found at a restaurant table anywhere in Delhi. They regularly return to their ancestral village where they hope to one day build a permanent home. Mahima is ambitious and has taken several opportunities to develop her skills. She is currently partnered with Project Mehrauli as a teacher in an after school education initiative for children from other migrant families.

Amirruddin

SPIRITUAL GUIDESTORYTELLERHOST

Amirruddin's family has been deeply connected to Mehrauli for generations. His forefathers were devotees who took responsibility for preserving and caring for the dargah of Qutubbudin Baktiar Kaki and educating people about Sufi culture. Thousands of people look to Amirruddin as a spiritual guide, and many more thousands come on pilgrimages every day to the dargah where he serves. He is a host, storyteller, and a person with significant influence on the cultural landscape of Mehrauli and beyond.

Come walk with us.

The best way to understand Mehrauli is to experience it. Pick a tour, book a stay, or just say hello.

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