About this event
The Tughlakabad walk takes you through the rise and fall of one of medieval Delhi’s most ambitious urban experiments. Founded in the 14th century by Sultan Ghiyasuddin Tughlak, Tughlakabad was envisioned as a formidable fortified city, built to project the power, authority and military strength of the newly established Tughlak dynasty. Its massive stone ramparts, imposing gateways, citadel and vast reservoir reflected the ambition of a ruler determined to leave an enduring mark on Delhi’s landscape.
Yet, the city’s story took an unexpected turn. Despite its imposing architecture and grand vision, Tughlakabad was abandoned within a few years of its construction. Its decline has since become part of Delhi’s historical imagination, surrounded by accounts of royal ambition, political rivalries and the famous legend of the conflict between Ghiyasuddin Tughlak and the Sufi saint Nizamuddin Auliya.
This heritage walk explores the remains of that extraordinary vision, taking participants through the fortifications, the citadel, the reservoir and the adjoining tomb of Ghiyasuddin Tughlak. Along the way, it examines the political circumstances behind the city’s construction, the architectural imagination of the Tughlak period and the forces that shaped its eventual abandonment.
More than a journey through a medieval fortress, this is an exploration of how power, architecture and ambition shaped Delhi, and how an entire city could rise and fall within a remarkably short span of history.
About the Walk Leader
Intekhab Alam is an architect and urban regeneration expert with over 12 years of professional experience. He is the co-founder of EMARA Architecture and Urbanism and currently works on several heritage projects across Delhi and Ladakh, including the conservation and restoration of a 200-year-old market.
His work has been published in national and international journals. He also serves as an Adjunct Faculty member at O.P. Jindal Global University, bringing together his professional experience in architecture, urbanism and heritage conservation.
