A rare night walk through Humayun’s Tomb & India’s first sunken museum. Start below ground at the sunken museum and journey into Humayun’s world of stars, stories, and stone.
Walk Led By: Karan Tekwani
Location: Humayun's Tomb
Date: Saturday, 21st June 2025
Time: 7:00 PM
Meeting Point: Sunken Museum Ticket Counter
Nearest Metro: JLN Stadium, Nizamuddin (pink line)
Please Note:
Monument and museum entry tickets are not included in the experience cost. These tickets must be purchased on the spot, as they require submission of valid government ID proofs for issuance.
About the Walk:
Step into a different Delhi — quiet, moonlit, and steeped in celestial symbolism — on this special night walk through Humayun’s Tomb complex and India’s first sunken museum, marking a year since its opening.
Often overshadowed by his father Babur and son Akbar, Humayun remains one of the most fascinating yet overlooked emperors of the Mughal dynasty. A ruler guided by the stars, shaped by exile, and obsessed with Persian aesthetics, Humayun’s life was anything but ordinary.
The walk begins at the Sunken Museum ticket counter, where you’ll descend into a world of forgotten artefacts — over 500 rare objects including stargazing astrolabes, Persian manuscripts, and the original finial that once crowned the tomb. The museum offers more than history; it reveals the many sides of Humayun — the dreamer, the strategist, the believer.
From there, rise into the glowing quiet of the tomb complex — the subcontinent’s first grand garden mausoleum and a prototype for the Taj Mahal. At night, this space transforms — its geometry sharper, its symbolism clearer, its silence more profound.
This is not just a walk — it’s a journey through stone, sky, and the layered soul of a forgotten emperor.
About Qissa Gos:
Karan Tekwani studied literature at St. Stephen’s College and aesthetics in Mumbai, and now writes about food histories for various publications. His walks are a mix of storytelling, visual observation, and tasty tidbits—think of them as three-course meals for the curious mind. Karan is fascinated by the everyday: that chipped wall, a passing phrase, or a forgotten snack stall—mundane things that quietly carry centuries of stories. He loves exploring how people make sense of daily life, often uncovering unexpected meaning in the most ordinary moments.
Pre-Walk Knowledge Nuggets
Before you walk under the stars, here are a few things to know:
🌙 A Tomb That Changed Everything
Humayun’s Tomb was the first monumental garden-tomb in India — a model of symmetry and scale that later inspired the Taj Mahal.
📜 An Emperor Guided by the Stars
Humayun took astrology seriously — timing key decisions with planetary alignments, commissioning horoscopes, and even building his imperial identity around celestial beliefs.
🎨 Dressing by the Planets
Humayun dressed in colors aligned with the planets and days of the week — blending fashion with cosmic order:
Sunday (Sun) – Yellow
Monday (Moon) – White
Tuesday (Mars) – Red
Wednesday (Mercury) – Green
Thursday (Jupiter) – Sandalwood or Saffron
Friday (Venus) – Blue
Saturday (Saturn) – Black
🔭 The Celestial Museum
India’s first sunken museum — nestled within the Humayun’s Tomb complex — features over 500 objects: astrolabes, manuscripts, coins, and fragments of architectural brilliance.
💫 A Finial Returns
Among the museum’s highlights is the original gilded finial that once shimmered atop Humayun’s tomb — a lost celestial marker, now returned.
🧭 Persian Exile, Mughal Return
Humayun spent over a decade in exile in Persia. What he brought back reshaped Mughal art, architecture, and court life — from miniature painting to ceremonial etiquette.
🌌 A Garden of Paradise
Built in the charbagh style, the tomb’s layout symbolizes the four rivers of paradise described in the Quran — a heavenly vision mapped in stone.
For those who want to read further before (or after) the walk:
- Architecture of Mughal India by Catherine Asher
A landmark work that explores how monuments like Humayun’s Tomb helped shape the visual language of the Mughal empire. Asher unpacks the symbolism, geometry, and Persian influences that defined early Mughal architecture.
- Emperors of the Peacock Throne by Abraham Eraly
A vivid, sweeping narrative of the Mughal dynasty — Eraly portrays Humayun as a ruler of contradictions: visionary yet fragile, shaped by exile, astrology, and inherited ambition.
- The Life and Times of Humayun by Ishwari Prasad
A detailed historical biography that traces Humayun’s reign, shedding light on his political struggles, cultural influences, and the early formation of the Mughal empire.
Recommendations and Instructions for Participants.
Wear comfortable clothes and shoes suitable for walking.
Bring water to stay hydrated during the walk.
Arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled start time for check-in.
Bring a notebook if you'd like to jot down your thoughts or reflections throughout the walk.
Also check out other Arts events in New Delhi, Workshops in New Delhi, Meetups in New Delhi.
