Khuda is shehar ko barkat de — may the Almighty continue to bless this city.…. Zeenat Begum Old Delhi
Assalamualaikum, my dear guests. Welcome to Purani Dilli, the Old Delhi whose streets have carried the footsteps of emperors, princesses, scholars, merchants and ordinary people whose stories deserve to be remembered.
Zeenat-un-Nissa Begum, portrayed by Harry — your Rehnuma of Old Delhi.
I am Zeenat-un-Nissa Begum, daughter of Alamgir Padshah Aurangzeb and granddaughter of Jannat Makani Shah Jahan. In this imagined journey, allow me to become your rehnuma — your guide through the memories of Shahjahanabad. And if you wish to explore these historic streets in the present day, a local Delhi tour companion can help you discover their stories, one step at a time.
My family’s history is woven into the stones, courtyards, mosques and bustling bazaars of this city. Some memories belong to the grandeur of the royal court; others are found in a quiet place of prayer, the fragrance of spices, or the sound of footsteps disappearing into an old lane.
Come, walk with me. Let us discover the city not merely as a collection of monuments, but as a living inheritance.
Ghata Masjid: The Sacred Legacy I Left in Shahjahanabad
Harry welcomes American and Mexican travellers to Ghata Masjid, sharing the royal stories of Zeenat Begum Old Delhi tour
Dear guests, let us begin at a mosque closely associated with my name — Zeenat-ul-Masajid, also known as Ghata Masjid, in the Daryaganj area of Old Delhi.
This mosque is traditionally associated with my patronage in 1707, a year that marked a turning point in the history of the Mughal Empire. Its name, Zeenat-ul-Masajid, is often understood as the ornament of mosques. What a beautiful thought: that a place of worship should adorn a city not merely through its architecture, but through devotion, humility and peace.
Imagine approaching this historic place when the sounds of the modern city grow distant for a moment. Look at the mosque’s form, pause beneath the sky, and consider how many generations have passed through this neighbourhood. Empires changed, roads changed, and the Yamuna’s course changed over time — yet the city continued to carry its memories.
The name Daryaganj itself evokes the old relationship between this part of Delhi and the river. The landscape we see today is not exactly the landscape of centuries past. Old Delhi must be understood as a city that has continually transformed while retaining traces of its earlier life.
As you stand here, I invite you to look beyond the walls. Think of the people who prayed here, the families who lived nearby, and the generations who inherited these streets without ever meeting the people who first shaped them.
A monument becomes more meaningful when we listen to the stories surrounding it. And so, my dear guests, our journey begins with prayer, memory and respect.
Jama Masjid: The Grand Vision of My Grandfather, Shah Jahan
Zeenat Begum Old Delhi introduces Jama Masjid, the magnificent legacy of Padshah Shah Jahan in Old Delhi.
Now let us travel in our imagination to Jama Masjid, one of the great landmarks of Shahjahanabad.
My grandfather, Shah Jahan, established Shahjahanabad as his imperial capital in the seventeenth century. Jama Masjid, completed in 1656, became one of the city’s most important religious and architectural landmarks. Its broad courtyard, imposing gateways and elegant domes express the ambition of an age when architecture was used to shape both the skyline and the spirit of a capital.
When you enter the courtyard, take a moment before reaching for your camera. Observe the red sandstone, the white marble details, and the way the vast open space draws your eyes upward. Imagine the countless worshippers who have gathered here across generations.
My grandfather’s world was one of royal ceremony and magnificent buildings, but a mosque is more than an imperial achievement. It is a place where people from different walks of life come together in devotion.
Please remember, too, that a city’s history is never the work of a ruler alone. Architects, craftspeople, stonecutters, calligraphers, labourers and countless unnamed hands helped create the places we admire today.
Jama Masjid belongs to that shared inheritance.
From here, the lanes of Old Delhi invite us onward. Beyond the grand architecture, the city begins to speak in a different language — the language of shops, food, family traditions and the lively rhythm of its markets.
Chandni Chowk: The Moonlit Dream of My Beloved Khalajan, Jahanara
Zeenat Begum Old Delhi Chandni Chowk, the Imperial Bazar legacy of Princes Jahanara Begum in Shahjanabad.
Come, dear guests, let me show you Chandni Chowk.
My Khalajan, Jahanara Begum, was my father’s elder sister — a princess of remarkable standing in the Mughal household. She is closely associated with the early development of Chandni Chowk during Shah Jahan’s reign. The historic market was designed as part of the new capital, with a central canal and a square that became an important feature of the city.
The name Chandni Chowk is often connected with moonlight and the old square. Imagine the water reflecting the evening sky, merchants arranging their goods, travellers passing through the market, and the city settling into the softer light of dusk.
The Chandni Chowk you see today is crowded, colourful and full of movement. Its shops, food stalls, narrow lanes and historic buildings tell stories that stretch far beyond one royal generation. The old canal is no longer part of the everyday scene, but the name continues to carry a memory of the city that once stood here.
When you walk through these streets, do not look only for what has disappeared. Notice what has survived: the old trading traditions, the architecture tucked between modern shopfronts, the flavours passed down through families, and the people who keep the market alive.
My Khalajan’s world was shaped by courtly culture, learning and patronage. Today, Chandni Chowk belongs just as much to its shopkeepers, craftspeople, cooks, residents and visitors.
That is the wonder of Shahjahanabad. A royal vision became a city, and the city became the inheritance of generations.
Fatehpuri Masjid: Where a Mughal Begum’s Devotion Lives On
Zeenat Begum Telling the Story of Fathepuri Mosque at Old Delhi Heritage Walk
Our next stop is Fatehpuri Masjid, at the western end of Chandni Chowk.
This mosque was commissioned in the seventeenth century by Fatehpuri Begum, one of Shah Jahan’s wives. It reminds us that women of the Mughal household also left their mark on the religious and architectural landscape of Delhi.
When we speak of royal history, the names of emperors often dominate the conversation. Yet women also exercised influence through patronage, learning, charitable works and the creation of places where communities could gather.
Fatehpuri Masjid stands as a reminder of that contribution.
Look at its architectural character and imagine the historic market stretching away from its entrance. The mosque and the bazaar are not separate stories: one speaks of worship and community, while the other speaks of trade, livelihood and everyday encounters.
Over the centuries, this neighbourhood has witnessed the arrival of merchants, the departure of caravans, the rise and fall of political powers, and the steady persistence of ordinary life. Buildings have been repaired, streets have changed, and generations have made the area their own.
As your rehnuma, I ask you to remember the women whose names remain attached to these places. Their legacy is part of Delhi’s history, and it deserves to be spoken with dignity.
From Fatehpuri Masjid, we can follow the movement of the market toward another remarkable part of Old Delhi — a place where the air itself seems to tell a story.
Khari Baoli: The Fragrant Treasures of Shahjahanabad
Zeenat Begum Old Delhi at spice market A Royal Journey Through Shahjahanabad Walk
Dear guests, welcome to Khari Baoli, the famous spice market of Old Delhi.
Here the senses lead the way. You may encounter the fragrance of cardamom, the warmth of dried chillies, the sharpness of black pepper and the rich colours of turmeric, saffron and other spices. Sacks are moved, goods are weighed, shopkeepers negotiate, and traders continue the work that makes this market such a distinctive part of the city.
Khari Baoli’s present-day life has developed over generations. It should not be imagined as a market frozen in my own lifetime; rather, it belongs to the continuing story of Delhi’s trade and transformation.
Markets connect cities to distant places. Spices travel through networks of farmers, merchants, transporters and shopkeepers before reaching a family’s kitchen. Behind each small packet is a much larger story of commerce, labour and exchange.
Pause for a moment and watch the people at work. The sounds of bargaining, the movement of handcarts and the aromas rising from the shops are not merely background details. They are the living heritage of Old Delhi.
A palace may tell us how rulers lived, and a mosque may tell us about devotion. A market tells us how a city sustains itself.
That is why I want you to experience Shahjahanabad with open eyes and a curious heart. Its heritage is not limited to the past. It continues in the people who work here today.
Old Delhi: A City of Memories, Not Just Monuments
My dear guests, our journey has taken us through places connected with different generations of Mughal history.
Zeenat Begum Old Delhi: A Royal conversation at Chandni chowk Journey Through Shahjahanabad
Ghata Masjid carries the association of my name. Jama Masjid recalls the age of my grandfather, Shah Jahan. Chandni Chowk preserves the memory of my Khalajan, Jahanara Begum, while Fatehpuri Masjid reminds us of the architectural patronage of another royal woman. Khari Baoli brings us into the living world of merchants and trade.
These places do not all belong to the same moment in history. Their stories overlap across generations, and each has changed with the city around it. Together, they help us understand the layered character of Shahjahanabad.
My father, Alamgir Padshah Aurangzeb, and I may not always have viewed the world in the same way. Families, even royal families, contain differences of thought and experience. Yet personal differences need not erase dignity, and history deserves to be approached with care rather than bitterness.
I ask you to remember my family not only for its triumphs or its conflicts, but also through the buildings, traditions and cultural inheritance that remain part of Delhi today.
When you next walk through Purani Dilli, look beyond the busy roads and crowded bazaars. Notice a carved stone, listen to the call to prayer, observe an old doorway, or pause to speak with a shopkeeper. Sometimes the smallest detail opens the door to the largest story.
Zeenat Begum Old Delhi at Royal Gate of Red Fort Saying Good Bye to The Tourists at the End of A Royal Journey Through Shahjahanabad
My dear guests, every journey must eventually pause, but the stories of a city never truly end.
I have welcomed you to the places where history, faith, architecture and everyday life meet. I hope you leave not only with photographs, but with a deeper affection for the people and memories that make Old Delhi so extraordinary.
May peace accompany your travels, and may the heritage of Shahjahanabad continue to be remembered with respect.
Until we meet again on the journey through Purani Dilli —
Khuda Hafiz.
For readers who wish to learn more about the Mughal dynasty and its history, explore the Mughal Empire on Wikipedia.
