Hidden beside the busy roads of Kashmere Gate, Qudsia Bagh is one of those forgotten corners of Old Delhi where the noise of the modern city meets layers of history. Once part of a magnificent royal garden beside the Yamuna, the surviving ruins and quiet green spaces offer a glimpse into a very different Delhi.
Qudsia Bagh Delhi A Hidden Mughal Heritage Garden Walking Tour
But Qudsia Bagh is not simply about old walls and monuments. It is about the stories, people, power, romance, and dramatic events that shaped this part of the city. As you walk through the garden, you begin to see Old Delhi beyond its crowded bazaars and famous landmarks.
If you love discovering places that are away from the usual tourist trail, Walk in the Mughal heritage of Old Delhi and experience the city through its forgotten lanes, hidden monuments, fascinating stories, and living heritage. Come along, slow down, and discover the Old Delhi that most visitors never get to see.
History of Qudsia Bagh Delhi – From Dancing Girl to Mughal Queen
Qudsia Bagh Delhi Begam is enjoying a dance performance in the Baradari Pavalion– A Painting
The story of Qudsia Bagh begins with a woman named Udham Bai, also known as Umaid Bai, who was originally a courtesan and dancing girl in the Mughal court. Her beauty and intelligence attracted Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah, popularly known as “Rangila” because of his love for music, dance, and luxury.
After becoming the emperor’s favourite companion, Udham Bai gained immense influence inside the Mughal palace. Following the death of Muhammad Shah in 1748, she took the royal title “Qudsia Begum” and became one of the most powerful women in the Mughal Empire.
Her son, Ahmad Shah Bahadur, became emperor, but the real political power remained in the hands of Qudsia Begum. She ruled as regent from 1748 to 1754 and controlled many important decisions of the empire during a time of political instability.
To display her authority and royal status, she built the magnificent Qudsia Bagh on the western banks of the Yamuna River around 1748. The enclosed garden was designed as a paradise retreat inspired by Persian-style Mughal gardens with water channels, flowering trees, pavilions, and royal apartments.
At that time, the garden was surrounded by massive walls and overlooked the flowing Yamuna River. It represented both political power and architectural beauty.
Story of the Revolt of 1857 at Qudsia Bagh Delhi
Qudsia Bagh Delhi Mosque Destroyed During 1857 Revolt
During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the area around Kashmere Gate became one of the major battlegrounds between Indian rebels and British forces.
Qudsia Bagh suffered severe damage during the fighting. Many palace structures inside the garden were destroyed by cannon fire and military occupation. The beautiful Mughal complex slowly fell into ruin after the rebellion.
The British later made several colonial additions to the surviving structures, including staircases and windows. Over time, the original walls, fountains, and palace buildings disappeared completely.
Today, the remaining mosque and Baradaris silently tell the story of Delhi during 1857 when the city witnessed bloodshed, rebellion, and the final decline of the Mughal Empire.
Bhagat Singh’s Connection with Qudsia Bagh Delhi
Qudsia Bagh Delhi Gate way
Qudsia Bagh is also connected with India’s revolutionary freedom movement.
In 1929, before throwing bombs inside the Central Legislative Assembly in Delhi, revolutionaries Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt reportedly met with their comrades in Qudsia Bagh and shared their final meal together.
The revolutionaries planned their historic protest against British colonial rule before heading toward the Assembly. Their intention was not to kill but to “make the deaf hear” and awaken Indians against oppression.
Qudsia Bagh Delhi Architecture
Qudsia Bagh Delhi British Battery
The Baradari inside the garden has a rectangular layout supported by stone columns and graceful arches. One of its most beautiful Mughal features is the Bangaldar arch, along with decorative plaster ornamentation visible on the southern façade.
The garden architecture originally combined Persian aesthetics with Mughal garden planning. Water channels, floral pathways, pavilions, and riverfront views once created a paradise-like atmosphere.
Several sketches commissioned by British official Thomas Metcalfe during the 19th century captured the beauty of Qudsia Bagh with its palace overlooking the Yamuna ghats.
Even today, visitors can see ancient Peepal trees, old Cycus palms, Mughal ruins, and traces of British-era modifications added after 1857.
Many thanks to our guide Junaid for showing all the main sites in Delhi and Yashwant for his professionalism and patience through the Delhi traffic jam 😎
Nikhil guide
During our stay in Delhi, we had a wonderful guide who was also very responsible and reliable.
He took us to see many special and interesting places and explained everything about each place we visited. He took care of everything we asked for and helped us understand the local customs and how to behave and get around properly.
We really enjoyed spending time with him. He was always welcoming, cheerful, kind, and friendly.
The shops he took us to were also of a high standard, with good-quality products, reliable service, and a sense of trust and responsibility.
So, if you are a foreign visitor coming to Delhi, I highly recommend having him as your guide! by
Harry
We had an amazing time exploring New Delhi with NIKHIL. He is knowledgeable, accommodating and friendly throughout our trip. Itinerary was organized and we were able to visit major attractions of the city comfortably.
Junaid was fantastic at looking after us & always looking out for our best interests, super informative & full of historical facts which was made very easy to understand, would strongly recommend him as a guide for anyone new to these areas. Our driver for the day was Rahul who not only got us to every place within any time frames but did it in comfort & made us feel not only safe but comfortable as well with air conditioning, drinds & snacks. All round a great day out made by a great team working towards oue best experience, thankyou.
**Amazing Old Delhi Experience with Nikhil!**
Hi Harry,
We had an incredible day exploring Old Delhi with Mr. Nikhil as our tour guide. His passion for Delhi's history was truly admirable, and his storytelling brought the city to life. Every monument and every street had an interesting story behind it.
We visited the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, walked through the vibrant lanes of Chandni Chowk, and explored the famous Spice Market. One of the highlights was tasting delicious local street food, which Nikhil recommended and explained along the way—it was absolutely awesome!
Thank you, Harry, for organizing such a wonderful experience. We highly recommend Team Go With Harry to anyone looking for a knowledgeable, friendly, and professional guide in Delhi.
Thank you once again!
Harry is a brilliant guide. He speaks from the heart and shares his knowledge and passion for India. Often a guide will overwhelm you with names and dates as they trot you through the venues. But Harry has mastered the art of preparing you to enjoy the setting and then steps away, leaving you alone to take it in on your own terms. It makes the experience memorable and transformative.
Amazing 2 days in Delhi. Came with my family from England.
Harry is Very knowledgeable. Time with a true Delhi native whose stories make you feel like Delhi history will not be forgotten. Walking through Lodhi Gardens felt like walking with him when he was a child with only happy memories.
Thanks Harry for 2 days of wonderful memories. It felt like we were spending time with a very close friend. Thanks for making us feel comfortable and safe. Looking forward to meeting you again on our next visit.
My husband and I spent a wonderful day touring with Harry yesterday. He is very knowledgeable about the sights and people of India and is enthusiastic about sharing the knowledge with others. This was our first time in India and the day with Harry gave us amazing insight into its ancient, complex and fascinating culture.
He picked us up with a car and driver at our hotel. We spent several hours at the huge National Museum where Harry used the collection there to illustrate the history of India. We had lunch at a local restaurant and afterwards visited the very interesting Qutub Minar complex in South Delhi. Then we spent the rest of the afternoon at the Mehrauli Archeological Park where we visited several sites.
Throughout the day Harry was a storyteller, bringing to life the history of India. He was a considerate and perceptive guide. I would strongly recommend his services to all visitors!
I recently joined a Delhi city tour alongside a wonderful group of international travelers, and it turned out to be an unforgettable experience. Our guide, Harry, had an incredible way of sharing historical insights and local anecdotes that made each site come alive. Looking forward to exploring more hidden corners of Delhi—especially Old Delhi—with Harry again soon!
I was with Harry two days on tour through Delhi, it was amazing! He has a great knowledge about the town, about the history and about the religions which are here. All people who are interested in such things should book him. He gave a lot of information which was really helpful.
Thanks a lot to Harry. I will book him again when I come back to India.
We were paired with Harry through Bout India, our tour company. In Delhi, we loved working with Harry. He was knowledgeable, experienced, and catered our time in Delhi to our every wish. One particular highlight was eating some delicious paranthas that Harry seemed to conjure from thin air amid the souk-like maze of Chowdi Chouk. Great day exploring the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, and more!
I had the opportunity to visit New Delhi for two days and Harry and Indy were excellent at providing timely itinerary visits, they both executed a very professional visit.
Harry provided a very comfortable mini SUV to pick me up at the airport, and a comprehensive city tour! He went above and beyond when I needed to buy a head torch which we were not able to find easily … he was able to find out in the 2nd day and return back to my hotel to gift it to me!
Feeling gratitude for a great visit thanks to Harry!
Indu was my guide in the 2nd date which we helping when attending female sections in religious sites - very knowledgeable about the sites visited!
Harry our tour guide was excellent
He was well informed
He was witty and well presented
All our tour guides booked through
Travel local have been excellent
Many thanks Nicola and Tony
Howdon
Excellent experience. Great driver made us feel very safe. Our guide Amil was very informative and helpful. Our vehicle was next level luxury with plush leather heated massage seats. We had a very full wonderful day.
Thank you Anil, we had a wonderful day with you today.
Anil made every effort to be so informative and interesting. We made several extra stops which made our day even better. Thank you Anil !
We recently had a trip to Delhi with Harry as our tour guide and it was an overall amazing experience. Harry showed us around all the magnificent sights of Old Delhi, from Humayan's Tomb and Red Fort, to the bustling excitement of Connaught Place and Janpath markets. His in-depth knowledge and engaging explanations about the history and significance of each of these places really enhanced our trip. The best part was Harry's passion for his city, which was infectious.
A truly memorable time with Harry and we highly recommend him!
We spent 3 days with Harry as our guide in Delhi. Our experience was much enriched due to Harry's knowledge, life experiences, and his thoughtfulness. He breathed life into the information we had researched and read about before arriving in Delhi.
Excellent Tour Guide!
Harry's guided tour of Delhi's Sufi shrines was a truly soulful and peaceful experience. His deep knowledge and insightful commentary brought the history and spirituality of these sacred sites to life. I highly recommend Harry as a tour guide for anyone interested in exploring Delhi's rich cultural heritage.
I have had the pleasure of being looked after by Harry on an organized group tour and, more recently, on a private tour. Harry was an outstanding guide for our 10 day visit to Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and Udaipur. His English is exceptional as is his knowledge of history, religion and political background of the sites visited ensured we appreciated what we saw. He was open to meeting our expectations to include additional cultural sites and experiences. We left India 🇮🇳 feeling we had truly “seen” the beautiful country it is. I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending him.
Harry Ji is such a passionate and knowledgeable guide. He is well spoken and took time to explain and answer any questions I had. From the time he picked me up from the airport I knew I was in good hands. Thank you so much, Harry Ji for making my visit to Delhi extra special by your warmth, charm and humour. I learned so much from you. Looking forward to visiting again in the near future. Delhi dil mein bas gayi hai aap ki wajah se 🩷🩷🩷
Harry was truly a phenomenal tour guide. He's friendly, knowledgeable and trustworthy. From the first moment we met this morning through the end of the tour, he was eager to show us all of Delhi. He gave great insight into everywhere we went, including spots we were driving by that perhaps others may ignore. We shared a lot of laughs along the way as well. We're quite thankful to have met him and are so thankful to have been introduced to India in such a wonderful way. 10 stars!
Harry is the best tour guide around! He is so knowledgeable is all of the Delhi’s long and beautiful history! He really caters to your needs and delivers what you want. Would recommend Harry to anyone visiting Delhi
We had a great time with Harry during our tour in Delhi. Harry was knowledgeable, personable and we really enjoyed his company. Harry took an effort to modify the itinerary to meet our specific needs, which made our experience even better. During our tour we had an opportunity to visit a local market and sample local cuisine, which was a great opportunity to learn about a vibrant part of North Indian culture. We also enjoyed spending time together at the red fort and saw a historical light show that we highly recommend to anyone visiting Delhi. Overall we had a great time and could not have asked for more. Harry is really passionate about his profession and is a perfect guide for the city.
Our small group of 20-30 year olds from Australia had Harry for our 3 days in New Delhi as part of our Bout India tour and he was an absolute gem!
He made us feel very welcome to the city and shared an immense amount of information about its history, culture, and lifestyle.
Our highlights were him taking us to many hidden food gems around the city (chai, safe DELICIOUS street food, lots of somosas and much more), and him introducing us to the Holi festival customs and how to spread the colour! He was also really happy to adapt his tour based on your requests, you only need to ask!
Thanks again Harry it was a whirlwind 3 days!
My daughter and I visited Delhi in March 2024 and had the pleasure of having Harry Singh as our tour guide for the duration of our stay.
Harry provided exceptional service, was very knowledgeable in regard to every facet of this wonderful city.
And - he was good company.
Highly recommended
We had a wonderful tour of Delhi with Harry. He is a very knowledgeable guide and answered all my husbands numerous questions about the history, religions, and politics of India. We learned a lot and saw the amazing sights of Delhi. We enjoyed a rickshaw ride through the old part of Delhi and a tuktuk ride through the busy streets. It was a memorable day!
Embarking on a stroll through Delhi's Rose Garden with Harry was an absolute delight. Harry not only proved to be a wonderful companion but also exhibited a remarkable ability to engage in insightful conversations on politics, religion, and history. Her knack for storytelling made the walk a truly enriching experience, turning each step into a journey through captivating narratives. I am grateful for the opportunity to explore with such an informed and engaging guide, and my walk with Harry remains a cherished memory of a delightful day in Delhi.
Harry is a truly outstanding Delhi guide, one we cannot recommend enough! Expertise, wisdom, excitement, and love of beautiful multi-faceted Delhi combines with insightful historical storytelling, wit, and levity... what's not to love?? Go with Harry to experience, learn, and have a ball. Harry's time is a gift. Gretchen & Glenn, USA ❤️
We had a wonderful 2 day tour with Harry during October. It included a drive through New Delhi - taking in all the sights and historic places. He helped to find the World Cup cricket box office to pick up tickets. Recommended and booked lunch for us.
He was extremely knowledgeable about India and its various transformations across the centuries. Gave us insights to the current political climate and the changes since independence. Influence of Gandhi is still all around.
Harry was very friendly and we would highly recommend him.
Rarely you come across a guide who is truly in love with his job. For Harry, being a tour guide is just not a profession but I would rather say, it is his passion. Harry was very informative and patient with us. He would crack us up with his jokes and at the same time give us an insight into the history of the monuments and the city. He would insist on spending time at each site and soak in the beauty and the splendor of the monuments and its surroundings before we moved on. Harry made our September - October 2023 trip to Delhi memorable.
Qudsia Bagh Delhi Nearest Metro Station – Yellow Line
Meet Your Tour Guide Harry at Civil Lines Metro Station
The nearest metro station to Qudsia Bagh Delhi
Delhi Metro Yellow Line – Kashmere Gate Metro Station
Distance from metro station: Around 5–10 minutes walking distance
Exit Gate: Use Kashmere Gate side exits toward Sham Nath Road
Kashmere Gate is one of Delhi’s largest metro interchanges connected with:
Yellow Line
Red Line
Violet Line
You can combine your Qudsia Bagh walk with nearby historical sites in Old Delhi:
Nearby Places to Explore with Qudsia Bagh Heritage Walk
1857 Mutiny Memorial – A historic British-era memorial connected to the fierce battles of the Revolt of 1857 near Kashmere Gate.
Pir Ghaib Baoli– A mysterious medieval stepwell beside Hindu Rao Hospital known for legends, hidden tunnels, and underground water chambers.
Roshnara Bagh – A peaceful Mughal garden built by Roshanara Begum featuring lush greenery, royal tombs, and a hidden slice of old Delhi history.
Shalimar Bagh – A grand Mughal garden where Emperor Aurangzeb was crowned, famous for its Sheesh Mahal and royal heritage stories.
