Sair-e-Dilli — A glimpse into national capital’s regal past

Delhi is often described as a city of layered histories — a place where every corner carries traces of empires, monuments and lived memories. Bringing this story alive in a fresh perspective, historian Swapna Liddle has curated an exhibition titled “Sair-e-Dilli: Chronicles of Change” at Bikaner House, with pictures, paintings, maps and plans sourced from the extensive DAG archives.

The exhibition offers visitors a sweeping view of Delhi’s transformations across centuries, with sections devoted to sites such as Safdarjung and Humayun’s Tomb, Jama Masjid, Shahjahanabad and Qudsia Bagh, the Red Fort, Nizamuddin, Feroz Shah Kotla, Purana Qila, Tughlaqabad, Mehrauli and Jantar Mantar. Each part highlights how these places have not only survived through turbulent times but also evolved with new meanings layered onto them.

As one enters, the exhibition opens with a panoramic view of Delhi from Jama Masjid. Rare photographs of the Moti Masjid, Imtiyaz Mahal and the interiors of the Diwan-i-Khas and Diwan-i-Am offer a glimpse into Delhi’s regal past.

Speaking to The Tribune, Liddle explained the curatorial challenge. She said, “The exhibition is from the DAG archive, which has a vast collection of prints, photographs, paintings, maps, and plans. The first challenge was — how do we tell a story? People often think of Delhi’s past as the seven cities, but that’s just an idea. Sites like Nizamuddin don’t belong only to the 14th century; their history stretches much longer, right up to today.”

The exhibition avoids a rigid timeline, instead allowing visitors to move freely through its sections. Among its rare gems is a striking photograph of the Diwan-i-Am inside the Red Fort during colonial times, occupied by British soldiers. Pointing to it, Liddle noted, saying, “You can see soldiers seated there, with a separate building visible next to the marble hall. That structure wasn’t Mughal — it was built by the British as part of their infrastructure. It doesn’t exist anymore.”

Another highlight is a delicate painting by John Varley Jr titled Temple on the Canal.

It depicts a long-forgotten Neher (canal) that once flowed through Delhi, lined with ghats, bridges and temples.

“The canal was eventually closed up by the 20th century, once the railways came in and transformed the city’s landscape,” Liddle said.

More than a simple walk through history, Sair-e-Dilli encourages visitors to see Delhi as a living city — where monuments are not frozen relics, but places layered with shifting meanings shaped by those who inhabited them. For history enthusiasts and casual visitors alike, the exhibition provides a rare chance to witness the city’s evolving story through the eyes of those who captured it across centuries.