海角大神

As Hindu nationalism grows, so does interest in Delhi鈥檚 Muslim history

Anas Khan pauses outside a 16th-century jewel of an Islamic tomb in the Mehrauli Archaeological Park and draws in his audience.

鈥淒elhi from its beginnings was a city of culture, of unity, and tolerance among many different people. It was a city whose great gift to the world was Urdu,鈥� he tells the group of 35 Delhiites and other Indians. 鈥淎 beautiful language that took form from the mixing of the Arabic and Farsi and other languages those different people spoke.鈥�

Up to this point, the youthful Delhi historian鈥檚 walking tour has been a straight recounting of the origins of the medieval city that would become India鈥檚 capital 鈥� with a few tales of jinns, or genies, and unrequited royal love thrown in to hold everyone鈥檚 interest.

But now Mr. Khan shifts to the present.

鈥淭hat Delhi of unity and tolerance is disappearing; we are losing its richness and the lessons it can teach us,鈥� he says. As a few nods spread across his group, he concludes, 鈥淚 hope you will share some of the stories you heard of our common history and help preserve our heritage for the future.鈥�

Blossoming interest in the city鈥檚 roots as a mosaic of cultures and religions 鈥� especially among Delhi鈥檚 young and cosmopolitan population 鈥� can be seen in everything from the newfound 鈥渉ot鈥� status of historical neighborhoods like Mehrauli to the rising popularity of local history blogs and walking tours like Mr. Khan鈥檚.

Historians and sociologists say the wave of interest is at least in part a response to growing Hindu nationalism, discrimination against the country鈥檚 large Muslim minority, and intolerance of 鈥渙utside鈥� influences. Some argue it signals a shift in how Indians view their history 鈥� as something that should be respected, examined, and learned from.

鈥淔or a long time, people weren鈥檛 interested in history or they buried it as a way to shut out the sad and painful parts of India鈥檚 past,鈥� says Aanchal Malhotra, an oral historian who has specialized in chronicling average Indians鈥� experiences during the country鈥檚 1947 Partition.

鈥淏ut what we鈥檙e seeing now is something different: more people drawn to history as a way to understand how we are a product of many different cultures and influences,鈥� she adds. 鈥淭o some extent that understanding can help to counter the intolerance and rejection of others we see occurring today.鈥�

Mehrauli calling

That desire to counter rising intolerance and marginalization with the help of history is one reason Zain Patel signed on to the Mehrauli archaeological tour. The young software engineer from Mumbai says he purposely chose to spend a few hours of a work trip to Delhi visiting some of the oldest areas of the city.

鈥淚 absolutely think more Indians are wanting to know more about the very old mix of cultures that made us who we are,鈥� he says. 鈥淣ationalism and thinking we are the product of one main culture is more prevalent and it鈥檚 spreading, but I think knowing the truth about our past is one small way to stand up to the hatred.鈥�

Yet for some skeptics, the small slice of the population with interest in history will never match the large majority who are indifferent and susceptible to alternative versions of Delhi鈥檚 heritage.

鈥淚f anything, there鈥檚 a growing chasm between the small percentage who take an interest in history and value our cultural influences, and the many who just don鈥檛 care,鈥� says Ekta Chauhan, an oral historian who focuses on South Delhi鈥檚 historical Muslim neighborhoods.

It鈥檚 almost certainly no coincidence that one of the focal points of this multicultural heritage boom is Mehrauli, a neighborhood in the south of the capital that hugs the vestiges of Delhi鈥檚 first major Islamic constructions, built nearly a millennium ago.聽

The neighborhood鈥檚 12th-century minaret聽Qutub Minar towers over streets increasingly dominated by bookshops, art galleries, Indian designer boutiques, and trendy restaurants that both reflect and cater to the growing young professional class.

For many of these young people, work and high-rise apartment living is in Gurgaon, a satellite city on New Delhi鈥檚 eastern flank where the offices of high-tech companies and other multinationals are clustered. But for others, it鈥檚 the historical and culturally rich districts like Mehrauli that are calling.

鈥淚 dare say Gurgaon is in some ways more cosmopolitan than Mehrauli, but it can also feel a bit like Dubai,鈥� says Chiranjiv Sawhney, who works at Apple in Gurgaon but recently moved with his wife to Mehrauli, where he鈥檚 made a point of going on a couple of walking tours.

鈥淲e were drawn to the history, the culture, and parks. That was something Delhi offered,鈥� he says.

Evidence suggests Mr. Sawhney is not alone. A variety of Delhi historical websites have popped up in recent years, while social media postings on local history and heritage have mushroomed 鈥� including on TikTok, where young users are feeding the growth.

Mr. Khan cites his Unzip Delhi website, which grew out of the first walking tours he started conducting in 2018. Visits to his historical storytelling site took off once lockdown ended 鈥� and, Mr. Khan surmises, as acts of cultural intolerance and anti-minority violence spiked again. Unzip Delhi鈥檚 Instagram page now has more than 130,000 followers. The restarted (and expanded) walking tours, each limited to 50 participants, usually sell out.聽

鈥淔or sure, part of the growth after the pandemic was just from people desperate to get out and do things again,鈥� says Mr. Khan. 鈥淏ut there鈥檚 also this hunger people have to understand where Delhi came from and how that past relates to events and trends in our society today.鈥�

False narratives creep in

That upbeat outlook on Delhi鈥檚 history boom is not shared by all, even among the city鈥檚 growing number of oral historians.

鈥淚 hear the argument that more people are interested in history and our multicultural roots, but I think it鈥檚 more wishful thinking than true,鈥� says Ms. Chauhan, who focuses on Khirki village just east of Mehrauli 鈥� one of the 350 鈥渉istorical villages鈥� she says are scattered around urban Delhi.

鈥淲hen I do my historical walks I get 25 to 30 people, and I think, 鈥榃ow, this is amazing!鈥欌�� she says. 鈥淏ut then I think, 鈥楻eally, how many people can I reach like this?鈥� Even if you are generous and say 1% are really interested in knowing and understanding cultural influences, that still leaves the mass that doesn鈥檛 care 鈥� or worse, accepts the fake versions of our past.鈥�

Ms. Chauhan cites the case of Khirki Mosque, an imposing 14th-century structure located down sinewy alleyways in Khirki village. Over recent years, as relations between India鈥檚 Hindu majority and Muslim minority have deteriorated, the neighborhood鈥檚 perception of its signature monument has changed as well, she says. Stories that the building was built as a fort and was never a mosque are gaining ground.聽

鈥淚 grew up here, and I鈥檝e seen this change in the neighborhood and in my own family from caring for this site to treating it with indifference and even disparaging it for being someone else鈥檚 heritage,鈥� says Ms. Chauhan, who describes her family as upper-caste Hindu.聽

For Mr. Khan of Unzip Delhi, the growing interest in his walking tours and history-themed blogs is not just a flash in the pan but evidence that more people want to know about the past as a way to celebrate the cultural variety that makes their city what it is.聽聽聽聽

To that end, he says the themes and messaging of his walks have shifted as the tours have returned post-pandemic.

鈥淒uring the pandemic I tried to include stories of hope and perseverance from the past, to say, 鈥楲ike people back then, we鈥檒l get through this and be back together soon,鈥欌�� he says. 鈥淣ow I tell more stories of love and community as a way to stand up to the hatred growing around us.鈥�