Dara Shikoh Library

Location: ½ Kilometer from Kashmiri Gate on Lothian Road, next to Kashmiri Gate General Post Office, Old Delhi.

Time to visit: Open on all days

Preferred Timings: 10.00 am-5.00 pm

Admission Fees: Free and open to all

Photography charges: Prior permission required, check with the local authorities

How to Reach:Tourists can either take local buses from various points within the city to reach this monument, which is located near Kashmiri Gate, Inter State Bus Terminal in Old Delhi or they can hire auto-rickshaws and taxis or metro rail.

Nearest Railway Station: Old Delhi Railway Station

Nearest Metro Station:Kashmiri Gate

Functional Metro Station: Kashmiri Gate

Nearest International Airport: Indira Gandhi International Airport

Time required for sightseeing:30 minutes

Located in the grounds of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi, near the General Post Office, is the Dara Shikoh Library of the Department of Archaeology, Delhi Administration. The building is of immense historical importance as it was built by Shah Jahan's liberal intellectual son and chosen successor, Dara Shikoh, and was later used as a residency by Sir David Ochterlony, the first British Resident of Delhi. Dara Shikoh was murdered by his brother Aurangzeb in 1659 and his property along with this library passed through several hands before the British finally took it from Marathas in 1803.

Sir Ochterlony renovated the original building of Dara Shikoh and added the pillars and the verandah to the older structure. The present library was one of the rooms used by Dara Shikoh. If one looks carefully one can differentiate between the architectural designs of the interior (Mughal) and exterior (British) of the building. This task can be a bit time consuming because the building was damaged to a great extent during the 1857 war and robbed of its precious books. However, one can still imagine the grandeur and opulence in which the first British Resident lived in Delhi, by looking the majestic building. The building also characterized the nature of its first occupant, Sir Ochterlony. He was one of the only British officers who fully adopted the Mughal culture, customs, traditions and lifestyle.

Nearby Tourist Attractions

British Magazine, St James Church, Lothian Cemetery, Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk, Salimgarh Fort, St James Church and Rajghat.

Nearby Places to Eat

Karim Hotel, Ghantewala sweet shop, food stalls near Jama Masjid, Paranthewali gali, Natraj hotel, Chor Bizarre of Broadway Hotel, Daryaganj's Flora, Peshwari, Moti Mahal Restaurant, Worker's canteen of Inter-State Bus terminal and many roadside food stalls are there for refreshment.

Nearby Shopping Venues

Chandni Chowk (curios, souvenirs, silver and glass bead jewelry) Nai Sarak (books), Chor bazaar (electronic goods), Daryaganj book market (on Sunday) and Chatta Chowk in Red Fort (traditional and contemporary jewelry and handicrafts)

Last Updated On: 2011/07/01