Delhi Sights - Majnu ka Tilla

A talks about MKT or Majnu ka Tilla which is a little distance away from their campus. Majnu Ka Tilla means hillock of Majnu and devices derives it's name from a Persian mystic who was called Majnu who in 1503 (during Sikandar Lodhis reign) met Guru Nanak here and would ferry people across the Yamuna for free to meet the Sikh guru. In 1783 a Sikh leader Baghel Singh Dhaliwal built the gurudwara to commemorate Guru Nanak stay here. It remains one of the oldest gurudwaras.

The area around MKT was made into colonies for the labour class who built buildings for the British in the 1900s. In 1959 after China took over Tibet, Tibetans fled to India with the Dalai Lama, and many settled down here on the banks of the Yamuna. Today second generation Tibetans live here. MKT is also called Little Tibet or Samyeling.

The area is full of Tibetan shops and restaurants on the main Street. But that's not the real thing. 

Anjali led us into a maze of narrow lanes filled with shops selling clothes, food, cosmetics, Korean products, guest houses, restaurants, karaoke bars and what not. The place was teeming with people, mostly students from Delhi University looking to buy stuff or just hang out. 

Anjali made us try something called a Laphing, took us to a photo booth, showed us places where she and her friends hang out. It was a fun vibrant place and I loved the energy. 

On the way out we saw some mural artists painting a wall. Anjali took a 100 buck note and donated it to the cause. Can imagine how it must be in the evenings.