Nitya Choubey

Not very long ago, exercising in Delhi meant a resigned jog around the colony park or a gym membership that peaked on January 3. On any given Sunday now, Delhi parks are doubling as Instagram content studios. Mornings see the Noida Expressway service road literally overtaken by runners in matching kits, and the Aravalli foothills are full of Gurgaon-ites who have discovered, somewhat to their own surprise, that they enjoy the outdoors.  Is this part of a new culture? I think it's just the chronically online iteration of our desire to touch grass – community in this form has ridden the boomer yoga wave, the millennial football-in-the-evening, the Gen Z looksmaxxing – it’s really something that I hesitate to call a trend. The appeal isn't necessarily about becoming an athlete, either. These clubs have made exercise feel less like another item on the self-improvement checklist and more like a reason to leave the house. A Sunday morning run can become breakfast with strangers, and a cycling group can turn a familiar stretch of NCR into a route you’ve never noticed. And there’s plenty to choose from. Delhi NCR now has running clubs for beginners and marathon hopefuls, cycling groups that range from leisurely rides to serious road training, and hiking and trekking communities that head out towards the Aravallis and beyond. Some are competitive, some are resolutely social, and some seem to exist primarily because nobody wants to make plans one-on-one anymore. Whether you want to r

Birdwatching is a high brow pastime: False. A boring pastime: FALSE. Ask any long-time Delhiite. Birdwatching is part of city life.  Sure, the capital has lost some of the species it once had, but it's still home to more than 400. That's enough to send even seasoned birders reaching for a field guide (which, by the way, the city has put together itself).  Even the Delhi Zoo has taken to hosting a weekly birdwatching programme, held every Sunday from 6.30am to 9.30am. Beyond monitoring bird populations, it aims to get the public involved in conserving Delhi's birdlife. According to the National Zoological Park, citizen participants have confirmed sightings of more than 100 bird species within the zoo grounds alone. Not bad for a place most people associate with tigers and school picnics.  (Fancy joining the walk? Register for the next one on the zoo's website or the NZP Sathi app.) But if, like me, you don’t want a schedule to decide when you go looking for tweets and feathers, we’ve got you covered with this list. In Delhi, the most dramatic wildlife encounter isn't a leopard crossing a highway. It's a kingfisher flashing its electric-blue cape across the city's lakes.

October has a way of emptying wallets even before Diwali arrives: pandal-hopping, festive outfits, gifts, the lot. So, this week's calendar, for October 12-18, leans toward the sensible end of the spectrum. The cheapest plan costs nothing at all. Craft Week at Pragati Maidan is free through Tuesday, and Mandi House's BRICS International Theatre Festival, with troupes from Indonesia, South Africa, Ethiopia, Singapore and Vietnam, prices each play separately. A ticket to Hornbill, Nagaland's December festival previewed with a band battle at Talkatora, is barely a splurge on Friday or Saturday.  The BFR Sound System's tenth anniversary at Shaheedi Park on Sunday is a modest ticket for a vinyl-only dance floor. Stretch a little further and you can choose between five nights of garba at Purana Qila with Salim-Sulaiman or Raftaar's Saturday set at the Major Dhyanchand National Stadium. And if you've somehow got something left, the DP World India Championship at Delhi Golf Club is the week's priciest ticket, with Rory McIlroy and defending champion Tommy Fleetwood slated to play. 

My day begins with workplace conflict. How the hell does one pace their booze for a drag show that begins at 1 am? A tribute to Dolly Parton, in Delhi’s hottest of queer bars Kitty Su, no less. Nitya and I find ourselves in a back-and-forth all afternoon. This would be her first drag show ever. Serious work’s at hand. An espresso martini will keep us awake! No, I don’t like espresso martinis. I’ll drink something else. Let’s do (gatekept regular spot). That’s too far man. I’ll go wherever in CP. I’ll go to Mars. No we are not doing beer!!! It takes until 9pm to agree on (gatekept regular spot) and scram. It doesn’t take long for Nitya, bedazzled up herself without any prior instruction, to get over the fact that I’ve chosen to wear a blazer over a leather skirt and thick eyeliner. We pick our cocktails in a quick consultation, take to the dance floor, and eventually, find ourselves perched on the outdoor stairs to the terrace… trying to chase hints of winter in the Delhi air. ‘I feel like it’s going to be pink and loud with glitter everywhere when we reach. The show will obviously be late because queens need to dress up and get ready to lip sync, right?’ She pauses to drink. I neither confirm nor deny. When we reach The LaLit a little after midnight, we are greeted by silence. The five-star-hotel entrance sort of silence. It is broken only by Nitya’s wondering if we’ve reached far ahead of time. We are soon escorted to Kitty Su through a small door near the dining area. The t

We’ve made it to the month we Delhi folk wait for all year: October. It’s the one month the weather behaves – the sun’s bearable in the afternoon, the evenings are beset with a delicious chill, and night-time – well, night-time’s for being out and about, whether it’s to participate in the glut of incoming festivities, or just catch a drink at the neighbourhood bar.  So what’s October got in store for us? Well, all we can say is – we hope you haven’t skimped out on your festive wardrobe. Delhi’s got barely any time to catch its breath between Navratri, Durga Puja, Dussehra, and Halloween. Durga Puja, especially, is a big deal in Delhi, with scores of people turning up to the pandals lining most neighbourhoods. Pandal-hopping and garba nights not your cup of tea? No fear. The glorious weather brings us some pretty cool concerts. Purana Qila is set to turn stage to vocalist Amrita Kaur as she takes over the historic fort for her Dusk to Dawn concert, while dancers including Saswati Sen bring classical Indian dance to the same dramatic setting with the Indraprastha Nritya Mahotsav.  And more on the music front: Raftaar for rap lovers, Rahgir for those who like their music heavy on lyrics and light on frills, and Gurdas Maan for a generous dose of Punjabi folk.  The best place to be right now, however, might just be Mandi House, which is hosting not one but two major theatre events: the BRICS International Theatre Festival and Natya Kumbh 2026. Add standalone shows such as Ratna P

After just three days into my month-long stay in Ladakh, I realised this was no ordinary Himalayan getaway. Ladakh is far less polished than the rest of the Indian north. It's landscape after landscape of pure rugged beauty – of rogue mountains shaded brown to deep violet, of winding rivers and starlit skies, great swathes of sand and snow. And it's on this pretext that I'd say there's no better way to experience the Himalayas than on a bike. While several folks feel, fairly rightfully, that nothing beats driving through the mountains in the comfort of a car, there's nothing quite like experiencing Ladakh with absolutely no barrier between you and the terrain. That, and the adrenaline rush. Don't get me wrong – touring Ladakh is tough and not for rookies, especially on a bike. The weather's dry, and oxygen levels and low enough to upset your gut or trigger Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) on day one. Facilities that a city girl like myself would take for granted, like ATMs, petrol pumps and food joints, are few and far between. There are empty stretches where you spot absolutely nobody for as for as your eyes can see. But that's precisely what makes Ladakh an outstanding destination to tour – not just for Indian travellers, but also for visitors from abroad. And the views are, of course, the icing as well as the cherry. Towering mountains pierce through the clouds, turning golden or steel grey, depending on the light. The rivers and waterfalls are so young that they're almost fo

Delhi is one of the most polluted capitals in the world, but it has one significant green lung fighting back: the Aravalli Ridge, India's oldest mountain range. Clean air is just one of its gifts. The Aravallis also give Delhi its birdwatching trails, its treks and campsites, a dozen lakes (seasonal ones included), and a couple of  (we really think) haunted monuments. The range runs through Haryana and Rajasthan before petering out in Delhi as a residual ridge. Inside the city, it stretches from the south, near Gurugram, up to the north around Azadpur, before giving way to the younger Yamuna floodplains. Because it's a residual range, the elevation surfaces in three distinct stretches: the Southern, Central and Northern Ridges, in descending order of size. The Southern Ridge is the richest of the three, both in biodiversity and elevation. It's home to the PSR rocks near Vasant Vihar, Delhi's highest point, and to golden jackals, jungle cats, black kites and a very small, very shy population of Indian pythons. The Ridge has also earned its own spot in a museum inside the Delhi Metro.  Here's how to spend a weekend in the Aravallis without spending much at all. For more greenery, check out our guides to the best parks and gardens in Delhi and the best underrated weekend getaways from Delhi.

Wake up long before September ends, please. We might not be talking about it yet, but the winter lull will be sooner than you think. Not that it’d stop us – but this month’s calendar is especially jam-packed with a bunch of stuff. Start with the music, because there's a lot of it. Ankur Tewari lands at The Piano Man touring Mr Faarigh, nine new tracks that lean into longing and travel the way his writing always has. Over at The Dome, inside a ballroom with fifty foot ceilings and enough Art Deco detail to make you forget you're in a hotel, an evening of Rafi classics is being staged with live vocals and a full ensemble. Purple Cassette closes out a nationwide tour on home turf with a garage rock set. And if you'd rather lose a few hours to something stranger, Mandragora's psychedelic house sets. The sheer scale of South Side Story will also happily oblige with some more range. The theatre asks for more patience this month, and rewards it. Virasat, staged at Sunder Nursery, spends four generations watching a family come apart, through cooking and cleaning and the small negotiations of daily life rather than any single dramatic moment. Malavika Sarukkai does something even rarer with Dance with Space: instead of just performing Bharatanatyam, she talks you through how it's built. Solanki, a former maths teacher who now makes a living being funny about fatherhood and gym delusions, brings his set to Kamani for anyone who'd rather laugh. Want to go somewhere that doesn’t involve

India’s capital is steeped in history, heart and soul, and the best museums in Delhi reflect exactly that. There are the sprawling, old-school heavyweights; the neatly curated, moderately packed ones; the artsy corners, the weird themed museums, the sobering ones, and the science-y ones. The city is anything but boring, and these museums are just as entertaining for people who don't identify as nerds. What's also wonderful is that most of them are cheap, or completely free. Sure, you could Google all of them yourself, but that's exactly the problem: you likely can't see everything, especially if you’re visiting. So we've rounded up the best of the lot. Here are Delhi's finest museums, all worth carving out time for in your itinerary if there's a history buff hiding inside you. Editor's note: Don’t go into this guide thinking of museums as one thing. Everything here is either centuries-deep or so specific it borders on eccentric (yes, there's a toilet museum). They've been picked to cover a real range, and we’re sure there’s something here that’ll appeal to any kind of visitor.  Delhi’s best museums at a glance 📖 Best history museum: National Museum 🙃 Weirdest museum: Sulabh International Toilet Museum ❤️ Best for a date: Crafts Museum 🎨 Best for art lovers: National Gallery of Modern Art 👤 Best for solo travellers: Museum of Archaeology, Red Fort 👶 Best museum to explore with kids: National Science Centre Also read: Craving more of the city beyond its museums? Trade gall

I’d say there’s a sprawling sense of wonder when it comes to Delhi’s green spaces. With any urban city, it's inevitable that the landscape will eventually, increasingly fall prey to mass concretisation and towering buildings. But in Delhi, the parks and gardens fight back. You'd be hard pressed to find the kind of green we have here: manicured and wild, punctuated by bursts of springtime flowers, or let be.  A lot of this stems from Delhi's own history: the Mughals, and their undying love for planned gardens. It's a marvel that they've endured over so many centuries, enjoying the same kind of fierce loyalty they would've back then – from emperors wandering their lawns in the sixteenth century to locals enjoying afternoon picnics today. Weekends are often planned around Sunder Nursery. Joggers will go out of their way to make sure they catch the morning light in Lodhi Garden. Only a handful of gatekeepers know about the ducks that glide over the lake in Sanjay Van. Every single garden or park is profoundly different from the other. Hell – let me put it this way: parks are an intrinsic part of Delhi life. Where else are you going to be able to pass a honking great mausoleum or stepwell in the middle of your morning walk? Here's my guide to the very best ones.

It’s an exceptionally rare day when a film isn’t being screened somewhere in Delhi out of someone’s good will. Tickets to screenings at many of these beloved spots are free or nominal; often, even in the city’s busiest or oddest hours, they draw seriously dedicated viewers and intense conversations. You really don’t have to wait for a classic old film to be digitised online or prove yourself as a buff to be let into some exclusive club. Chances are what you want to watch – and what you didn’t know you wanted to watch – are being screened, like, yesterday, with friendly people at their helm. For years now, we’ve been staying till credits roll in spots and clubs across the capital. This guide rounds up some of the best.

Through the humidity and the half-hearted rain, Delhi's at it with the overcommitting again. Jokes and laughter carry our city through a lot. Kunal Kamra's touring his newest set through two cities back to back, still mining current affairs for punchlines nobody else will touch, while Brocode is betting six straight hours of stand-up can hold a room's attention – ambitious, though not unheard of for this city's appetite. Varun Grover's take on mortality and a hypothetical ketchup apocalypse might be the odder pitch of the two, but it's the kind of odd that tends to be exactly what makes this city so endearing. Of course, there’s no Delhi without its soft spots. Punjabi folk kneels into something more electronic, four languages flutter in through one musical evening, jazz keeps a steady beat going… a beat that only grows louder when you bring devotion into the mix, with Bollywood, a live band, and bhajans packed into another night. The BWF World Championships return to Delhi for the first time since 2009. Dastkar's monsoon mela is also reopening its tents as a Turkish food fest and a Korean pop-up compete for your dinner plans. Here's everything happening in Delhi this August. We suppose it won’t slip away. The best of August in Delhi at a glance:   Best music show by an emerging artist: Rashmeet Kaur’s Punjabi folk Best for shopping: Dastkar Monsoon Mela Best comedy show: Standing Up by Kunal Kamra Best sporting event: BWF World Championships | Badminton Best for bites:

Lehchen is a short walk from Leh Market. It's tucked away on the first floor, right above 1984 Pizza House. A little gate to the right of the pizzeria leads to a low-ceilinged staircase, with portraits of some seriously dashing historical figures. This includes Che Guevara and Bob Marley, put on the same wall. At the entrance, a neon-lit Lenchen logo glows against the otherwise slate-grey backdrop, setting the tone for what’s to come. Step in and your eyes first land on the handsomely lit bar, which looks a little like someone’s kitchen slab. Alongside the usual suspects like whisky, you’ll spot jars packed with ingredients, some of which may not look particularly familiar. Then, let your eyes wander through washed-out walls, wooden furniture and framed caricatures to find the perfect spot for yourself. If the weather is playing nice, grab a seat on the balcony for the view of a silent street below. It’s the same balcony you noticed when you first spotted Lenchen. Like most balconies in Leh, this one also comes with intricate shingkos (traditional Ladakhi wooden carvings) that make the otherwise simple grey outdoors look a little edgier and classier. Since I visited the bar during the monsoon, the balcony looked even more tempting. When it comes to Ladakh, it hardly rains in this cold desert. And even when it does, it’s usually just a drizzle. So don’t miss one if you catch one. The owner, Tsewang Gyatso, welcomed me and took me to the other section of the bar, which was bree

Adjacent to the National Gallery of Modern Art in Lutyens' Delhi, the National Museum is a massive heavyweight in the city's cultural scene. Maybe it's the location on Janpath, a few minutes from India Gate, that makes it hard to skip… or maybe it's the collection, spanning over 5,000 years of history. The museum’s literally as old as the nation itself, conceived to bring together the country's most significant artefacts under one roof. The collection runs to nearly two lakh works: door panels, bronze statues, embroidered fabric, stone carvings. Three floors chronicle the history of the Indian subcontinent, each dedicated to a different theme and time period. It’s large enough that it rarely feels crowded, but you should still expect some rush on national holidays and weekends. Why you should go to the National Museum The dusky Gandhara Buddha statue will instantly steal your heart. So might the famous dancing girl figurine from the Indus Valley civilisation, the twinkling bead jewellery, or the Tibetan thangkas. The Mughal miniature paintings offer a glimpse into the lives of medieval kings you'll find yourself envying. The National Museum library, meanwhile, is a specialised storehouse for academic, curatorial and educational work – a serious space, less touristy and more scholarly. Time your visit right and you can also catch a special film screening on the ground floor. Time Out tip: End your day with a walk down Kartavya Path, leading up to the iconic Rashtrapati Bhavan.

This is where science drops the lab coat to mingle with everyday life in Delhi. Plonked next to Pragati Maidan and Bharat Mandapam, the National Science Centre is the city's geek gateway. Six galleries within the complex are packed with science demonstrations and live experiments – stuff you can touch, try and tinker with. You'll get exhausted just thinking about the range of themes the centre covers: human biology, physics, chemistry, information technology, space, emerging innovations, and a bit of history. And NSC is in the process of building out even more! Since its inception in 1992 by the National Council of Science Museums under the Ministry of Culture, the multi-floor space has been a popular destination for school tours, families, and geeks alike. Why go to the National Science Centre? The major crowd-pullers include the science show, the space fantasy ride, optical illusions, the mirror maze, and, of course, the newly built galleries on mining and mass media. The 3-D show, the well-stocked library, the cosy planetarium and the workshop space will keep you plenty busy. If you do find time, there's a cafeteria worth checking out. Time Out tip: You'll be running to and fro inside the centre to catch various rides and shows. The ticket counter can help you work out a tailor-made schedule. If you'd rather not rush, arrive early, and keep note of the floor number for each show.

History always sits at arm's length in most museums, kept behind glass and artefacts. At the Partition Museum, it doesn't. Tucked inside the bustling campus of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University, this powerful space tells one of the most defining stories in the history of the Indian subcontinent: the Partition of 1947. The museum itself is a relatively modest collection of personal belongings, photographs and moving oral testimonies. You can wrap it up in half a day, or a full one if you're the kind who reads every label on the wall… we'd recommend the latter. Unlike museums that try to narrate entire centuries, this one zooms in on the lives of a handful of anonymous individuals: people uprooted overnight, forced to leave behind homes, communities and, in many cases, loved ones. It's history on a deeply human scale. What's inside the Partition Museum? Follow the museum's six galleries chronologically, and you'll travel through one of the most defining moments in South Asian history. One standout exhibit is a recreated train coach, modelled on the trains that carried refugees across the newly drawn border between India and Pakistan. And true to the museum's focus on personal stories, its audio-visual installations prove the point further: voices of survivors are documented throughout the galleries. This makes the museum especially poignant today, with many eyewitnesses to Partition now in the twilight of their lives. Documenting these stories has become a race against forgetting, p

Delhi’s Air Force Museum, tucked away in the Palam neighbourhood, is a walk into a whole different era. With more than 50 real fighter jets bearing marks from actual wars, the museum will leave you in awe. The collection was the first of its kind in India and is located inside the Air Force Cantonment area of the capital. Tickets are affordably priced. After entering, your first encounter is with the War Memorial, dedicated to the soldiers who lost their lives in various wars. There are a total of four galleries, one of which is open-air. The indoor galleries tell you everything you need to know about army rankings, vintage cameras and photographs, radar systems, and fancy rifles. Don’t forget the missiles and aircraft suits. Hardly any of these exhibits are models; many were actually used by some of the Air Force. Outside in the open gallery, parked magnificently, are several aircraft. There are also captured army tanks and vehicles from other countries like Pakistan. Finally, the last gallery gives you a glimpse into the history of the wars between India and Pakistan. After wandering around these galleries, you can catch your breath at the Longwala Lounge, which has plenty of options for snacks. There is also a souvenir shop where you can buy small aircraft-model keychains, along with dashing leather jackets and jerseys. The highlight's obviously the open-air gallery, which houses multiple aircraft. There's almost everything from small missiles and fighter jets to carrier a

Situated on the prominent India Gate Circle, the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) is a dome-shaped, lightly art deco-ish vintage building in the Lutyens' Delhi style. You’d slow down just walking past it. Step inside, though, and the grandeur gives way to something more intimate: room after room of India's most significant modern and contemporary art, over 17,000 works deep. The National Gallery of Modern Art is easily the best place in the city for an introduction to art, or even for a slow date, given its central location. Why go?  There are art installations, 3D paintings and fine artworks from A-listers like MF Husain (often called the Picasso of India), Rabindranath Tagore, and other masters like Raja Ravi Varma and Jamini Roy, alongside portrait virtuoso Amrita Sher-Gil, whose gaze-heavy paintings have a way of stopping you mid-step. Bright shades of tangerine and green run riot through much of the Indian contemporary work on display: bold colour that feels like a deliberate departure from the muted pastels and brutalism of the West. Time Out tip: Grab an ice cream and enjoy it by the India Gate, a few minutes' walk from the museum, as the evening light turns golden. It's practically a ritual for Delhiites.

Eccentric is truly the word to use. This museum houses enormous steam engines, vintage monorails, regal locomotives, and royal coaches. Centrally located in Chanakyapuri, the National Rail Museum's open-air galleries practically bleed history, with a hundred life-size, quirky exhibits ranging from carriages and salons to wagons and special-purpose vehicles. Indoors, the galleries showcase artefacts, signalling systems, track models, photographs, and toolkits, alongside audiovisual shows and interactive displays. Why go to the National Rail Museum? The star attractions are the Fairy Queen (the world's oldest working steam locomotive!) and the Patiala State Monorail Trainways locomotive. Don't miss the Joy Train ride that loops around the museum grounds; it’s more appealing to adults than you think. Visitors can peek through vintage windows and climb inside bogies dating from the 19th and 20th centuries, or catch a ride at the charmingly designed 'Museum Junction'. Round it off at the IRCTC cafeteria, the perfect feather in a cap for a wholesome day out. Time Out tip: The museum wraps up earlier than most others in the city, so plan for the day.

Founded in 1972 and going strong, Akshara Theatre’s evolved in identity multiple times over. Originally a traditional theatre space, it now hosts all kinds of performances: standup shows, classical dance, workshops, television interviews, you name it. Their billboard’s always chockablock with posters telling you exactly what’s happening that week.  The space includes a modest indoor theatre, a decent-sized amphitheatre, and two other indoor performance spaces, as well as a library, a shooting and editing room for television, and a classroom that hosts theatre classes and workshops, all in a single acre of land. Don’t go by size: Akshara’s a behemoth on the Delhi performance scene. It’s a beautiful space too, with vaguely brutalist metal and stonework that makes the venue feel cool and airy even on the hottest summer day. Time Out tip: You’ll find loads of tea and snack stalls right outside the theatre – especially handy since there’s no food or drink served inside.

The Laugh Store comedy club’s a giant of the Delhi comedy scene. The ‘Hall of Fame’ right outside the club displays the pictures of A-listers who performed over the last decade: Kenny Sebastian, Akash Gupta, Manik Mahna, and many many more.  The 100-seater venue’s got a superb sound system, theatrical lighting, and a stage best suited to open mics. It’s got two outlets: one in Dwarka, and the other in Gurugram, but I’d say the latter’s more happening. Food and drink are available at affordable prices, and they’ve got a good happy hour menu too.

Sunder Nursery's arguably the most popular outdoor space in all of Delhi. A 90-acre heritage park located adjacent to Humayun's Tomb and across the Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti, the nursery's served a bunch of different purposes over the centuries. What began as a garden – Azim Bagh – built by the Mughals in the 16th century was transformed into a nursery by the British during colonial-era India in their attempt to cultivate a range of different species of plants. It was finally opened to the public in 2018 after extensive renovations in its current, full glory. You'll find traces of every bit of this history in the park today: all of the 15 monuments inside date back to the Mughal era, of which six are UNESCO heritage monuments. All of them – including the Sunder Burj, Sunderwala Mahal, Lakkarwala Burj and the tomb of Mirza Muzaffar Hussain – sit comfortably within the landscaped sections of the park, instead of being cordoned off. Some are large, central, and lit up at night. Others are tucked into the woodsier corners of the park. The entire space, in fact, harkens back to the Mughal pleasure garden: central fountains, paved walkways, symmetrical lawns, shaded paths. The site, by virtue of it sitting inside the larger Humayun's Tomb complex, is incidentally a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  You'll find traces of the nursery too: the entire left wall of the space has thousands of plants on offer, with some bulbs and seed varieties starting at a throwaway ₹15. There's some sort of r

One of the more well-known parks of Delhi, Deer Park is a hotspot for two reasons: because it forms a natural, wooded outcrop of the intensely popular Hauz Khas Village, and because it’s home to several absurdly adorable deer. Because it’s so large, it’s got something for everyone: a manicured bit with lawns and flowerbeds perfect for picnicking; a densely wooded section with trails that are preferred by walkers and joggers; a rose garden; several tiny Sultanate- and Mughal-era monuments (Bagh-i-Gumbad, Kufhe Walla Gumbad, Kali Gomti); a tiny water body section shared by rabbits and ducks; and, of course, the aforementioned deer enclosure.  The park touches three neighbourhoods: Hauz Khas, Safdarjung Enclave, and Green Park. On the Hauz Khas side, the park’s connected to the Hauz Khas District Park from the inside, which features a massive lake, a view of the Hauz Khas Fort, and a little alleyway leading to countless restaurants, bars, and cafes.  Time Out tip: Avoid bringing your vehicle if you’re entering from the Hauz Khas side. It’s a pain to navigate the tourist spot, especially in the evenings.         

Sanjay Van is one of Delhi’s largest green spaces – a sprawling, almost hulkish forest that straddles Vasant Kunj and Mehrauli – two neighbourhoods that are constantly abuzz. The forest, then, is a lovely contradiction, because it’s one of the least crowded spaces in Delhi.  The area – a protected forest, by the way – actually forms part of the residual Aravalli ranges, and the terrain reflects that lineage. No two trails look alike. Some stretches are flat and easy while others will slope sharply uphill, dip into uneven paths, or wind around water bodies. Giant rocks left behind by the Aravallis jut out of the earth in several places, and loads of natural water drains zig-zag through the forest. You can imagine the wildlife here, then –  silverbills, flycatchers, parakeets, cuckoos, egrets and sparrowhawks. The massive acreage allows you to shape a nice day out of it – a picnic in one of the clearings or by Neela Hauz lake (with some duck watching to go with!), cycling through the winding trails, a bit of a hike, even.  Time Out tip: Remain watchful of monkeys and stray dogs, even though guards patrol the area. They’re usually harmless if left undisturbed, but carrying a wooden stick can help keep them at bay when needed. Rough walking shoes advised.  Entry The main entry point is near the Qutab Institutional Area in Mehrauli. 

If you're planning to fly to Saudi Arabia anytime soon, you may want to reevaluate your travel plans – because IndiGo, Akasa Air and Air India have suspended several flights to and from the kingdom until October 17, 2026, amid what they deem escalating regional tensions. The disruption will affect several major destinations in Saudi Arabia, including Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, with IndiGo also cancelling flights to Medina. The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia has echoed the airlines’ announcements in posts on X, confirming IndiGo’s cancellations across four destinations and Akasa Air’s extended suspension of services to Riyadh and Jeddah. In other words, you might want to put those Saudi Arabia travel plans on hold. And maybe, until next week. Approximately 2.46 million to 2.75 million Indian nationals live and work in Saudi Arabia, according to data from India's Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Riyadh – so the impact of these cancellations could extend beyond holidaymakers to the millions of Indians who live and work in the kingdom, potentially disrupting travel plans for those heading home or returning to Saudi Arabia. Which airlines have cancelled flights? IndiGo In a travel advisory posted on X, IndiGo confirmed that flights to and from Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah would remain cancelled until October 17, citing the evolving security situation in Saudi Arabia. The airline has urged passengers to check their flight status on its official website b

Delhi inherited Durga Puja from Kolkata much like furniture from a departing flatmate. When the British shifted India’s imperial capital north in 1911, Bengali administrative officers packed up and moved too. Naturally, nobody was ready to leave Ma behind. And it’s never too late to meet her. The city’s oldest community puja, at Kashmere Gate, dates back to 1910, where the goddess still wears traditional daaker saaj. Decades later, following the Partition, a dedicated colony for East Pakistani refugees sprouted in South Delhi: Chittaranjan (CR) Park. It was here that Delhi’s Pujo truly exploded in creativity and footfall. As the crowds grew, the celebration crossed borders. Noida Kalibari established its roots in 1983, and Gurugram soon followed. Today, there is a pandal and bhog to be found in every direction if you’re willing to walk it. Read more: Looking to sample Bengali food in Delhi during Pujo? Here's our guide on the very best restaurants, shops and supper clubs serving traditional Bengali fare across NCR There are some ground rules. Don’t push, and be endlessly patient. Eat beforehand (and make room for seconds after). While the food court by CR Park’s Mela Ground serves legendary kosha mangsho (eating this standing shoulder-to-shoulder qualifies as an Olympic sport), almost every major pandal features pop-up stalls worth the calorie splurge. Wear your most comfortable walking shoes, because wait times at veteran pandals can easily touch 90 minutes. Take heart, thou

Delhiites, keep those umbrellas handy, the capital is in for a wet spell! Delhi weather today, Thursday, October 15, is expected to remain cloudy, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing an orange alert for rain, thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds. Light to moderate showers are likely across several parts of Delhi-NCR, with wind speeds expected to reach 30-40 kmph and gusts of up to 50 kmph in some areas. And the rain may not be done by sundown. While the capital could see a brief lull in showers through the evening, another spell of light rain and thunderstorms is possible overnight. The maximum temperature is forecast to touch around 30°C, with the minimum settling near 21°C, making for relatively cooler conditions compared with the heat Delhi has experienced in recent months. Friday, October 16, is unlikely to bring much respite from the wet weather either. According to the IMD forecast, Delhi is expected to see generally cloudy skies, with light rain in several areas and thunderstorms and lightning likely from morning to noon. If you’re heading out, it’s worth keeping an umbrella handy and allowing extra time for your commute, particularly if showers affect traffic conditions. Here’s everything you need to know about the Delhi weather forecast for today, including the IMD rain alert, expected temperatures and what the capital can expect over the next 24 hours. What will the temperature be like? Expect temperatures to hover between 19°C and 21°C in the

Delhi commuters should brace for traffic diversions and metro disruptions today, Monday, October 12, as protests across the capital prompt fresh security restrictions. What began in Central Delhi last Saturday has spread to other parts of the city, with several areas in South Delhi also likely to see curbs on movement. The Delhi Metro has closed entry and exit at six stations across Central Delhi from 6am to  4pm due to 'security' reasons, while the Delhi Traffic Police has issued a detailed advisory warning of possible congestion and diversions. The latest directive from the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) comes just two days after authorities shut down 57 metro stations in view of the protest. With restrictions affecting both road and metro travel, commuters may need to plan their journeys carefully today. Which metro stations will remain shut? If your usual route takes you through Central Delhi, these are the stations where entry and exit will remain closed until 4pm today: Patel Chowk Janpath Rajiv Chowk Mandi House Central Secretariat Barakhamba Road The DMRC confirmed the restrictions in a post on its social media handles. But this comes with a small silver lining. Even though entry and exit are restricted, changing lines is still possible at these metro stations. Which roads will be affected? The metro closures aren't the only thing on today's commute news. With strict security arrangements in place from 6am, the Delhi Traffic Police has warned of possible traffi

Siberian cranes, flamingos, owls, pelicans and falcons: the guest list at this exhibition is quite the flock. But stealing the spotlight is the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard, Rajasthan’s state bird, found in the grasslands of Jaisalmer. Painted against a neon-coloured background stained with charcoal, the bustard’s portrait is hard to miss.  Stretching from floor to ceiling, the work captures the bird mid-stride, its wings swept upwards, giving the portrait a sense of life, and motion. This is A Bird Called Rajasthan, an exhibition by artist Rupa Samaria. On view for a couple of days at the main gallery of Bikaner House, the exhibition brings together paintings, charcoal works and mixed-media pieces featuring wood and cloth. All the works on display draw you in with their intricate strokes of colour, while turning the spotlight on some of the most vulnerable species. So no, this is no mere roll call of Rajasthan’s birds.  Samariya’s interest in the avian world has also brought her into the orbit of ornithologist and author Bikram Grewal, photographer Nikhil Devasar, and Padma Shri award-winning wildlife filmmaker Naresh Bedi, who was also the guest of honour at the preview evening.  No binoculars or birding caps required; this is your chance to get the birding experience you deserve without actually venturing into the wild. Photograph by Nitya ChoubeyInside the main hall at Bikaner House What to expect? As you wander through the hall, expect birds with all sort

October is shaping up to be a rather good month for theatre in Delhi. Many of the city's legendary stages are bringing together everything from literary adaptations and political theatre to large-scale productions and plays starring some popular faces. The biggest events for the month remain the BRICS Theatre Festival 2026 and Natya Kumbh 2026, both happening in Mandi House. But there’s a lot more beyond the Broadway of the city, whether you’re in the mood for a little existential dread, a Hindi literary adaptation or a full-blown theatre festival. Here are seven productions and festivals worth bookmarking this month: Silhouettes | Kamani Auditorium The Wire is hosting a special run of Sandhya Gokhale’s Silhouettes, starring Divya Seth, Niiya Kumar, Sarah Hashmi and Karan Parab, with a special appearance by Amol Palekar. And yes, that cameo alone is enough reason to pay attention. As the title suggests, Silhouettes is interested in shadows, what we see and, more importantly, what we don’t. The English language play follows three women navigating the ways they are seen, judged and defined by others: Greta, who is accused of art theft; Maya, a respected literature professor caught in the gaze of Aakash, a young documentary maker; and Deep, whose restless resistance channels the spirit of Gen Z. The screenplay is written by Gokhale, whose eight acclaimed feature-film screenplays, including Anaahat, Paheli and Quest, have consistently placed strongly written female characters at

Awful news for folks who save up on vacation days to spend them all at the end of the year: IndiGo is raising its fuel surcharges from October 6, meaning that all of their flights – domestic and international – are about to get a little more expensive from today onwards. The reason isn't exactly a surprise. Fuel prices have been going up since the start of the ongoing war in West Asia early this year. The region is the largest supplier (and exporter) of jet fuel in the world. While Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) prices aren't usually this erratic, recent months have been especially different. Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have contributed to the continued rise in fuel prices, with the latest month-on-month increase exceeding 14%. And for IndiGo, which operates around 2,200 flights a day, that isn't exactly pocket-friendly. Its jet fuel accounts for more than 40% of an airline’s operating expenses, according to IndiGo. Yet the airline says it has nevertheless tried to keep the increase relatively restrained, describing the latest hike as a 'measured and relatively modest adjustment'. In fact, IndiGo says a significantly larger increase would have been required to fully offset the rise in fuel costs. The airline first introduced the fuel charge in March, during the early days of the West Asia war, and last revised it on April 1. Now, from October 6, it’s getting another serious tweak. How much of a hike in IndiGo's prices are we talking? For domestic flights, the increa

October usually translates mainly to the festival season, but for Delhi locals, there’s another seasonal tradition creeping in: the annual winter smog, and this year, it's already showed up. Rather early. In fact, on Sunday, October 4, the national capital recorded its worst AQI of the season at 190 and above. By 10am on Sunday, the AQI had touched 196: the highest in more than 82 days, since July 13, when it stood at 246. Experts say this is less a standalone blip and more of an opening for a run of increasingly polluted days. The forecast for this week, unfortunately, says that pollution is expected to stick around, with 22 monitoring stations predicting ‘poor’ air and no rain to wash the atmosphere clean. Weaker winds throughout are only going to make the pollution hang around rather than disperse. Delhi recorded an AQI of 166 on Thursday, 174 on Friday and 171 on Saturday, with PM10 as the dominant pollutant. The average index was sitting at the higher end of the ‘moderate’ category throughout last week, until it dropped to worrisome ‘poor’ levels on Sunday. Which areas were the most polluted in Delhi? Mundka recorded the highest reading at 273 among all Delhi stations, followed by Narela at 257. Neighbouring parts of the National Capital Region weren’t breathing easy either. Noida reported an AQI of 281, while Ghaziabad recorded 248. Delhi Cantonment had the lowest AQI in the city at 115. What AQI reading falls in the 'poor' category? According to Central Pollution Cont

Navratri in Delhi arrives at exactly the right time of year: winter's around the corner, but not quite here yet, which means it's the perfect weather to step out. October is also Delhi at its most festive – with Garba and Dandiya nights arguably leading the charge every Navratri.  Across Delhi-NCR, residential colonies host their own mini Garba nights, while big-ticket Dandiya events and Navratri celebrations in Delhi, Noida and Gurugram pull in crowds by the hundreds. The bigger events stand out for their music line-ups, Gujarati food, elaborate outfits and, of course, the charged energy of hundreds of people dancing together. Garba is, after all, a community-forward dance. The more people join the circle, the better it gets. By 7pm, across the nine-day festival, plenty of gorgeously dressed folks, armed with whimsical Dandiya sticks, are warming up their wrists for a long night on the dance floor. This year, Delhi and its satellite cities are again going all in. Sharad Navratri runs from October 11 to 20, 2026, and the Dandiya and Garba calendar in Delhi-NCR is packed with events, from traditional community celebrations to large-scale ticketed nights featuring live music, DJs, dancing and Gujarati food. Looking for the best Garba and Dandiya nights in Delhi in 2026? These are the events to know about across Delhi, Noida and Gurugram. Just make sure you get your tickets before they disappear. Dandiya Raas Season 4 | Okhla Two nights of Garba Raas are a pretty good excuse to

Planning to stock up on booze for the festive season? You might have to re-check the price tag before you start filling a trolley at any of Delhi’s liquor marts. Liquor prices in Delhi are expected to rise, what with the capital’s new excise policy expected to roll out in October 2026. The policy, which is almost ready according to The Indian Express, proposes a number of changes to the way liquor is bought and sold in the capital. A major change proposed in the new policy is the removal of fixed retail margins, which is the amount retailers are allowed to add to the price of a bottle as their profit. Under the new system, that fixed cap could go, and retailers would have more freedom to decide their margins, which means prices could go up or down depending on how shops choose to compete. In short: the same bottle could become cheaper at one shop and pricier at another. What does a fixed retailer margin mean for your bottle of whisky? At present, the difference in alcohol prices between Delhi and its neighbouring cities can be rather eye-watering. Take Johnnie Walker Black Label, for example. A bottle that costs around ₹3,500 in Delhi can reportedly be found for around ₹2,400 in Gurugram. A major reason for this price gap is Delhi’s fixed-margin system. Remove that restriction, and retailers could have more room to adjust their prices. This might make Delhi’s booze shelves a little more competitive with those just across the border. The same goes for Scotch whisky. Current re

Delhi has entered one of its most consequential election seasons: THE BEST FAT DOG. Inspired by Alaska’s annual Fat Bear Week, the capital now has its own competition for the city’s fattest dogs. The buzzy competition is hosted by an Instagram page, Fat Dogs of Delhi, featuring canines from across Delhi. The competition was announced online earlier this week and got entries from some 64 dogs. One will be crowned the ‘Fattest Dog of Delhi’ via an Instagram poll. There are a total of six rounds running from September 24 to 29.  Before you pass it off as a joke, let us tell you... this is barely one. Campaigns are going rogue and all out for the final trophy. Some have posters stuck on walls and tree trunks, while others are using Instagram influencers to spread the word. Fat Dogs of Delhi, if you insist enough, can place your promotional poster on their page. In all, it’s as serious as a mayor’s election. There are currently no prizes, although the page says it’s pretty much open to sponsors for that. Some very well-earned dog treats, maybe. The competition is... ruff. How can your dog (or you) join? This competition is open to dogs across Delhi. The dog guardian (or guardians, if it’s a street pup) can enter the competition by sending a snapshot of the dog, along with its name and area, to the Fat Dogs of Delhi Instagram page. From your friendly home Labrador to the bulkier pug to the neighbourhood-popular indie, everyone can join. Those who don’t have a dog still have a stake

  A gig in Delhi is one thing. Doing it with Purana Qila as the backdrop is entirely something else. New Zealand-based vocalist Amrita Kaur is set to do exactly that this October, returning to India for a two-part musical experience over a weekend. What better way to ring in the winter than Purana Qila concerts? Presented by Inkpot India as part of its Songs of the Stone series, Dusk to Dawn is, quite literally, that. Spanning an evening and the following morning, the experience brings together two performances with the fort's sandstone walls acting as the third performer. Kaur will move through ghazal, Indian classical, Sufi and contemporary music as the sun slips away at dusk. Twelve hours later, she returns to the fort for a more contemplative programme of spiritual music at first light. In between, there's plenty to keep you occupied: food, storytelling and a bazaar featuring textiles and weaving, along with workshops exploring craft and sound therapy. What is Songs of the Stone? Songs of the Stone is Inkpot India’s heritage and music series which places contemporary musicians inside historic monuments. In doing so, it brings music, storytelling and architecture together, allowing each to enhance the way you experience the other. The series began at Qutub Minar, with its first two editions featuring sarangi virtuoso Mehtab Ali Niazi and Grammy Award-winning flautist Rakesh Chaurasia and his ensemble. Together, the concerts drew more than 850 audience members. With Dusk to