Originally built in 1325, but added to during the following 2 centuries, the tomb of the saint Sheikh Nizamuddin Aulia (along with a few prominent others, including the favorite daughter of Shah Jahan) is one of the holiest Muslim pilgrimages in India. It is certainly one of Delhi’s most fascinating attractions, not least because the only way to get here is to traverse the tiny, narrow medieval lanes of old Nizamuddin on foot. The entire experience will transport you back even further than a foray into Shahjahanabad.
This is not for the fainthearted (or perhaps the recently arrived), however — the lanes are claustrophobic, you will be hassled by hawkers (perhaps best to purchase some flowers as sign of your good intentions upfront), and the smells are almost as assaulting as the hawkers who bar your way. Once there, you may be pressured into making a heftier donation (Rs 50/$1.15 is fair) than is necessary.
This would in fact be a three-star attraction if it weren’t for the sense that outsiders are not really welcome (though many have reported otherwise) — note that the main structure is a mosque, Jam-at Khana Masjid, and is closed to women. Best to dress decorously (women should consider covering their heads), pick up some flowers along the way, get here on a Thursday evening when qawwals gather to sing the most spiritually evocative devotional songs, take a seat, and soak up the medieval atmosphere.