Delhiwale: 5 ways of looking at Lodhi Garden

It has many monuments, lawns, trees, flowers, birds, butterflies, ducks and also many dogs.

Each of these aspects of Lodhi Garden has been chronicled on these pages. Except for one additional aspect. Most Delhi parks don’t have as many entry points, but that’s not what makes the numerous gates of Lodhi Garden unique. The huge garden is full of dramatically different picturesque sights, that each gate presents a distinct perspective of the park. Much like a kaleidoscope in which every turn shows something new.

Lodhi Garden has 12 gates, out of which five are open to visitors. Others stay shut, such as the beautiful gate no. 10 that faces Muhammed Shah Sayyid’s octagonal tomb. The adjacent gate, no. 9, is quite popular though, and opens to the so-called Glass House, which, in the summer, is gloriously blanketed with pink bougainvilleas. Gate no. 2 on the other hand is very discreet, and is reached through the serene KK Birla Lane. Teeming with monkeys and cats, it lies close to a secluded cluster of centuries-old graves. In the evening, an ice-cream man parks his cart by the gate.

Gate no. 3, the one with the fountain, is exploited by the hoity-toity members of the nearby India International Centre. These people sometimes indulge in brief strolls during the evening, before heading to the IIC, where they settle down at the members-only dining hall, whose lighted windows are glimpsed through the park trees.

Gate no. 4 has a fruit juice kiosk, and leads to an Instagram-friendly stone bridge. Some confuse this gate as Lodhi Garden’s main gate, but it is just no. 4. Gate no. 5 is etched with Lodhi Garden’s original name — Lady Willingdon Park. It inwardly overlooks the ramparts of Sikander Lodhi’s tomb. A signboard tells about Khairpur village that was uprooted to make way for the park more than a hundred years ago.

Most of us never get to spot gate no. 7. It exists like a secret. In any case, you will use the semi-hidden inlet only if super-rich enough to live in one of the bungalows of Amrita Shergill Marg, which the tiny gate links to the park.

Last but far-far from the least, gate no. 1 is the only gate with a toilet and a bus stop. Its parking area boasts of a “fast charger for electrical vehicles.” It is also the park’s only gate with a name. The best time to enter Ashoka Gate is 6pm. At this hour, you may or may not see the birds (they might be hidden in the trees), but you do hear their unceasing musical chatter. The short path ends at a spot overlooking the Bada Gumbad monument. This evening, Bagheera, a Lodhi Garden resident, is enjoying the view, along with a few visitors. See photo.