Asif Khan Dehlvi’s heritage walks offer hope and harmony at a time when history is being challenged under a government accused of rewriting the past
NEW DELHI – At a time when hate, suspicion, and politics are dividing communities in India, one Muslim man is quietly bringing people together through stories of Delhi’s forgotten Islamic history.
Asif Khan Dehlvi, a former corporate employee, left his job in 2011 to start “Delhi Caravan”, a platform where people from different religious backgrounds walk through the narrow streets of Delhi, listening to stories about historical monuments, many of which carry deep Islamic roots.
“I discovered my love for storytelling in 2009. Two years later, I quit my job and began leading heritage walks,” said Asif. “Since then, thousands of people have joined me. Professionals from all walks of life are coming to my heritage walks.”
From the grand Jama Masjid to Humayun’s Tomb and the hidden Sufi shrines tucked away in the alleys of Old Delhi, Asif guides his audience through centuries of Muslim history — history that many believe is at risk of being forgotten or even erased.
“Delhi is full of the history of the Mughals, Iranians, Pashtuns, etc., and I am a narrator of such events to share knowledge,” he said.
For Asif, storytelling is not just about the past. It is about bringing people together in the present. As India’s current political climate grows more hostile towards Muslims, his heritage walks have become an act of peaceful resistance.
Dr Lubna, a professor of history, supports his efforts. “In the present era, there is an attempt to destroy history. Considering all these circumstances, these heritage walks are very necessary,” she said.
She also warned that “if there were no such heritage walks, no one would even know the history of such places.”
India’s ruling party, the BJP, has often been accused of rewriting textbooks and erasing Muslim contributions from the country’s official narrative. Asif’s walks offer a space to listen to what many textbooks now leave out.
“People of all religions come together during these walks. They not only learn about monuments but also understand each other better,” said Asif.
In an atmosphere where Muslims are frequently targeted, sometimes even lynched or falsely accused of “love jihad” and “terror links”, Asif’s peaceful work carries weight.
What he is doing may not look like activism, but in today’s India, telling the true story of Muslim history is an act of courage.
He walks, he talks, and in his gentle voice, centuries of Muslim heritage come alive — stories of emperors and poets, mystics and saints, buildings and dreams.
Even the stilted Urdu of Old Delhi, of which only the accent remains today, is revived during his sessions.
Many participants say that the walks are not only educational but deeply healing. They come away feeling more connected — not only to history, but also to one another.
“Asif Bhai is doing what no textbook or politician can do. He is making us feel proud of our shared history,” said one participant, a Hindu schoolteacher from Ghaziabad.
As politics tries to draw lines, Asif erases them — one step, one story at a time.
