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Lodhi Colony: murals, tombs and slow Delhi
Street Art District
Lodhi Colony is a quiet 1940s government housing estate whose walls became India's first open-air public art district: wall-high murals between white blocks, courtyards and old trees. Start early in Lodhi Garden among the 15th- and 16th-century tombs, cross into the colony while the light is good, and finish with lunch at Meharchand Market.
👥 Who it suits
street art camera walks quiet lunch
Staying here
A quiet residential quarter; pleasant to stay, though options are few.
🌙 In the evening
See the murals in daylight; for dinner, Khan Market is nearby.
Getting there
Ⓜ Jor Bagh · JLN Stadium, a 10–15 min walk
What to see
Where to stay
👣 A half-day of slow Delhi
Garden first, murals second, lunch last: the order follows the light and the heat.
- Lodhi Garden at opening
Lodhi Garden opens at 5 or 6 am depending on the season and is free. Early morning is when it is quietest: runners, yoga on the lawns, the Sayyid and Lodi tombs, and birds: the guide's birds page sends hornbill-watchers here early in the morning.
- Into the colony for the murals
Cross Lodhi Road into the colony. The murals were commissioned from artists from India and abroad by the St+art India Foundation, and they cover whole end walls of the housing blocks, so there is no fixed trail: wander block by block with a camera. These are homes, and people live behind the paint: keep voices low, do not block doorways, and ask before photographing residents.
- Lunch at Meharchand Market
Meharchand Market is the colony's cafe street, where Tres and Guppy (Japanese food and sake) make a grown-up evening too. Jamun, also in Lodhi Colony, cooks home-style dishes from Kashmir to the Deccan. More choice is on Delhi restaurants.
- On to Khan Market
Walk back through the garden to Khan Market on its far side for bookshops and dinner; the murals themselves are a daylight sight.
When to come
Mornings, in any season: the garden is at its best early, and the murals need daylight. October and February to March are the comfortable months. In May and June be out of the open by late morning. From November to January check the air quality before a long walk; on bad smog days the garden is a short loop rather than a half-day. Weekends bring open-air events to Lodhi Garden, such as the Lodhi Reads book club.
Lodhi Colony and the areas around it
Lodhi Colony is the slow, residential side of central Delhi. Khan Market on the far side of the garden is the same crowd with more money and boutiques; Nizamuddin to the east has the Mughal tombs and Sufi evenings; the government axis of Rajpath and India Gate is to the north.
As a base it is pleasant but thin on options: the main one in the base is Lutyens Bungalow, a family-run guesthouse on Prithviraj Road with big gardens. The wider leafy belt, from Lutyens' bungalows to Nizamuddin East, is compared on where to stay in Delhi.
For the metro, Jor Bagh (Yellow Line) and JLN Stadium (Violet Line) are each a 10–15 minute walk. Guided options for the garden and its neighbours are on Delhi walking tours.
❓ FAQ
What to do in Lodhi Colony?
Walk the murals of the Lodhi Art District, pair them with the tombs of Lodhi Garden, and eat at Meharchand Market. It makes an easy half-day.
Which metro station is closest to Lodhi Colony?
Jor Bagh on the Yellow Line or JLN Stadium on the Violet Line, each about a 10–15 minute walk.
Is Lodhi Colony in South Delhi?
It is in the south-central part of New Delhi, beside Lodhi Garden and Lodhi Road, built in the 1940s as government housing.
Can I photograph the murals freely?
Yes, the murals face the street. These are homes, though: keep it quiet and ask before photographing residents.
Facts checked: 8 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.
Other areas of Delhi
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