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Lodhi Garden, Delhi
Lodhi Garden is the park where Delhi goes to breathe: 80 acres of lawns and old trees around 15th- and 16th-century tombs, right next to Khan Market. Entry is free. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) keeps it open daily from 5 am to 8 pm between April and September, and from 6 am to 8 pm between October and March.
The most atmospheric park in the center. Ancient tombs and mosques right in the park. Local yogis, runners, and office workers come here. Early morning is when meditative silence reigns. It's the best time to visit.
On weekends, open events often happen here: for example, Lodhi Reads, an open-air book club where readers gather to discuss books, exchange literature, and socialize.
The most atmospheric park in the center
Lodhi Garden timings and entry
The park is run by the NDMC; the tombs inside are protected monuments, but there is no ticket and no weekly closure. Gates open an hour earlier in summer.
| 1 April – 30 September | 5:00–20:00, daily |
| 1 October – 31 March | 6:00–20:00, daily |
| Entry | Free; no photography charge |
What to see: the tombs and the gardens
Four monuments stand inside, built between 1433 and 1533 on the land of the village of Khairpur. The park around them opened in 1936 and has been added to many times since.
Tomb of Muhammad Shah
The tomb of the Sayyid ruler Muhammad Shah, built in 1444: an octagonal tomb with arches opening onto a veranda and small domed chhatris around the main dome, the oldest tomb in the garden.
Bara Gumbad
The 'big dome' of 1494: a square building with an imposing dome and a facade that gives the false impression of two storeys. A three-domed mosque stands beside it.
Shish Gumbad
The 'glass dome', a square tomb named for the glazed tiles that once decorated it.
Tomb of Sikandar Lodi
The octagonal tomb of the Lodi sultan who ruled from 1489 to 1517, set inside an enclosure that still has its battlemented walls.
Lake, glasshouse, bonsai and roses
A spiral lake about 300 m long with a fountain in the middle, a glasshouse from 1970, the National Bonsai Park (1996) with trees 10–50 years old, a rose garden of some 5,000 plants between Gates 3 and 4, plus palm, bamboo and herbal corners.
Best time to visit
Early morning. In the first hour after the gates open the garden belongs to walkers, runners and people doing yoga on the grass, and a meditative quiet sits over the tombs. Later in the day the benches go to office workers on their breaks.
The garden is also good for birds: the NDMC describes it as a very good habitat that draws many migratory birds, alongside resident species such as the Indian treepie, parakeets, mynas and the koel.
On weekends the lawns host open gatherings, such as Lodhi Reads, an open-air book club where people meet to talk about books and swap them.
How to reach Lodhi Garden
Delhi Tourism gives JLN Stadium (Violet Line) as the nearest metro station; Khan Market station, also on the Violet Line, is the other option: the garden lies next to Khan Market. The park sits between Lodhi Road, Amrita Shergill Marg and Max Mueller Marg, with gates on several sides; the main approach is from Lodhi Road, beside the India International Centre.
From burial ground to park
For five centuries this was a scatter of Sayyid and Lodi tombs among the fields of Khairpur village. In the British period the area around them was laid out as a park, and Lady Willingdon, the Viceroy's wife, opened it on 9 April 1936 as Lady Willingdon Park. It was later renamed Lodhi Garden for its historic monuments. In 1968 the architect Joseph Allen Stein carried out a further round of development, and later decades brought the glasshouse (1970), the bonsai park (1996) and the herbal garden (2007).
The result: 500-year-old domes with no ticket, simply part of someone's morning walk.
❓ FAQ
Is entry to Lodhi Garden free?
Yes. There is no ticket and no photography fee.
What are Lodhi Garden's timings?
5 am to 8 pm from April to September and 6 am to 8 pm from October to March, every day.
Who is buried in Lodhi Garden?
The Sayyid ruler Muhammad Shah (tomb of 1444) and the Lodi sultan Sikandar Lodi. Bara Gumbad and Shish Gumbad are square domed buildings of the same era.
What is Lodhi Garden famous for?
Sayyid and Lodi tombs standing among 80 acres of lawns and some 5,400 trees, right in the centre of New Delhi. It is the city's favourite place for an early walk.
Are couples allowed in Lodhi Garden?
Yes. It is a public park open to everyone during NDMC hours. The lawns are shared with families and morning walkers, so keep it low-key.
Which metro station is nearest to Lodhi Garden?
JLN Stadium on the Violet Line, according to Delhi Tourism. Khan Market station on the same line is the other option.