The Nizamuddin Basti is one of Delhi's few surviving medieval neighbourhoods, a dense tangle of lanes and courtyards around the dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya. The settlement has grown continuously around the shrine since the 13th century and preserves an urban fabric almost unchanged from the Mughal era. Walking the narrow alleys, visitors encounter flower sellers, incense vendors, marble carvers, traditional sweet shops and qawwali musicians.
The basti is at its most atmospheric on Thursday evenings when devotional qawwali singing takes place after evening prayers at the dargah. Several good restaurants serve Mughlai and Old Delhi food in the lanes adjacent to the shrine. The Aga Khan Trust for Culture has undertaken conservation work in the area and the historic fabric is better preserved than in much of Old Delhi.