Delhi’s temperature might be feeling bearable after the recent sudden shower, but the days are still hot and not sparing the culture enthusiasts in the city! This has revived the interest in night heritage walks, as its not just the history buffs but even those wanting to give their summer vacations a meaningful twist are finding solace in the fact that one can be out post dusk and yet feel safe while listening to tales from the past or relishing recipes of the present.Delhiites are exploring iconic landmarks like the Humayun’s Tomb and the Qutub Minar, post sunset, through heritage walks night .Such sundowners are inclusive and also allowing the heritage walkers a chance to entice new adventurers towards exploring the city’s hidden secrets. “Compared to the winter time, night walks are a lot more popular in summers because the heat during the day is so much that no one wants to go out for walks and understandably so. As the sun sets and the temperature goes down a little, these walks are then curated to be enjoyed across age groups,” shares Ramit Mitra, co-founder, DelhiByFoot.#DilliKiShaamein A month-long series dedicated to experiencing the city’s gems after sunset thus led birth to Twilight in the City, for the month of June. This is organised by DelhiByFoot (9871181775) and is making the most of both the seasonal condition as well as the ongoing school holidays. With children home and families looking for something meaningful to do together, the walks are crafted so that for adults it is a walk through history, and for children it is a classroom without walls.Ramit adds, “June is the start of vacation time, so we have some walks which are more like a family fun thing. Evening mein aayein, parents come, children come, and everybody is enjoying. Parents are happier to come out in the evening — they want to avoid the sun for their children also. This month we have one at Humayun’s Tomb where concepts of geometry, architecture and history will be covered. And then there is one at India Gate — it is a space everybody already knows and loves, the history is familiar, and the setting is just beautiful in the evening. You walk through it and suddenly you are seeing it differently. And then we also have a baithak on tawaifs and music, that one is more for an adult audience, a whole different kind of evening.”Glow in the dark: Qutb MinarFor those who would rather end their summer evening at a monument than sit indoors, the summer night heritage walk has found its an enthusiastic audience on its way. Enroute Indian History’s (9667218424) night walk series, Raat Ke Fasane, has been pulling in 40 to 50 people every weekend. “These numbers only climb in summer,” informs historian Anoushka Jain.“When we started, only three monuments were open after sunset namely the Red Fort, Qutb Minar and Safdarjung Tomb. Now that list has grown with Sunder Nursery, Humayun’s Tomb, Lodhi Garden, and of course the India Gate,” shares Anoushka, adding, “Night tourism is clearly working in Delhi, and the city’s heat is a big reason for that. In the summers, no one wants to be out during the day. But come evening and something shifts. The monuments look completely different at night — the lights, the lasers, the shadows on the stone. Even people who have visited Qutb Minar a dozen times tell us they are seeing it for the first time. It gives people a great alternative, visit a monument and follow it up with a dinner plan.”Kritika Lamba, a Delhi University student who recently attended one such walk, shares: “Honestly, I mostly end up staying indoors when it’s peak summer. But when a friend of mine showed me her pictures of Qutb Minar lit up at night, the lights make its stone glow and the breeze just lifts the garmi gloom completely! I decided to accompany and came back feeling like I actually did something cool that evening.”Night at the nursery It’s true that Sunder Nursery is almost every Delhiite’s favourite afternoon picnic spot in the winter. But, come summer and it’s the evenings when the sun, monuments, birds and breeze make it a beloved twilight spot. After dark, it’s not only cooler and quieter here but also lends a new perspective to the Mughal-era ruins that get lit up under the night sky.“Sunder Nursery after sunset has been getting a lot of interest. Even though it is really hot, in the evenings people turn up in huge numbers. Currently, 90% of the slots are full,” says Abu Sufiyan from Tales of City (9220469400) . He adds, “The whole idea of the Sunder Nursery walk is to explore summer gardens and the stories they hold. Delhi has always been a city of gardens, but today we have very limited public spaces where people can truly socialize especially after sunset. This walk focuses on blending history and Nature, offering a summer evening escape for people who want to learn the stories behind the heritage, spend family time, and connect with Nature. Sunder Nursery is unique because it provides a level of safety, even after dark, which no other park in the city quite matches anymore, making it the perfect sanctuary for the summer season.”For more, follow HT City Delhi Junction