A secretive graveyard

On a special city landmark

- Mayank Austen Soofi

Believed to be a Lodhi-era graveyard, the Hijron ka Khanqah lies snuggled in a congested bazar in south Delhi's historic enclave of Mehrauli. It certainly is not as famous as the nearby UNESCO World Heritage Site of Qutub Minar. It, however, enjoys a cult status among the city aesthetes who pride themselves in being intimate with Delhi's lesser-known monuments. As the name makes it obvious, the old graveyard is identified with the transgender citizens. It comprises of an airy courtyard containing dozens of graves; the principal grave is worshipped as the shrine of "Peer Baba."