This organisation is empowering women by conducting ladies night heritage walks in Delhi

“What’s taller-Qutub Minar or Burj Khalifa?” asked Anoushka Jain to a group of thirty women standing with enthusiasm and excitement under the soft, dusky evening sky near the Qutub Minar complex in Delhi.

As these women, who had gathered for a night walk at the monument, moved closer to the tall, majestic structure, their laughter and joyful chatter filled the air. During that one and a half hour walk, these women revelled in moments of fun and laughter, indulged in discussions about the site's rich history and forged meaningful connections with one another.

The ‘Ladies Night Walk’ is being organised by Anoushka Jain, Founder of Enroute Indian History, a heritage organisation. Started in 2019, Enroute Indian History (EIH) is a women-led organisation that conducts heritage walks to sites like Lodhi Garden, Qutub Minar, Safdar Jang tomb, and more in Delhi. Apart from the ladies' night walk, it also conducts night walks called ‘raat k afsane’, digital tours, morning walks, and custom-designed walking tours.

“The main aim of starting these heritage walks specially designed for women is to create a safe space for them so that they can reclaim these public spaces at night. Additionally, it also builds a sense of community among women and empowers them to freely explore the historic monuments,” Jain tells HerStory.

Love for heritage

Jain did her bachelor’s and master’s in history from Hindu College, Delhi University. She also holds a diploma in Art history. Later, she interned at the Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts (IGNCA), where she worked in the Janapada Sampada division with UNESCO.

Jain had always been intrigued by heritage, however, throughout her educational journey, it was more of a ‘self-taught’ subject.

“Five years back I had no idea I would be starting this company,” she adds.

Jain’s love for heritage and keen wish to bridge the gap between popular knowledge and academic history led her to establish Enroute Indian History in 2019. About 30 women plus interns in diff roles--researchers, social media, project management, etc., are part of the team.

“Today, history is business for many. It has become subjective, which isn't the case. Thus, this gap between popular knowledge and academic understanding is huge and exhaustive,” she says.

She recalls that when her friends and family asked her to start these heritage walks, it was a far-fetched idea for her.

“When people asked if I was tensed about how I would get money out of it, I told them that it was the least of my concerns. I was more worried about if people would attend these heritage walks in the first place,” she says.

She feels setting up these walks can be quite challenging as they require an understanding of monument timings, familiarity with the surrounding area, and skill in coordinating and organising the tour.

Moreover, she explains that academic tourism is very new and complex.

“I am a heritage educator, not a storyteller. I have to carefully balance this act where sometimes I cannot be too academic because sometimes people don’t like it if there’s no mirch masala, no storytelling,” she says.

Furthermore, her journey so far has not been easy. She explains that many times people confuse her work with that of a tour guide.

Another setback for Jain was the pandemic. However, she says that though they could not conduct offline walks during that time, she started another segment called digital walks during that time. These walks are still being conducted every Friday.

During these digital walks, archival pictures of a particular site are shown, and, using these pictures of the site, discussions are conducted by Jain. She also conducts quizzes to engage the participants.

“That time gave me the opportunity to think more deeply about my business and how I can expand it further,” she adds.

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Creating safe space for women

Jain recalls that when they started the night walks, they used to get a lot of queries and calls from women asking about how many women would be there, will it be a well-lit place, how big is the group, etc.

“Monument sites are not considered safe at night time, especially for women. I have been in the business for four years, but I still think twice before going to an unknown heritage site late at night,” Jain says.

This sparked the idea to start the women’s walk with the aim to create a space where women can enjoy the city’s heritage freely.

"We typically attract a wonderfully diverse audience in terms of age, with attendees ranging from young girls to women in their sixties,” says Illma, Project Coordinator at Enroute Indian History.

These walks are arranged twice a month and the ticket comes with a plus one, so women can bring along their friends or anyone they want to (only women). Each ticket costs Rs 600, and the walks are usually arranged from 6 pm to 7.30 pm.

“Women work in numbers and that is why we decided to come up with the plus one system on the ticket,” Jain informs.

Ruchita Chavan, a 27-year-old history and art enthusiast doing an internship in Gurugram, came to know about the ladies night walk taken by EIH.

“I was new to the city when I went for the first walk. I recall seeing young women accompanied with their daughters and old ladies coming together from different walks of life to share their common passion for heritage,” she says.

Chavan has taken many heritage walks, but comparing it with the ones which are open to all, she felt more “secure, comfortable, and free” in the all-ladies tour.

“I love the way how Anoushka is showcasing these heritage sites in a very interesting and fresh manner. Additionally, her effort in curating special walks for women to make them feel comfortable and secure is commendable,” she adds.

Apart from this, the organisation has also started ‘Badass Begum’ walks, which is open to all people. Here, the group is taken to a heritage site built or designed by women like Humayun Tomb, Chandni Chowk, and more. Jain says it is an attempt to get in touch with this side of our history and celebrate women architects.

The organisation also conducts morning and evening walks for all the people, every Saturday and Sunday. It offers customised walks as well. In total, EIH conducts 15 heritage walks every month. One can book the tickets from Paytm Insider, BookMyShow, Town Script or from the EIH website.

So far, EIH is functioning only in Delhi. However, it plans to expand to Kolkata, Meerut, and Kashmir. The organsisation has conducted 75 plus ladies night walks till date.

Jain believes that heritage should be introduced at an early age because it's challenging to instill its importance when people are older. Therefore, the organisation has introduced the RSR learning approach for school students, which stands for Real-Time Learning, Skill Development, and Research.

Here, children get to interact with the heritage sites and perform knowledge-based activities. “This approach goes beyond a single annual heritage walk; it's about integrating heritage into the curriculum for a more comprehensive understanding,” Jain says.

Jain has also mentored over 200 women in research, heritage mapping, art research, and more.

“Heritage holds a special place in my heart, and through this organisation, I aim to bridge the divide between common knowledge and academic insights into history. Moreover, as a women-led organisation, I'm committed to creating safe spaces where women can freely exercise their agency and enjoy nighttime experiences," she explains.