Sunder Nursery: A Hidden Gem in the Heart of Delhi

 If you want to seek out some peace and quiet from the frenetic streets. You should visit in south east Delhi and opposite the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Humayun’s Tomb, the Sunder Nursery is a perfect place to unwind, relax and breathe a breath of fresh air!

What is the Sunder Nursery?

The Sunder Nursery is a large park that was known as the Azimuth Bagh or “Great Garden” in Mughal times. Renovated in the 20th century, the nursery was used, under British rule, to propagate new plants and trees for the new capital, New

Delhi. 

Nowadays the Sunder Nursery is a manicured landscape garden and nursery, popular with locals and tourists alike, who wish to escape the dusty streets and unwind in a beautiful green oasis.

Location and How to Reach

It is right next to the Humayun’s Tomb, in Nizamuddin West, in New Delhi. The nearest metro stations are the JLN Stadium on the Violet Line and the Supreme Court Station on the Blue Line. Once you get out of the stations, there are plenty of autorickshaws that will bring you to the Sunder Nursery. Bargain a bit. Alternatively, you can also go there by Uber which is super cheap and reliable in Delhi. There are bus stops just outside Humayun’s Tomb and you can walk to the Sunder Nursery from there. Car parking is available at the site.

Opening Hours and best time to visit

The Sunder Nursery is open daily (April – September: 7 am to 7 pm and October – March: 7 am to 6 pm). Go there in the mornings or afternoons. Avoid weekends and public holidays if you don´t like crowds.

Sunder Nursery Entry Fees

• For Indian/ SAARC visitors – Rs. 50
• For Foreign Tourists – Rs. 200
• For Children between the ages of 5-12 years – Rs.30
• For Senior Citizens, above the age of 60 years – Rs.30
• Children under 5 years – Free Entry
• Physically Challenged Visitors – Free Entry (Wheelchair is available at the entrance

Sunder Nursery in Monsoon

It was in the middle of this year that I visited Sunder Nursery. The Indian subcontinent was going through the annual monsoon and even Delhi, an otherwise dry place, received a regular deluge of rain. The skies were gray and the air was so thick and muggy that I could have almost cut it with a knife. There were occasional spots of sunshine but mostly rainy, moody weather with dramatic skies prevailed. The heavy moisture made Delhi´s abundance of trees burst out in flowers and to me, it seemed like a perfect time to visit the famous Sunder Nursery.

A place for long walks and tranquility

I went there with a friend and thankfully, found it devoid of crowds. Although, I did not know what to expect, the beautiful, green complex did not disappoint me. It had a mix of water bodies, tiered water channels, a couple of historical monuments, and lots of tree cover. Different kinds of trees of different kinds grew in abundance there and flowers everywhere. Gnarly old roots of wise, old Methuselah-like trees took over ruins and I liked the fact that they were left undisturbed. Although a bit too manicured, I liked that at places, the landscape designer had wisely let nature be. It was lovely. The abundance of trees led to plenty of birds calling the Sunder Nursery home and bright-eyed striped squirrels with bushy tails scampered around fearlessly. Salamanders, lizards, and geckos reposed in shady spots, and Sunder Nursery seemed to me to be the perfect spot for sharing confidences, and canoodling. My friend and I spent a wonderful day walking around this lovely site and this is one site that, in my opinion, has not been ruined by zealous human intervention. Take a look at this photo essay and decide for yourself.

Straight out of the entrance a long, ornamental water garden stretched away from us. With rivulets of water running through carved canals, that spiralled and curved through calligraphy and shapes. Next to the running water were hidden benches set amongst flowering green plants and jasmine trees. It really was a cool oasis, far away from the hustle of the surrounding city. When we looked at a map later, it seemed incredible that this peaceful garden effectively backed onto one of the busiest train stations in the country!

As we led away from the long water garden, the water canal expanded into an ornamental lake with fountains and overhanging trees. Dotted around the lake were little picnic spots, and not for the first time in Delhi, we wished we’d brought a packed lunch.

The whole garden was full of these secret nooks, and hidden surprises. From formal gardens, to semi wild areas, wooded dells to ruins and rose gardens, the Sunder Nursery was a treasure trove.

As we left the more formal gardens, and vast nurseries behind, we stumbled upon the wild gardens. The Sunder Nurseries wild garden was one of our favourite parts of the whole nursery. Artfully planted to look natural, with large trees creating shade over vast flowing brooks it was a world away from the baking, noisy maelstrom of Delhi. The path followed alongside the bubbling brook, and wound its way through foliage that wouldn’t have looked out of place in the Welsh Valleys. 

In amongst the colourful flower beds and elegant walkways, are strewn a host of ruins. Many of these ruins are UNESCO World Heritage monuments in their own right, but set within the gardens they blend perfectly in with the landscaped greenery. The ruins are not cordoned off, and you were free to wander in and out of their shaded and dilapidated rooms. We saw many families using their shade to have picnics in their ruined halls.

In the grounds, butterflies whiled and peacocks wandered around, whilst cheeky chipmunks scampered from branch to branch. We even spotted a Grey Hornbill in a tree. We like to think that he was a slightly drabber cousin to the more vibrant Thai Hornbills we spotted on Koh Yao Noi

Attractions inside the Sunder Nursery

• Sunder Burj
•  Nearly 100 meters away from the main entrance, this is probably the first monument one sees. It is a 16th-century tomb notable for its highly decorative star-patterned internal ceiling and intricate inscriptions on its walls. Restoration of this monument that had suffered heavy damage from water seepage started in October 2010. To date, nobody knows who is interred here. In the area on the north of Sunder Burj lies the 500-meter-long water canal adorned with ten handcrafted lotus-shaped marble fountains, gorgeous star-shaped flowerbeds, and sandstone benches.

• Lakkarwala Burj 

• Continue further northwest and you will find a larger mausoleum for some unknown noble person. It is called the Lakkarwala Burj. This 16th-century red sandstone monument which is intricately decorated with Quranic inscriptions, is surrounded by a rose garden containing 30 varieties of roses from around the world.
• Apart from these monuments, there are the Azim Bagh and Azimganj Serais, Sunderwala Mahal, Mirza Muzaffar Hussain’s Tomb, and Batashewala Mahal. The last one is dilapidated and very few visitors venture on this side of the park. However, it´s very tranquil and is an excellent place for birding.

.MAP OF SUNDER NURSERY