Majnu Ka Tilla
Majnu Ka Tilla
4.5
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4.5
183 reviews
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84
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1
betted724
New Delhi, India3 contributions
Jun 2023 • Friends
highly commercialized area with NO cultural significance . Went there to see some Tibet culture's glimpses, however all i saw was hundreds of shops and congested lanes . it has also become a mini bus stand for bus going towards Dharamshala. Just another tourists site
Written 22 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John Doe
1 contribution
Apr 2021 • Solo
Great place to taste Tibetan cusine and shop for Tibetan anything. Also a good shopping hub for men and women. Love the atmosphere of this place. It's one of the most awesome place in Delhi to be at.
Written 6 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wanderer22417311496
2 contributions
Apr 2024 • Family
This is a hideous rabbit warren of narrow lanes of flies, filth, crushing heat, decaying structures.. and some great shops. I was there 10 years ago and 20 years ago.. It was a great little cultural hub then. Now, not worth the ride at all.
Written 20 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sanjeev
Faridabad, India23 contributions
Dec 2014 • Family
a one place in delhi which has been neglected by all foodies. for those who love to experiment with there food,this place is a must visit.no 5* sitting or service, just good heavenly flavorful food.
Written 18 February 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shivani Rastogi
New Delhi, India794 contributions
Feb 2017 • Friends
A walk on the Buddhist side of life: Delhi’s Mini Tibet
Picture this: winding alleys, cool breeze blowing in your face, faint echoes of Dalai Lama’s preaching, graceful Tibetan ladies in their traditional attire selling momos in the courtyard, vibrant colours, unusual smells, the serene soft music made by the prayer bells. A smaller, condensed version of Dharamsala…while it may be a world not many will relate to, it does not fail to enchant!
Delhi is a goldmine for history buffs, and I love it when some of our favourite spots come with a quaint bit of history attached to them. Majnu Ka Tila, also known as Delhi’s mini-Tibet, is one such place. It opens up to you a small world so splendid and exquisite that you just don’t want to leave.
History
If lores are to be believed, this North Delhi area is named after a Sufi mystic, a ferryman who rowed people across the Yamuna as a service to god. He became so wrapped up in spiritual musings that people began to call him Majnu, after the legendary lover driven to near insanity. The locality is also set atop a hillock, thus the tila in the name makes sense as well. Majnu Ka Tila also has a Gurudwara, which is one of the oldest extant Sikh shrines in the city and was named after him. Around 1960, after the Tibetan uprising, refugees set up camp in this area and since then it has become the go-to place for all things Tibetan. Along with the Gurudwara, there is also a Buddhist monastery in the bylanes and the general vibe is one of tranquillity.
The Entrance
So off we went, one sunny afternoon, to peruse the mysteries of Majnu ka Tilla, which turns out to be a stone’s throw from Delhi University’s North Campus and is easily reached by the Delhi Metro. A Buddhist-style gate stands amid grey, three-storey structures, packed close together. Tall buildings on either side make the narrow alley so dark it’s as if the sun never makes it here. I feel we’ve stepped into a different world, far removed from the urban chaos of Delhi. Shops on either side sell only exotic Tibetan jewellery, Buddhist artefacts and crockery. Ahead, the alley opens into a bright courtyard facing the monastery.
As we walk towards the monastery, the alleys open out to a little space in front of a red and yellow building with decorated pillars and flags flying atop it. It also has the dharmachakra between two deers. This building is the office of the cultural centre and the monastery stands to its left – a structure similarly designed with the same symbols, albeit taller. Like a little town square, the open space in front of the monastery and the cultual centre is filled with people. There are snack counters, vegetable vendors mingling with people who have come to offer prayers at the monastery or simply sitting around.
What struck me when we reached the colony was that there were vibrant prayer flags hanging from every nook and corner of these narrow by-lanes, seemingly inviting us on a mystical journey. Each flag has a different texture and its own story. Five elements of nature – land, water, air, fire and sky merge in these flags. Powered by sacred mantras, they purify the air wherever they are hung as the wind spreads the positive energies in the atmosphere.
The Foodie Trail
We decided to sample local Tibetan food and try a delicious snack locally known as ‘Laphing’ which the locals almost pronounced as ‘laughing’. Laphing is originally a Northern Chinese cuisine known as Liangfen, which literally translates to cold noodle. This dish travelled to Nepal with Tibetan and Chinese people who later settled in Boudha.
It is basically, potato starch and mung bean combined together to form dry gelatinous pan cakes, which are rolled and cut into bite-size pieces, and are enclosed with minced soya bean and garlic vinegar, soya sauce, sesame oil and red chilli sauce creates a spectacular cold snack. Laphing can be consumed dry or with cold soup. We tried the dried version as a starter and then ordered for Laphing soup. It is potato starch and mung-bean-jelly noodles, (just like the dry version, just cut in shape of flat noodles) heaped w/chillies, chilli oil, soy sauce, scallions & mouth-tingling Sichuan peppercorns. It's an interesting, delightful dish--spicy, cold & slippery. Watch out for the heat from the chillies, it’s strong yet addictive. Total cost Rs. 110.
Coming to Majnu ka tila and not eating momos would be a sin, so we headed to Tee Dee, which is at a few minutes distance from the Laphing Counter. Tee Dee at Majnu Ka Tila is an authentic Tibetan affair. Although Tee Dee is a small place, it definitely stands out for its authentic home cooked food. The restaurant serves Tibetan and Chinese food. The place can comfortably accommodate over 40 people and has a bright and sunny feel to it. It is done up in a traditional Buddhist manner with loads of laughing Buddhas and dragons. Though their menu comprised of a variety of Chinese and Tibetan offerings, but we settled for a portion of their steamed Chicken momos as well as Mutton momos. And to wash it all down, their famous Apple Beer was the preference. The flour coating of the momos was just apt, not too thick to obstruct the flavour. The chicken and lamb mince was soft and juicy and packed full of flavour. I would have liked a little more filling to make them the best momos. The Apple Beer, was non-alcoholic and different from the usual fruit beer, it was the perfect accompaniment to all the piping hot delicious dimsums. Total cost was just Rs. 300.
We loved exploring the bylanes and doing some shopping here and there. After browsing for a while and promising to be back again for more shopping, we headed to our next destination, which was located at the end of the lane, the famous Ama Restaurant. Located few minutes of walk away from Rigo Restaurant, the Ama Restaurant is another popular Himalayan Cuisine restaurant in the area. The place is well-known for its authentic Tibetan cuisine. The food here tastes exactly like home cooked food. Give Ama a try once. You will not be disappointed. Here we ordered Lemon Chicken (soft), Chicken in Butter Chilly Garlic Sauce and to polish them off we had their Egg Fried Rice along with Tingmo. The Lemon Chicken was just nothing like I have had before. Tender morsel of chicken tossed in a very thick lemon sauce, topped with bell peppers, green beans etc. the lemon sauce had a very pronounced citric taste of lemon and this tinge was a welcoming surprise for our palate. Chicken in butter chilly garlic sauce was another hit, the chicken was juicy and soft and the white cream base butter gravy flavoured with ample garlic to which diced bell peppers were added, was just finger licking good. The egg fried rice were delicious as well. Tingmo is a steamed fermented bread, unlike all other breads I’ve tried before. But it was love at the first bite! It has a unique taste of its own, and went perfectly with the two dishes. Total damage for such delectable food was merely Rs. 550.
Though we were almost full by then, but we wanted to venture more and try Korean cuisine and so we headed to this beautifully done up café/restro called Kori’s. Little did we know that going to this place would turn out be the worst decision ever. So for the Korean part of it we ordered their Bulgogi Bibimbap, and to keep things balanced we ordered their Chocolate Pancakes along with Ice Café Latte. The Ice Café Latte was more like warm, diluted hot chocolate gone bad, it was just average. The pancakes were a total shocker, rectangle shaped extremely undercooked something, (as they certainly were not pancakes, either by looks, ingredients or taste) served with two tiny cups filled with chocolate sauce and nutella each were apparently their chocolate pancakes. We had high hopes from their Bulgogi Bibimbap. The word literally means “mixed rice”. It is served as a bowl of warm Korean sticky rice topped with namul (sautéed and seasoned vegetables, which unfortunately in this case was just shredded cabbage) and gochujang (chilli pepper paste), soy sauce, again here the soy was missing and the chilli paste was very less in quantity. A fried egg and sliced bulgogi (beef/buff) are added on top. The egg and the buff slices were very dry and chewy. The entire experience was horrendous and we left everything. I do not recommend this place at all. The total cost for this pathetic experience came down to Rs. 500.
Though we were stuffed by now, but just because we had a very foul taste teasing our palate, we decided to head to one last stop for the day, The Coffee House, which is located in the basement of Kham Gangdrug Complex. It’s a cute little café with a vibrant funky feel to it. we tried their famous Mud Cake. A warm huge square of a piece of this deliciousness was the perfect choice. The chocolate cake was very light, airy and had a crumbly texture. The delicious cake was topped with a shiny delectable chocolate ganache. It was just pure bliss. The only thing, I would have obviously liked more ganache as compare to the volume of the cake. Price was this goodness, Rs. 75.
The veritable ‘Mini Tibet’ is indeed what it claims to be: a small sample of Tibet. It showcases a convincing replica of authentic Tibetan food, culture and tradition.
Picture this: winding alleys, cool breeze blowing in your face, faint echoes of Dalai Lama’s preaching, graceful Tibetan ladies in their traditional attire selling momos in the courtyard, vibrant colours, unusual smells, the serene soft music made by the prayer bells. A smaller, condensed version of Dharamsala…while it may be a world not many will relate to, it does not fail to enchant!
Delhi is a goldmine for history buffs, and I love it when some of our favourite spots come with a quaint bit of history attached to them. Majnu Ka Tila, also known as Delhi’s mini-Tibet, is one such place. It opens up to you a small world so splendid and exquisite that you just don’t want to leave.
History
If lores are to be believed, this North Delhi area is named after a Sufi mystic, a ferryman who rowed people across the Yamuna as a service to god. He became so wrapped up in spiritual musings that people began to call him Majnu, after the legendary lover driven to near insanity. The locality is also set atop a hillock, thus the tila in the name makes sense as well. Majnu Ka Tila also has a Gurudwara, which is one of the oldest extant Sikh shrines in the city and was named after him. Around 1960, after the Tibetan uprising, refugees set up camp in this area and since then it has become the go-to place for all things Tibetan. Along with the Gurudwara, there is also a Buddhist monastery in the bylanes and the general vibe is one of tranquillity.
The Entrance
So off we went, one sunny afternoon, to peruse the mysteries of Majnu ka Tilla, which turns out to be a stone’s throw from Delhi University’s North Campus and is easily reached by the Delhi Metro. A Buddhist-style gate stands amid grey, three-storey structures, packed close together. Tall buildings on either side make the narrow alley so dark it’s as if the sun never makes it here. I feel we’ve stepped into a different world, far removed from the urban chaos of Delhi. Shops on either side sell only exotic Tibetan jewellery, Buddhist artefacts and crockery. Ahead, the alley opens into a bright courtyard facing the monastery.
As we walk towards the monastery, the alleys open out to a little space in front of a red and yellow building with decorated pillars and flags flying atop it. It also has the dharmachakra between two deers. This building is the office of the cultural centre and the monastery stands to its left – a structure similarly designed with the same symbols, albeit taller. Like a little town square, the open space in front of the monastery and the cultual centre is filled with people. There are snack counters, vegetable vendors mingling with people who have come to offer prayers at the monastery or simply sitting around.
What struck me when we reached the colony was that there were vibrant prayer flags hanging from every nook and corner of these narrow by-lanes, seemingly inviting us on a mystical journey. Each flag has a different texture and its own story. Five elements of nature – land, water, air, fire and sky merge in these flags. Powered by sacred mantras, they purify the air wherever they are hung as the wind spreads the positive energies in the atmosphere.
The Foodie Trail
We decided to sample local Tibetan food and try a delicious snack locally known as ‘Laphing’ which the locals almost pronounced as ‘laughing’. Laphing is originally a Northern Chinese cuisine known as Liangfen, which literally translates to cold noodle. This dish travelled to Nepal with Tibetan and Chinese people who later settled in Boudha.
It is basically, potato starch and mung bean combined together to form dry gelatinous pan cakes, which are rolled and cut into bite-size pieces, and are enclosed with minced soya bean and garlic vinegar, soya sauce, sesame oil and red chilli sauce creates a spectacular cold snack. Laphing can be consumed dry or with cold soup. We tried the dried version as a starter and then ordered for Laphing soup. It is potato starch and mung-bean-jelly noodles, (just like the dry version, just cut in shape of flat noodles) heaped w/chillies, chilli oil, soy sauce, scallions & mouth-tingling Sichuan peppercorns. It's an interesting, delightful dish--spicy, cold & slippery. Watch out for the heat from the chillies, it’s strong yet addictive. Total cost Rs. 110.
Coming to Majnu ka tila and not eating momos would be a sin, so we headed to Tee Dee, which is at a few minutes distance from the Laphing Counter. Tee Dee at Majnu Ka Tila is an authentic Tibetan affair. Although Tee Dee is a small place, it definitely stands out for its authentic home cooked food. The restaurant serves Tibetan and Chinese food. The place can comfortably accommodate over 40 people and has a bright and sunny feel to it. It is done up in a traditional Buddhist manner with loads of laughing Buddhas and dragons. Though their menu comprised of a variety of Chinese and Tibetan offerings, but we settled for a portion of their steamed Chicken momos as well as Mutton momos. And to wash it all down, their famous Apple Beer was the preference. The flour coating of the momos was just apt, not too thick to obstruct the flavour. The chicken and lamb mince was soft and juicy and packed full of flavour. I would have liked a little more filling to make them the best momos. The Apple Beer, was non-alcoholic and different from the usual fruit beer, it was the perfect accompaniment to all the piping hot delicious dimsums. Total cost was just Rs. 300.
We loved exploring the bylanes and doing some shopping here and there. After browsing for a while and promising to be back again for more shopping, we headed to our next destination, which was located at the end of the lane, the famous Ama Restaurant. Located few minutes of walk away from Rigo Restaurant, the Ama Restaurant is another popular Himalayan Cuisine restaurant in the area. The place is well-known for its authentic Tibetan cuisine. The food here tastes exactly like home cooked food. Give Ama a try once. You will not be disappointed. Here we ordered Lemon Chicken (soft), Chicken in Butter Chilly Garlic Sauce and to polish them off we had their Egg Fried Rice along with Tingmo. The Lemon Chicken was just nothing like I have had before. Tender morsel of chicken tossed in a very thick lemon sauce, topped with bell peppers, green beans etc. the lemon sauce had a very pronounced citric taste of lemon and this tinge was a welcoming surprise for our palate. Chicken in butter chilly garlic sauce was another hit, the chicken was juicy and soft and the white cream base butter gravy flavoured with ample garlic to which diced bell peppers were added, was just finger licking good. The egg fried rice were delicious as well. Tingmo is a steamed fermented bread, unlike all other breads I’ve tried before. But it was love at the first bite! It has a unique taste of its own, and went perfectly with the two dishes. Total damage for such delectable food was merely Rs. 550.
Though we were almost full by then, but we wanted to venture more and try Korean cuisine and so we headed to this beautifully done up café/restro called Kori’s. Little did we know that going to this place would turn out be the worst decision ever. So for the Korean part of it we ordered their Bulgogi Bibimbap, and to keep things balanced we ordered their Chocolate Pancakes along with Ice Café Latte. The Ice Café Latte was more like warm, diluted hot chocolate gone bad, it was just average. The pancakes were a total shocker, rectangle shaped extremely undercooked something, (as they certainly were not pancakes, either by looks, ingredients or taste) served with two tiny cups filled with chocolate sauce and nutella each were apparently their chocolate pancakes. We had high hopes from their Bulgogi Bibimbap. The word literally means “mixed rice”. It is served as a bowl of warm Korean sticky rice topped with namul (sautéed and seasoned vegetables, which unfortunately in this case was just shredded cabbage) and gochujang (chilli pepper paste), soy sauce, again here the soy was missing and the chilli paste was very less in quantity. A fried egg and sliced bulgogi (beef/buff) are added on top. The egg and the buff slices were very dry and chewy. The entire experience was horrendous and we left everything. I do not recommend this place at all. The total cost for this pathetic experience came down to Rs. 500.
Though we were stuffed by now, but just because we had a very foul taste teasing our palate, we decided to head to one last stop for the day, The Coffee House, which is located in the basement of Kham Gangdrug Complex. It’s a cute little café with a vibrant funky feel to it. we tried their famous Mud Cake. A warm huge square of a piece of this deliciousness was the perfect choice. The chocolate cake was very light, airy and had a crumbly texture. The delicious cake was topped with a shiny delectable chocolate ganache. It was just pure bliss. The only thing, I would have obviously liked more ganache as compare to the volume of the cake. Price was this goodness, Rs. 75.
The veritable ‘Mini Tibet’ is indeed what it claims to be: a small sample of Tibet. It showcases a convincing replica of authentic Tibetan food, culture and tradition.
Written 9 March 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ashishshandilya
3 contributions
Dec 2018 • Friends
Please take utmost care of your belongings. Things like chain snatching, bag snatching, mobile snatching is very very common.
Be careful even while sitting in e-rikshaw.
Thanks
Be careful even while sitting in e-rikshaw.
Thanks
Written 22 December 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
neerajdesign
New Delhi, India311 contributions
May 2016 • Friends
The narrow lanes of Majnu Ka Tila, a small colony near Kashmere Gate, hide many Tibetan marvels – authentic cuisine, colourful traditions and some of the kindest people you will ever meet.
It is often surprising for most travel enthusiasts to discover that while they have been off exploring distant places in search of a piece of Tibet, there are gems at their doorstep they haven’t a clue about. This place houses a world of its own. Since the 1960s, Tibetans have settled down in MKT, as it is locally known, and have built hotels, shops, monasteries and their entire lives here.
The unique nomenclature
This place is named after a ferryman who rowed people across the Yamuna as a service to god. He became so wrapped up in spiritual musings that people began to call him Majnu, after the legendary lover. The gurudwara built here was named after him.
Written 22 May 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elite_traveler_927
New Delhi, India315 contributions
Apr 2016 • Family
Get here for a tibetan experience in terms of people, and food. Its got a market for shopping loving people to bargain. The food is nothing extra ordinary but typical tibetan.
Written 2 May 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jackwinderuppal
Brampton, Canada80 contributions
Feb 2015 • Solo
I regularly visit mcleodganj because of tibetian culture. My recent visit to Delhi made me visit majnu ka tilla....awesome place to buy tibetian souvenirs, tibetian food, and if you are looking for peace!
Written 27 March 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bornav
Assam, India11,108 contributions
Nov 2013 • Friends
Not really a tourist attraction, but infact a rehabilitation centre of the Tibetan refugees. Apart from the market and Tibetan restaurants, there are two Buddhist temples which are worth visiting.
Written 25 February 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shovan Kumar N
Kolkata (Calcutta), India
how to reach majnu ka tilla from delhi international airport
Written 17 February 2020
Hi
Thanks for your query & sorry for the late reply.
If you want to visit this place from IGI Airport, the easiest way is by cab. Metro or bus will not be convenient.
Written 22 February 2020
hi - till what time is the market open and is Tuesday a holiday - pl help
Written 23 March 2019
Yes, there are numerous shops for all kind of wears. I hope you will find some best of it.
Written 23 November 2018
Is there a car parking? I want to visit the place to explore and buy some things too
Written 9 October 2018
Yes, but quite away from the main location.
Written 10 October 2018
Hello
Do you have an adress and email adress from the Gyalthang House?
Thanks in advance
Roderick
Written 2 September 2016
here is the and phone number 011-23815475,23815476
Written 3 September 2016
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