Last Updated on: 4th March 2026, 10:44 am
The Lodhi Art District is considered India’s first art district, transforming what was once a British-era residential neighborhood into an open-air gallery. First established in 2015, it remains the best place in Delhi to spot eye-catching street art from both local and international artists.
Admittedly, before arriving in the neighborhood, I didn’t know too much about the Lodhi Art District, but saw it recommended online as a good place to check out some murals. As it’s indicated by a single point on Google Maps, I was under the impression that it was confined to one block. But I couldn’t have been more wrong.
We won’t be covering exactly where each individual mural is located, as a big part of the fun is discovering them for yourself. But in general, you’ll want to start around the spot marked ‘Lodhi Art District’ on Google Maps in between Third and Fourth Ave.
From there, you can make your way south along Fourth Ave, all the way to ‘Kushak Nallah Depot.’ But you’ll want to repeatedly weave east and west, as you’ll find murals extending one block east and up to two blocks west of Fourth Ave.
The murals featured below took me a couple of hours and a lot of walking to find. If you’re not much of a walker, consider hiring a local tuk tuk driver instead, but be sure to confirm the price in advance.
Exploring the Lodhi Art District
Beginning around the ‘Lodhi Art District’ marker on Google Maps, one of the first large murals you’ll encounter is ‘New Delhi’ by NeSpoon. The Polish artist was inspired by traditional patterns that can be found woven into fabrics.
Another mural in the area is ‘Unity’ by Priyesh Trivedi, a self-taught artist from Mumbai. Painted in 2019, Trivedi mimics educational posters that were prevalent in India in the 1980s and ‘90s.
All of the murals I encountered were added in either 2016 or 2019. But in between my visit and the publication of this article, a month-long festival is set to take place in honor of the district’s tenth anniversary.
Therefore, you should probably expect to see some new pieces by the time of your visit.
A particularly eye-catching mural in the northern part of the district is ‘Mere Rang Mein’ by German artist Bond Truluv.
Painted in 2019, it’s actually an augmented reality piece meant to be viewed through an app called ‘Artivive,’ though I didn’t try it out myself.
The murals of the Lodhi Art District take on a wide variety of style. For example, ‘Belly Dance – The Reincarnation of R, G and B’ is a playful piece by Dutch artist Daan Botlek. It simultaneously focuses on the theme of ‘Delhi Belly’ along with the deeper theme of reincarnation.
Sadly, this is one example of a piece that’s been damaged by ugly graffiti. And I also encountered irrelevant political posters plastered over many of the works, and even over some of the descriptions.
With that being said, the Lodhi Colony has got to be one of Delhi’s cleanest and most peaceful districts to walk through.
With the exception of crossing the main avenues, you’ll encounter minimal traffic as you hunt for street art. I found the locals to be especially friendly as well.
Painted in 2016, ‘Dead Dahlias’ by Amitabh Kumar focuses on the mythical origins of Delhi. In the Mahabharata, it was described as an abandoned, undesirable place that was only made livable by Krishna’s magic.
Based on that idea, the piece is an abstract representation of the process of disintegration and renewal.
Contributors to the Lodhi Art District’s murals hail from a wide variety of places. ‘Don’t Let This Symbolism Kill Your Heart,’ for example, was painted by Iranian artist Nafir in 2016.
Photographing some of the murals in full was a challenge, as trees, vehicles and other objects were often blocking the view. That’s why some of these photos only depict fragments of much larger pieces.
‘Dilliwalle’ was painted in 2019 by Bhajju Shyam of Madhya Pradesh. His style was influenced by the indigenous art of the Gond tribe but with a modern twist. (You can see some examples of Gond art in our guide to Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh).
Moving on, I encountered ‘Untitled’ by David Leitner, which was inspired by everyday scenes the artist observed during his visit to Delhi.
Nearby, the 2016 piece ‘From Your Strength, I Weave Beauty,’ was painted by Fearless Collective. It’s a social commentary on the plight of women in the village of Najafgarh who were forced into sex slavery.
Yet another eye-catching piece is ‘About Dreams and Reality’ by Spanish artist Manolo Mesa, which is an ode to traditional ceramics.
Another highlight of the district is the striking monochrome mural titled ‘Instante’ by Mexican artist Paola Delfin.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t quite able to find the artist name and description of every single piece I photographed. If you can identify a mural with a missing credit, feel free to leave a comment or send a message.
Added in 2019, the piece ‘Shakti’ by Sajid Wajid Shaikh was inspired by the Art Nouveau Style and is an homage to womanhood.
One of the few photorealistic murals at Lodhi is ‘Tribute to Pandit Birju Maharaj’ by Gujarat-born artist Ruchin Soni. The piece commemorates Birju Maharaj, a major figure of Karthak Dance.
Perhaps my personal favorite mural at the Lodhi Art District is ‘Impressions of Lodhi’ by Singaporean artist Yip Yew Chong. Painted in 2019, it’s an homage to the sights and sounds of the Lodhi Colony as seen through the eyes of a foreign visitor.
In the southern half of the district, you’ll find pieces like ‘See Through / See Beyond’ by the Swiss duo Nevercrew. It depicts a spaceman sitting atop a large meteorite while it also utilizes the building’s large window.
Situated on a quiet street is ‘Letters of Lodhi’ by Yok and Sheryo. The mural was inspired by vintage Indian matchboxes and old public service announcements while making use of the duo’s trademark funky characters and eye-catching colors.
My first encounter with Yok and Sheryo was in Northern Thailand, and now I can instantly recognize their work.
‘Cause and Effect’ was painted in 2019 by Sam Low, another Singapore-based artist. It was inspired by Mughal floral motifs, with the birds representing freedom despite being under the surveillance of multiple CCTV cameras.
Not far away, more birds make appearances in ‘These Rock Pigeons Chose the Trees’ by Adele Renault.
‘Social Media Friendly Plant’ by Mumbai-based artist Sameer Kulavoor focuses on the theme of algorithms. It depicts various plants that became popular on social media – at least at the time the work was produced in 2019.
Elsewhere in the southern part of the district is ‘The Light Fort’ by Yoh Nagao. Painted in 2019, it’s a colorful and abstract piece that was inspired by the Jaali, or stone latticed screen of Indo-Islamic architecture. Other symbols of both India and Japan also make appearances.
Additional Info
Delhi is a massive, sprawling city. On the one hand, you’re going to be doing a lot of moving around no matter where you stay. But the more you’re able to avoid Delhi traffic, the better.
Neighborhood aside, the Delhi metro system is a really convenient and affordable way to explore the city. So wherever you choose to stay, you’ll want to be sure that you’re within easy walking distance from the nearest station.
With that said, let’s take a look at some popular districts:
Connaught Place
This is considered Delhi’s fancy commercial district, while it’s very central in terms of location and metro access. There are countless restaurants in the area, though it’s not an ideal place for budget travelers.
Some top-rated hotels in the area include Hotel Palace Heights and The Imperial, New Delhi. If your budget is a bit tighter, Hotel Jukaso Inn Down Town seems like a good option.
Paharganj
Paharganj, located right near New Delhi Railway Station, is the capital’s traditional backpacker district. It’s a chaotic and crowded mess, but there’s no denying its convenience in terms of location.
I can’t say I’m a fan of Paharganj, but it’s definitely the best way to enjoy central New Delhi on a budget. I recently stayed at Sarthak Palace which was fine for the modest price I paid.
But to my surprise, there were hardly any international tourists there during my recent visit compared with my first stay some 15 years prior. Paharganj now seems to be catering to mostly domestic travelers.
South Delhi
For my next trip to Delhi, I’d consider making South Delhi, or somewhere near the Lodhi Garden, my base. Traffic is more relaxed here, while there are plenty of cool cafes to choose from. You also have easy access to some ancient tombs.
Lutyens Bungalow is highly rated but expensive. Further south, Skylink Suites Bed & Breakfast and South Haven Residency are more budget-friendly (as mentioned, be sure to double-check if your hotel is near a metro station).
Old Delhi?
While it’s worth a visit, I would avoid staying within Old Delhi (Chandni Chowk area), as it’s just too chaotic – even by Delhi standards!