The Delhi Art Trail - A look at the vibrant art scene in Delhi

What this tour is about: This tour introduces you to the various schools, influences and movements in Indian Art in the last 150 years. It takes you on an exploration of some of the classical and folk traditions, to understand the philosophical and socio-political moorings of Indian artists. We also visit the Street Art project at Lodhi Colony as part of the tour.

The museums and galleries we cover in this tour are housed in interesting buildings, each governed by a distinct design rationale. During this tour, you will explore not only Delhi's art, but also its unique architecture. The tour is curated and led by a trained artist and educator.

Places we will visit: We'll start the tour with the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), designed by Edwin Lutyens who forged a new style of architecture for Imperial Delhi in the 1920s, combining the neo-Classical with architectural elements from India’s Mughal and Buddhist past. Formerly the residence of the Maharajah of Jaipur, the building was later declared as a National Centre for showcasing the wealth of modern Indian art. The galleries at NGMA trace the historic journey of art from the 19th century miniatures to Company paintings, Raja Ravi Varma to Bengal School, the Progressives to present day works.

NGMA, we'll visit either the India Habitat Centre or Triveni Kala Sangam, depending on what is showing. Both buildings were designed by Joseph Stein, and offer spaces for painting, sculpture, photography and new media.

Next, we will drive to Lodhi Colony, to see the Art District project of the St+art India Foundation. Founded in 2014, the foundation aims to make city streets more interactive through the medium of urban art festivals across India. The Lodhi Colony, a residential area has been transformed through a series of impressive works by Indian and international artists.

Duration: 4 hours. Can be extended to 8 hours if required (see below).

Optional extension (4 hours): We can visit The Academy of Fine Arts and Literature at Siri, which houses three galleries - a permanent collection of India's prominent painter Arpana Caur's works, The Miniature Art museum displaying paintings from the Persian, Sikh, Pahari and Rajasthani schools, and the Museum of Folk Art with an expansive collection from across the country that often respond to contemporary themes in traditional styles. We can also visit some private galleries based on your interests as well as the city's calendar of showings. If folk arts and living traditions interest you, we could take you to the Crafts Museum, reminiscent in its design of the courtyard model of India's rural environs. In addition to live demonstrations by artisans during the winter months, the Museum galleries showcase the Textile, Tribal and Courtly Art heritage of the country.

Please note: NGMA is closed on Mondays; and so are several other museums.