Hauz Khas is an affluent neighborhood in South Delhi, its heart being the historic Hauz Khas Complex. Well known in medieval times, the Hauz Khas village has amazing buildings built around the reservoir. There are remnants of Islamic architecture roughly colored by splotches of urban culture. It is centrally located and offers both rural Hauz Khas Village and urban Hauz Khas Enclave, Market environments. Hauz Khas is surrounded by Green Park, SDA to the west, Gulmohar Park towards the north, Sarvapriya Vihar towards the south and Asiad Village and Siri Fort to the east. Hauz Khas is also home to various diplomatic missions such as the ones of Albania, Iraq, Guinea Bissau, Burundi, and North Macedonia. Historically Hauz Khas was known as Hauz-e-Alai and is the place where Khusro Khan of Delhi Sultanate was defeated by Ghazi Malik in 1320.
History
Hauz Khas is named after an ancient water reservoir by the same name, now part of the extensive Hauz Khas Complex. In Urdu language, 'Hauz’ means "water tank" and ‘Khas’ means "royal", giving it the meaning — the "Royal tank". The large water tank or reservoir was first built by Alauddin Khalji to supply water to the inhabitants of Siri Fort.
Geography
It was developed during the 1960s by DLF as Hauz Khas Enclave. Later it was made a district of South Delhi encompassing some more neighboring areas. Hauz Khas as known, consists of A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,K,L,M,P,Q,R,X,Y,Z Blocks. E block is the Main market here and lies in the middle of the colony. It includes a multi-level parking lot. G block and Aurobindo Market are other markets close by. Mayfair Gardens is an independent small private colony inside Hauz Khas, neighboured by Padmini Enclave. Hauz Khas has some of the largest green areas in Delhi, namely Deer Park and Rose Garden.
It is near to the two major hospitals in Delhi, AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital. As Hauz Khas now is administered as a district, it is also known as a reference for other areas like Mayfair Gardens, Padmini Enclave, Safdarjung Enclave, Hauz Khas Village, Kalu Sarai, IIT-Delhi, Shahpur Jat, Asiad Village, Katwaria Sarai and institutional areas like on Sirifort Road and Aurobindo Marg.
Hauz Khas village
is a historic habitation around the region of the Hauz Khas Complex, dating to much before establishment of South Delhi city. It existed as an urban village at the edge of larger Hauz Khas area, developed by DLF after the 1960s. The village area started getting modernized in mid-1980s when designer boutiques of fashion designer like Bina Ramani, started moving in. Then, in the late 1990s restaurants started coming up in the area, today it has around 50 restaurants, bars, pubs and cafes. The success of Hauz Khas village has led to the development of Shahpur Jat and Lado Sarai as fashion and design markets also in the South Delhi area.
