Beware ! Dilli haat versus Delhi haat

Hi all,

we have been to Delhi a few days ago and wanted to visit Dilli haat, a famous arts and crafts market in the south of Delhi. The riksha driver took a to three very expensive shops in nowhere, which call semselves Delhi haat. When we asked the driver if this is really the famous Dilli haat, he told us some humbug about Dilli haat beeing partly closed due to metro construction work and this is what remains...but of course he could drive us to a better bazaar... We did not believe a word and hired another riksha, which brought us to Dilli haat.

As we have not been the only tourist stranded in this place, I want to warn you to make really clear that you want to go to Dilli haat not Delhi haat!

That's one I hadn't heard about so far. Thanks for the update! The taxidrivers and autowallas make a tidy income out of such scams, I once had a driver who explained me that in one emporium, he'd get 400 Rs just for bringing in a foreign tourist. That's a huge sum for them. Of course we teamed up and scammed the emporiums, did a grand tour of 5 or 6 of them, me going in, not buying anything, him getting paid and showing me around for free the rest of the day

Here is a website for Dilli Haat - I was trying to see if it had a photograph of the entrance, however no: http://delhitourism.nic.in/publicpage/delhihaat2.aspx

To give you an idea, it has a wide expansive paved area in front of the entrance gates. There is a building there with ticket offices, and an entry and exit gate to the side. If your rickshaw driver takes you to what look like shops, then he's taking you to the wrong place. Refuse to get out of the rickshaw, and insist he takes you to the right one, opposite the INA Market on Aurobindo Marg, not far from Safdarjung Aerodrome.

Visitors may verify the logo of Dilli Haat at entrance. which appears like this:

That's a handy pic, Delhiwala - thanks for posting it.

You are welcome Aishah....

Here is a full Pic of Entrane also....people may please note that Elephant Toran (decorative gate) shown in the pic is temporaray..., and when they visit Dilli Haat, there may not be any toran...or there may be a different themed toran.....

The logo can be seen in this pic too...

Also, there is an entry charge (Rs 15?), ticket check and security check for the real deal Dilli Haat...

I used to due that all the time. Taxi guys would tell me how long to stay(5-10 minutes), to get their business card, & tell them you'll definitely be back when you have a bit more time to shop ..... then on to the next emporium. Cha-ching ( hmmmm guess I was working illegally in India then ???? )

Another clever rickshaw scam re Dilli Haat:

I was with an Indian friend (she's not from Delhi) and we set off in a rickshaw from Connaught Place to Dilli Haat. After we'd been going 5 minutes or so the driver started a conversation -

driver: Ah madam, today is Thursday (or whatever day it was)
me/my friend: Er, yes it is.
driver: I think Dilli Haat is closed today
us: Oh I've never heard of that
driver: I'm not completely sure madam but I think closed today. Dilli Haat is a long way from here, I can take you to these other emporiums, very good (passing cards to us)
us (wising up): no take us to Dilli Haat thanks, we'll take a chance
driver: As you like madam, but I have told you I think closed today

It was of course completely open
But it's a clever approach, to frame it as concern that we wouldn't waste our time!

oh i can't wait to get back to delhi and deal with scamming scooter men...

also can't wait to get back to dilli haat. does anyone know what the actual hours of operation are? i've been there during the day, but hear that evening is nice? i've looked at their website to no avail...

Not sure what time it closes but I once was there around 9.00 p.m. and it was still going strong. I looked the website but can't see any hours for opening on it - a bit remiss really.

its notclosed on any day of the week...and for the genuineness, look for a petrol pump juxtaposed. The entrance would have a ramp with railings, which is usually followed by women interrupting passer-bys for beading. Have been there till 11 PM.

The scam is alive and well. Our driver tried Delhi Haat, and then kept saying, Indians don't know Dilli Haat, I don't know it. I had been there before and just told him to take us there, and he tried then to say it closes at 5pm for "security reasons" which I knew by then he was lying about. It's open from 1000hrs to 2200hrs, entry for 10 or 15RS, and is great for getting peoples' feet wet. We bought a couple of pashminas for great prices, and like I said, it's a nice place with low stress for guests and locals alike.

There are two Dilli Haats in entire Delhi. One is on Auribindo Marg, opposite INA market and another is at Pitampura. Dilli haats are never close. Entry fee is Rs 15.

Ooh, and if you want to go to the govt handicraft emporiums in Connaught Place, don't tell the autorickshaw driver! Just ask for Regal Cinema and then walk down the street. The emporiums are closed, there's a VIP and the road is blocked off, there are demonstrations, or finally just he drops you at some random other place.