Towering over the largely Muslim community in Mehrauli is the Qutb Minar, a world heritage site that's been described as the synthesis of Hindu-Muslim traditions.
Its symbolism of unity within the medieval city is something many today feel is at risk. Muslims in India have described feeling alienated as a result of rising Hindu nationalism, and official policies that they say discriminate against them.
The Akhoondji mosque, home to dozens of children, many orphans, is the latest example.
The stone building, nestled within the Sanjay Forest, was estimated to be 600 years old when it was demolished on January 30.
Its imam Mohammed Zakir said police and bulldozers turned up around 4am as the boys were getting up for their morning classes.
"We watched quietly standing," he said. "The whole demolition continued for more than 12 hours, there was no food available for the kids, they were hungry and they were crying."
He said many of the children were orphans, some from poorer families, and all came from economically-deprived states like Utter Pradesh.
He shared pictures of the ancient building before it was razed. They showed a brick facade and lime green interior, frequently filled with dozens of people coming together beneath its eaves.
In total around 40 people called it home, including some 25 orphans. Where they slept is now bare ground, strewn with rubble. The graveyard was also razed.
All that remains are stones placed in a square by a family who've marked where they believe their loved ones lay buried.
Six months on from the mosque's demolition, the boys have been relocated to different mosques.
1News met with four who had moved to a mosque a five minute drive away. Their smiles and curious looks made it easy to forget the upheaval they've gone through in their young lives.
While they said they're happy at their new home, it's not easy to forget what they saw that morning.
Mohammed Rahil said it was a shock to see the police and bulldozers turn up so early.
"We weren't allowed to take our things. I felt bad, it was our home, we played there, and we used to live there."
Zakir believes his daughter, who'd lived at the mosque alongside the rest of his family, died from the trauma of the move.
He said she stopped eating and died within weeks.
And as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who's been criticised for what some describe as anti-Muslim rhetoric, looks set to win a third term, Zakir said the Muslim community feels helpless.
"They are demolishing our places of worship which we love and the Koran.
"It's the most pious book for us, but they didn't allow us to bring it out to secure it."
Delhi-based journalist Rajesh Joshi said the government would say that these places have been illegally occupied and don't have heritage status.
But he said the result is a growing sense of alienation among Muslims.
"In the past 10 years there have been instances where Muslims were attacked and there are laws also which critics say discriminate against Muslims."
Among them a controversial citizenship law that gives amnesty to non-Muslims seeking refuge that sparked huge outrage when it was announced in 2019.
That led to unprecedented scenes of protest in the Muslim area of Shaheen Bagh with a three-month-long sit in that only ended due to the Covid lockdowns. Among the protesters was 82-year-old Bilkis Dadi, who became the face of female resistance.
She was later recognised in Times Magazine's list of the most influential people for 2020.
"We have lived our lives, and we have seen whatever we have to see, but I'm protesting for the next generation," she told 1News.
Now 86, she said India was different when she was a child.
"When I was growing up there was a different atmosphere. Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians used to stand up for each other."
She said she fears what a third Modi term could mean for the nation's unity.
Dadi challenged the youth to do as she has and to speak out for what they believe.
"I'm a common woman, I'm not educated ... but still Allah is very powerful, he can make people successful, even if they are not educated you can be famous."
Corazon Miller travelled to New Delhi with the assistance of the Asia New Zealand Foundation.
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