Is Taj all we have?
Every shot of India that the west composes has to have a mandatory shot of Taj- The magnificent Taj.
No doubt the Taj is a stunning affair visually and is of immense historical importance but at times feel we tend to do less justice ( as Indians) to other monuments that are equally important if not less beautiful, it feels like no matter you have maserati or gallardo in your garage ppl talk about you only for your vintage limo rolls royce.
The other day I happened to chance upon a place in Hauz Khas with me and my cheap limo, Where I had lunch with pizza hut gift vouchers India. Now even though im an web development guy and hardly venture out enough to places of historical importance. ( I like the mindless zany set up of a night club and am quite boorish when it comes to historical things, believe me), I just stood there gape mouth with no words to describe what stood before- actually it lay sprawled in all its ancient beauty for quite a distance.
The tombs at Hauz Khas were actually built over the graves of teachers at the Madarasa that came up near the tank, dug by Allaudin Khilji in 1296. Since then various changes have been made by succeeding rulers but the structure is intact in its essence. There is a tank that was meant to be the community tank for the people around the area and the Madarsa. Nothing grand like a london limo, but one look and you’ll know how beautiful the builders of yore could let their imagination run. The arches, the domes, the strong pillar formation and inner spaces- the best thing about these places is , in the Delhi heat the inside of every mausoleum is so beautifully formed that you hardly feel your in Delhi. Its cool, fresh and gives off an ancient smell.
Now why do I tell you all this, because even though id love to have a good time around the city in a limo hire Hampshire type of vehicles and check out the night life. (like is said before), I cannot for one moment think of a more personal introspective mood than the ones that these monuments create. Each and every one of them, right from Faterh pur sikri, to the Old fort to Humayun’s tomb in Nizammudin ( Boy I love that palce, and especially when you have the Sufi gathering every year, I also remember standing at the door on one such festival distributing discount coupons, to pay for my pass ). I think Muzaffar Ali still gets those festivals going.
The point however is this, now everyone knows of the Taj, but in these other places, people actually don’t care to stand and appreciate the beauty like we all ignore our beautiful man made machines like the limo hire surrey trip I took. Either they come there to smoke weed, or to romance in the darker areas. Written on the tomb walls are love messages, from Tinku to Sonu and you wonder if they even know who build the place.
Everybody knows Shahjahan, but few know Allaudin Khilji. (pity we know more about mobile coupons than our history). All I say is this. Generate, an awareness at every chance, least we forget everything else but the Taj.
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