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Humayun Tomb

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Maqbara-e-Humayun means Tomb of Humayun. He was the second Mughal Emperor of India. The tomb was commissioned by Humayun's first wife and chief consort, Empress Bega Begum also known as Haji Begum. The complex encompasses the main tomb of the Emperor Humayun, which houses the graves of Bega Begum herself, Hamida Begum, and also Dara Shikoh, great-great-grandson of Humayun and son of the later Emperor Shah Jahan, as well as numerous other subsequent Mughal rulers.

Sadiqullah KhanSadiqullah and 3 others manage the membership, moderators, settings, and posts for The Voices.wrote:

The most worthless of the Mughals who was driven out of India by Sher Shah Suri. He remained in exile in Iran for seventeen years and later came again to India with their support. The only remarkable person in this mausoleum is Dara Shikoh, the fond son of Shah Jahan, author of books and painter who was brutally killed by his brother Aurangzeb

Charu Replied:

Charu Gandhi The structure remains beautiful regardless of history of its occupants Sadiqullah Khan.

A Bull Story

When our guide told us this story we did not believe him until we saw it ourselves.

In Varanasi, known often as Benares or Kashi, one of the holiest places for Hindus in India, there is a Saree store. This store, as stores go, is very tiny and unremarkable. It's three walls are lined with shelfs of Sarees and/or fabrics.

Unusually, a bull considers this store his home. He comes and goes as he pleases. Even more unusual, the customers and the owner do not mind it but give him wide berth. Nobody considers him obtrusive to their business, buying or selling. 

As one will notice, there is an idol of Lord Shiva on a bull against the back wall.  All who know Hinduism know many Indian gods and goddesses are associated with a specific animal. Lord Shiva's vehicle happens to be Bull, colloquially called Nandi or Pothio, among many other names.

What is stranger yet, is that there used to be another Bull who did the same, i.e made this store his home. He died few years ago. The new bull has chosen to replace the old. Owners have a photograph of old bull lounging there which hangs on store's wall. 

This is no "Cock and Bull" story; it is a Bull story! Photograph is the evidence!🤔🤔🤔

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Vestiges

Vestiges of Indian Royal era....Jodhpur, India

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Taj Mahal

I went, I saw, I was conquered.....

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Crow-Smart Bird

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Doors...

that allow or deny entry or exit interest me. During my recent trip to my homeland, India, and travel within I was lucky to spot some marvellous doors. They adorn temples, mosques, monuments, palaces and/or private residences. Even in their antiquity they look imposing. I may have more to post later. 

Here is just a sampling...

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Rippels

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First Light

Book Title: First Light  

Written: Sunil Gangopadhyay 

Translation: Aruna Chakravarti  

It took a long time for me to finish First Light by Sunil Gangopadhyay. It is 753 pages of fine print. The original is written in Bengali, one of the vernaculars of India. It is well-translated to English by Aruna Chakravarti. The title in vernacular reads, Protham Alo, which translates, First Light. It is an acclaimed book.

The story begins with a Maharaja, Manikya, of the small realm of Tripura who never cedes his power to British rule. He has several wives and concubines. He begets a son with a Kachhua, a low caste woman. The child, Bharat, can never inherit the throne. Bharat, in his youth, promises a girl, Bhumisuta, to take care of and never leave her. But he runs away due to circumstances. He, she and the story meander through places and people after that. 

This is a fictional and factual narrative of some of the most prominent figures of late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries of Bengal Presidency under British rule over undivided India. The historical figures I am familiar with are Aurobindo Ghosh, Rabindranath Thakur, Swami Vivekanand, Ramkrishna Paramhans and Bal Gangadhar Tilak. The poet, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay who gave us our beloved National song, Vande Mataram, is also featured. All figures, whether real or fictional are from only united Bengal. These personalities are made to connect through servants, actors, friends, religious figures or courtesans.

This book addresses the good, bad and ugly features of the social, political, financial and cultural fabric of India of the time.

It touches on a gamut of subjects such as foreign rule, royalty, polygamy, child marriages, widow remarriages, sati system, poverty, theater acting, literature, illiteracy, brotherhood between Hindus and Muslims, prostitution, untouchables just to name a few. To read the entire list is to exhaust one's mind. 

The fiction is without antagonists, in the true sense. Even the protagonists do not emerge until towards the end. To write a novel without either is an interestingly novel idea.  Ultimately, it remained more of a historical but episodic account than a fiction.

The book contains too many characters and issues. The translation is done well. The author however, has used 'One day....' at the start of many paragraphs. It is like, 'Once there was a... ', making it read more like a fairytale than a literary work.

I continued to read the book for two reasons, Bengal is where I grew up. It holds a special place in my mind. I love her intellectually. It presented to me that slice of society which I knew and like to relive whenever I can even remotely by reading about it. Second, I wanted to know and read more about Rabindranath Thakur's life. He holds a very special place in my mind too. I wasn't disappointed on both those counts. For a time, I reveled in nostalgia.

Today, as was then, Bengal is a sophisticated and enlightened hub of stage acting. In my young days, I had fantasized about being a thespian. My hope was soon dashed by my father.

He vehemently refused. Now I know why. Most of the female actresses, in those days, were either untouchables or prostitutes. It was a lowly profession. And, I was born high class Brahmin!

Thinking back, not withstanding that acting was a lowly profession, it was indeed a laughable aspiration for me. I would not have made a success of it. I once fainted on stage reciting Thakur's poem-I suffered stage fright.

Charu

01202018

Carafe

After imbibing the entire content a decanter began to appear as such.......

P.S. Gandhis are, at times, prone to exaggerations....💃💃💃

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