George T. Everette wrote: It has to be the most beautiful building on the planet. If I can ever travel again, I want to see it with my own eyes. I also want to see the gardens of Mehtab Bagh on the other side of the river.
Sadiqullah Khan Wrote:
Bordering Perverse
Total waste of resource Bordering perverse - A far decadent taste For want of doing else better Than himself to bury in With a lady the Emperor Sans other sublime libation And simply of riches in white If you be mummied like Pharaoh Or burdened with twelve tons Worth of brass The Chinese took to graves Or erect marble walls and domes With chahar-bagh for excursion Have ever the Kings So relieved of responsibility And savour luxuries of dimension - And lately one of the source Of the great was to lift Whatever falls from coffers Of nobles in the feet The destitute dancing girl Kidnapped by harem eunuchs Or the protected brothels for soldiers As a sign of devolution, and Empowerment and delegation For that was noble indulgence Of the Excellency Demurred in history thus The shrine too in union And the temple supplied enough For might was right And was the shadow of God.
Sadiqullah Khan
George T. Everette Wrote:
The Taj a waste of resources? I believe both the Taj and the Pyramids have both paid for themselves many times over from tourism, notwithstanding their religious functions. I know the British were simply amazed, astounded, even humbled when they first viewed the Taj in the first phase of their expansion into the sub-continent where they treated the India’s peoples as full equals, even superiors, in their dealings, peacefully or otherwise, because their royalty were still habituating drafty, damp, hulking stone fortresses without a thought to anything other than their military functions and utility. Only after they visited India did they begin designing public buildings that uplifted the sprite and mind and made a priority the comfort of the inhabitants. The Taj is a treasure to India just as the pyramids are to Egypt. As for Pakistan, you have inherited Anarali’s Tomb, a beautiful structure that could be a worldwide tourist draw if Pakistan recognized its history as India has done. Instead, it is regulated to being a poorly maintained warehouse for mundane government documents and it’s once beautiful gardens overrun by a warren of unplanned, poorly maintained, poorly serviced habitats and street markets. But let me move on to the religious aspects of who the Saudis most exemplify such pure taste. Take a look at the Makkah Royal Clock Tower Hotel which was built on top of 400 pre-existing holy sites and graves which were at one time adored with beautiful structures equal to their religious significance. Now they are covered by Starbucks and Paris Hilton handbag stores and the Prophet’s wife resting place is the site of a public toilet. But surely this is a proper use of resources because the Saudi are the protectors of the holy places, right? Who needs history if you have the Koran, right? Next it will replace medical books as well I bet.
I have a slightly different take on this Poem by Sadiqullah Khan and rebuttal by George T. Everette. The poem is outstanding in its structure and presentation. I tend to think that resources could have been better spent for the betterment of the subject at the time of Shah Jehan, the Mughal emperor who built the Taj. Like all the people in power in any civilization he wanted to be immortal and make his wife, Mumtaz,immortal too. Only because he loved her so. Plus, he had wherewithal to do so; money, power and people at his beck and call. Everyone wants to remain memorable, at least in history books. A poet wants to remain so via poetry. Their love subjects want to remain so through poets' verses. So why building monuments is any different? Romans, Greeks, Egyptians; all have done it. Since I am for little people, I would say, the money can always be better utilized elsewhere. And he certainly did not have to chop off artisan's and craftsmen's hands; if that legend was true. Yet, it should not minimize the beauty and legend of this structure. It is an imposing structure and am in awe of it. Humans are supremely obsessed with 'Immortality
"Edifices and Ruins Edifices of stones, bricks and Mortars of crushed limbs and lives Built with unparalleled ingenuity Of men of trades
We admire, even in ruins, Edifices once built to honor Kings, queens and their consorts By men of trades
Wars, elements, and neglect Have erased the last vestiges Of glory edifices were once conferred By men of trades
We know who they once honored But not men of trades who perished To shoulder edifices that Time has now reduced to ruins
George T. Everette wrote: It has to be the most beautiful building on the planet. If I can ever travel again, I want to see it with my own eyes. I also want to see the gardens of Mehtab Bagh on the other side of the river.
ReplyDeleteSadiqullah Khan Wrote:
Bordering Perverse
Total waste of resource
Bordering perverse -
A far decadent taste
For want of doing else better
Than himself to bury in
With a lady the Emperor
Sans other sublime libation
And simply of riches in white
If you be mummied like Pharaoh
Or burdened with twelve tons
Worth of brass
The Chinese took to graves
Or erect marble walls and domes
With chahar-bagh for excursion
Have ever the Kings
So relieved of responsibility
And savour luxuries of dimension -
And lately one of the source
Of the great was to lift
Whatever falls from coffers
Of nobles in the feet
The destitute dancing girl
Kidnapped by harem eunuchs
Or the protected brothels for soldiers
As a sign of devolution, and
Empowerment and delegation
For that was noble indulgence
Of the Excellency
Demurred in history thus
The shrine too in union
And the temple supplied enough
For might was right
And was the shadow of God.
Sadiqullah Khan
George T. Everette Wrote:
The Taj a waste of resources? I believe both the Taj and the Pyramids have both paid for themselves many times over from tourism, notwithstanding their religious functions. I know the British were simply amazed, astounded, even humbled when they first viewed the Taj in the first phase of their expansion into the sub-continent where they treated the India’s peoples as full equals, even superiors, in their dealings, peacefully or otherwise, because their royalty were still habituating drafty, damp, hulking stone fortresses without a thought to anything other than their military functions and utility. Only after they visited India did they begin designing public buildings that uplifted the sprite and mind and made a priority the comfort of the inhabitants. The Taj is a treasure to India just as the pyramids are to Egypt. As for Pakistan, you have inherited Anarali’s Tomb, a beautiful structure that could be a worldwide tourist draw if Pakistan recognized its history as India has done. Instead, it is regulated to being a poorly maintained warehouse for mundane government documents and it’s once beautiful gardens overrun by a warren of unplanned, poorly maintained, poorly serviced habitats and street markets. But let me move on to the religious aspects of who the Saudis most exemplify such pure taste. Take a look at the Makkah Royal Clock Tower Hotel which was built on top of 400 pre-existing holy sites and graves which were at one time adored with beautiful structures equal to their religious significance. Now they are covered by Starbucks and Paris Hilton handbag stores and the Prophet’s wife resting place is the site of a public toilet. But surely this is a proper use of resources because the Saudi are the protectors of the holy places, right? Who needs history if you have the Koran, right? Next it will replace medical books as well I bet.
Charu Gandhi Replied:
ReplyDeleteI have a slightly different take on this Poem by Sadiqullah Khan and rebuttal by George T. Everette. The poem is outstanding in its structure and presentation. I tend to think that resources could have been better spent for the betterment of the subject at the time of Shah Jehan, the Mughal emperor who built the Taj. Like all the people in power in any civilization he wanted to be immortal and make his wife, Mumtaz,immortal too. Only because he loved her so. Plus, he had wherewithal to do so; money, power and people at his beck and call. Everyone wants to remain memorable, at least in history books. A poet wants to remain so via poetry. Their love subjects want to remain so through poets' verses. So why building monuments is any different? Romans, Greeks, Egyptians; all have done it. Since I am for little people, I would say, the money can always be better utilized elsewhere. And he certainly did not have to chop off artisan's and craftsmen's hands; if that legend was true. Yet, it should not minimize the beauty and legend of this structure. It is an imposing structure and am in awe of it. Humans are supremely obsessed with 'Immortality
"Edifices and Ruins
Edifices of stones, bricks and
Mortars of crushed limbs and lives
Built with unparalleled ingenuity
Of men of trades
We admire, even in ruins,
Edifices once built to honor
Kings, queens and their consorts
By men of trades
Wars, elements, and neglect
Have erased the last vestiges
Of glory edifices were once conferred
By men of trades
We know who they once honored
But not men of trades who perished
To shoulder edifices that
Time has now reduced to ruins
charu
from "Thoughts I Thought" 2014