LOON MOUNTAINS & CONWAY, NEW HAMPSHIRE

The desire to see the famous Fall colours of New Hampshire took us up North from Nashua,where we live. Fall is setting in and officially the first day of Autumn is  22nd September, yet as we are leaving this lovely place on 23rd September we were in a rush to see whatever we could before the onset of the full colors.

En route to Loon Mountains

On our way up north, we stopped at Loon Mountain. This is a place famous for skiing. There were the Gondola type ropeway and also the open chair type ropeway. We went in the closed gondolas and went up to the top of the mountain. The view all around was beautiful. One could only see thick forests all around.

The Lake

There was a lake too quite high up. The food at the cafe on top of the mountain was really good. Jamaican fare in the heart of North America, spicy and different was quite amazing! The sky was as blue as it possibly could be and the fluffy clouds made beautiful shadows on the hills. It was quite windy and cold.
Down the mountain, we saw bungee jumping, rock climbing and a zip wire too. Aaria my four year old grand daughter, is becoming quite interested in sporty things so she said that she wanted to do bungee jumping. To our surprise she went quite high and showed her independence by managing to stay for much over the time allotted to her.
After that we resumed our  journey onwards to Conway

Conway Railway Station

Conway is a small town which caters mainly to tourists. There are numerous hotels, eating places and outlet stores in the town. The shops on the main road are unique. Each shop seems to have a history and maintains the look of olden time neighborhood stores. There was a shop called " 5 cents & 10 cents" store, which was opened in 1900.

5Cents & 10 cent store

There was "Zeb's "which was full of goodies of all types.  There was an old Ford parked outside the shop and an old time petrol pump too. It was interesting to walk through the store and see the stuff that had been maintained so well. Old Coca cola iceboxes and bottles too added to the charm of the place.

Old coke bottles in an ice box

The town has a lovely Conway Scenic Railroad.The destination is only the scenic view around the mountains. The trains are maintained beautifully. The magical part was the steam engine which was hauling the train.  I went several years back and re lived the memories of long forgotten train journeys of my childhood when as a school girl I would travel on trains hauled by steam engines! The billowing smoke, the coal dust, the wonderful whistle of the engine made me feel nostalgic. We took great pleasure in telling Aaria that this was a chhuk,chuk gadi.

The steam engine

A steam engine hauls the train at a slower speed, and the smoke reminds you of a bygone era when pollution was not the upper most thought on any one's mind.

The Dining Car

We took the 1330 hours Dining Car Chocorua train. Dining on the rails in America is a tradition dating back to the mid 19th century when railrods across the country started offering meals on the train as an alternative to the road houses that were located at their stops.The charm, the experience on the Dining car was memorable.
I love retro.  I love to remember days that just went away even before they started.

Interesting stuff!

Conway has an old world charm. There are quaint little shops with unique names, and unique features. There are no big chain stores on that main stretch. People walk as though automobiles do not exist. Parking is easy and without charge. Shops sell goods which one does not see any longer in huge chain stores.
This vacation  was a memorable, beautiful return to the past.

Fall setting in.

Fall colours for which we had set out were scant. We were therefore happy to spot any patch of red, orange or yellow. The road, the national forest, the river flowing by made this place even more enchanting.

On the way back we went past the huge Lake Winnipesaukee. This and the name of the river are original names given by the original inhabitants of this place, the American Indians. Early settlers called  this area  Pequawket and the river nearby was called Saco. The nearest Indian village in this area was the Abenaki Indian Village.

A WONDERFUL WONDER OF THE WORLD-NIAGARA

THE MIGHTY NIAGARA

The fierce, fast beautiful waters of the Niagara seem to be in a rush to reach their fall. It is an immense body of water which is just rushing and gushing and then with a thunderous roar falling. It is an experience to see the place. There is a lot of mist which rises at the fall. It is nature at it's best performance. The sound and the effect of the mist actually waits for no applause. The onlookers keep looking with awe.

I and my family went to the Niagara Falls together. It was awesome. The view from the American side they say is not as awesome as the view from the Canadian side. I have my own theory. I am sure it is more beautiful from Canada as all that one can see is the immense water body and the lovely falls. From the American side we look at hotels, buildings and modern architecture!

The enchanting beauty of the Niagara has to be seen and experienced. After all it is a wonder of the World for a reason! There are actually three water falls. The Rainbow also called the American falls, The Bridal Veil, and The Horseshoe.

MAID OF THE MIST

 The ride on the "Maid of the Mist" is lovely. Going almost down to the bottom of the massive Horse shoe falls  is delightful. The full force of the water falling at great speed is a sight which one actually cannot see. The eyes simply close with the force of water on your face.The thrill of getting drenched under the falls is an experience that one is not likely to forget in a life time. 

HURRICANE DECK

One can also get drenched at the Hurricane deck at the Cave of the Winds. One walks very close to the falls at this place. The thrill and happiness one experiences is unbelievable. Almost everyone was laughing, trying to drink the water and get the full powerful shower. The absolute fun and screaming and delirious shouts of glee from every person on the deck has to be seen to be believed. It is the advent of the joy of childhood and getting drenched in the rain as if there was a cloud burst! The thrill and happiness one experiences is unbelievable. 

The force of the water does not seem scary even though one is witness to the mighty roar, the fast speed and the momentum of water coming down. That may be so because although the water is very close one is well protected with railings.

THE FIRE ENGINE

As though watching the Niagara had not been adventure enough,when we came back to the Hotel where we were staying, a fire alarm went off and all of us had to go down the stairs. We had small children and 6 flight of steps to take. We hurriedly left the room, taking care to quickly pick up the mobile, the laptop and wallets! Two huge fire engines and an ambulance were soon there. The firemen ran out with their hose and were dressed perfectly to fight the fire. However they soon came back and what we saw after that was absolutely hilarious. There were some tourists getting themselves photographed with the firemen! 

A RAINBOW!

Living in that moment of fun is a delightful memory forever!

Now for some trivia.
Niagara falls can be seen both from the US side as well as the Canadian side. The nearest town in USA is Buffalo and on the Canadian side is Toronto.
Niagara falls are not the tallest falls. There are about 500 falls taller than this, but it is the combination of height and volume of water that makes Niagara so exquisitely beautiful. In fact the Angel falls in Venezuela is the tallest, it is about 3212 feet.
Almost 6 million cubic feet of water go over the crest-line of the falls every minute. The crest-line of the Horse shoe falls is about 2200 feet wide. The plunge pool is about 100 feet deep.
The crest-line of the American Falls is about 850 feet wide.
The fastest speed of the rapids is 68 miles per hour at the falls.
The Niagara River is a channel between the Great Lakes Erie and Ontario.

VIEW AT NIGHT

The Niagara falls are an amazing, beautiful,awesome sight! The roar of the water is powerful and yet soothing. The rising mist, the view and the beauty of the white water is an experience, which if experienced, will remain with you forever!

AN OUT OF THIS WORLD PLACE-RAWLA NARLAI

It was in the December of 2007 that my brother planned a trip to Narlai in Rajasthan. We were driving from Mumbai to Narlai. I had never heard of the place and so was wondering about what to expect.

Was I surprised? Wait , read and then decide for yourself.

We set out in the morning and went past a lot of towns and reached the beautiful highway in Gujarat, which evoked memories of highways of USA and motorways of UK. I was amazed to see this fast road, without bends and turns and a stretch of road where one could speed. Oh yes, we too can have good highways in India!

After speeding on  that road, we came back to terra firma with a thud and relaxed back in the security of bumpy roads, slow traffic, towns and villages by the roadside and the usual drive on the roads of my India with camel carts, scooters, cycles and tractors vying for space with trucks, lorries, buses and cars.

Soon there appeared a lovely fort on the horizon. We moved past and I realised that was not our destination. More bumpy roads were crossed, and then we slowly took more turns on almost kutchha roads and reached a sleepy little town, with few houses and a hillock. We had reached our destination! There was a huge gate and some walls in front of us. When the gates were opened, some nagadas(kettle drums) started beating and we were given a welcome fit for royalty. The gates transported us to another era in another world. From 20th century India we got transported to a mix of 16th and 21st century India.

A lovely palace stood infront of us. Beautiful green plants, flowers, small little water tanks with beautiful patterns, niches in the walls to hold lamps, wicker chairs, all emerged in front of me. Tired after our journey we waited to be shown our rooms. I was delighted with the thought that I was at last going to sleep in a palace where lived Ranis and Ranas and all those shoor- veer( brave) Rajpootana people, for whom honour came before everything else!

The garden

 To my dismay, we walked past the palace and crossed many doors and emerged from the last huge door into yet another world. There was a designer's swimming pool,  and colourful fluttering tents with wicker chairs in front of them. Oh my goodness...was I to live in a tent? Entering the tent I was delighted to see the comfortable beds, the comfortable chairs and beautiful linen! There was an attached bathroom but no door! Only a curtain was there, although the facilities inside were of 5 star quality. The swimming pool was designed by Raghvendra Rathore a famous designer and also a scion of the royal family of Mewar. The tiles on the bottom of the pool have been arranged in a paisley pattern and looked amazing.

The tent and the Swimming pool

There were no call bells in the rooms. I was wondering  how to manage to get some tea. I came out of my tent and saw an attendant standing a few feet away with is hands behind his back and eyes looking down. The moment I began to walk towards him he looked in my direction and waited for my instructions. He took my order for tea and left his post. I was later told that someone or the other would be waiting around always to obey our orders. Royalty?...Indeed!

There was no TV, no phone, no bell, nothing but beauty, farmabardaars(people to look after your needs),serenity and tranquility. This is what a holiday is all about. A place to detoxify your mind too! No news, no newspaper, no mobile phone! Sheer bliss, and a time to enjoy being just you with your own self

Rawla Narlai was an amazing out of this world place. It was a destination to remember.

Every day the food was served in style, on time and without calling out to a waiter. Everything worked like clockwork. The waiter would actually wait for your order, and come quietly to attend to your needs. They were like dumb waiters, with eyes down and mind alert.

The room

There is nothing much to do in Narlai except climb the hill and watch the sunset. Here again someone takes you up the hill on your little adventure, serves you tea on top of the hill and takes pictures of you .

On the last day of our stay we saw a performance of the famous kalbelia dancers. They dance on thaals( large plates), and there are a lot of acrobatics involved in the lovely dancing and  balancing acts. We heard beautiful folk songs sung about the valour and history of this part of Rajasthan. Every day the food was delicious and different.

As my brother had some friend living nearby, we visited that family. Once again we were transported into the 14th century. This was a joint family with a huge haveli. We went into the house and as our host walked into any room, the women of the house would immediately swirl their skirts and quickly sit down on the floor. It was sort of customary for the women never to face the men of the house. It was sort of purdah( hiding)I couldn't believe that this was hapenning in this time and date.

We went in the backyard of the house and saw that it was decorated with lights and tables were laid out for a feast. We ate splendid Rajasthani cuisine and listened to the folk music. Later we were invited inside by the women who showed us their beautiful jewellery and dresses. They all danced the ghoomar for us.

Rawla Narlai was like a world waiting to be discovered. It is amazing, unique and beautiful.

It was one of the most  delightful holidays that I have been to. The total experience was absolutely out of the world.

One can reach Rawla Narlai from Udaipur to experience what Mewar and its culture is all about!

14TH CENTURY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION-HAUZ KHAS



HAUZ- E- ALAI now HAUZ- KHAS

Hauz Khas is better known today as a posh colony in South Delhi. It falls on the road leading towards Qutab Minar from AIIMS. As one goes from Aurobindo Market towards the deer park, one sees a whole lot of little structures like tombs. Almost all of them have names, have been properly restored, and have beautiful red boards with their names written neatly. These boards let us know something about the building, and are not just  blue boards of the Archeological Survey of India declaring that it is a "Protected Monument" without any description whatsoever.

WELL MAINTAINED WALKWAYS

So one fine evening I went for this walk to Hauz Khas. The village complex itself is a designer shopper’s paradise. The shops have exotic names, exotic stuff and exotic prices! We walked through this actual urbanized village and walked into the ancient Hauz Khas complex.

THE HAUZ ANOTHER VIEW

The complex is well maintained, there are nice pathways, and it was a pleasure to see a lot of people enjoying the cool breeze on a summer's evening here.

This Hauz or tank was made by Allaudin Khilji (1296 - 1316). The Khiljis came after the Mamluk or Slave dynasty.  Allaudin Khilji had established the city of Siri. That’s right, the Siri Fort complex and its neighbourhood is the location of Allaudin’s Siri.  “Siri” means head and it is said that this fort was built on the heads of  about 8000 Mongol soldiers killed by the Khiljis when the Mongols invaded. The Tank was called "Hauz- e- Alai" to begin with. After Feroze Shah Tughlak (1351-1388) re- excavated the tank and beautified the surrounding area by laying out a huge garden with lots of trees, he renamed the tank as “Hauz -  Khas”.

 

 



FEROZE SHAH'S TOMB

Feroze Shah Tughlak did not expand his territory much during his reign but  invested a lot in building madrasas, as well as  hunting palaces, a tomb for himself, repaired and got a storey added to the Qutab minar, and built the city of Ferozabad, which is presently called Feroze Shah Kotla. He also brought Ashoka's pillars to Delhi from Meerut and Topara in Ambala District

  The Madrasa at Hauz Khas was established in 1352 and was in a double storeyed building where the class rooms were on the top floor and the tutors had their living quarters on the ground floor. The madrasa was constructed in an L shape and at the vertex was the tomb of Feroze Shah Tughlak. The class rooms were open on the side of the lake and therefore the students could get a refreshing view of the lake . This madrasa was a  leading institution of Islamic learning in the Delhi Sultanate.The madrasa also had beautiful jharokhas in the style of those found in Rajasthan.

JHAROKHAS

I saw a number of people sitting in these jharokhas. Reminded me of my own days of yore, when I too had sat in these jharokhas and whiled away many a pleasant evening. The jharokhas are at a height, there are a lot of trees around, the area around the lake is almost like a forest and the hauz infront with plenty of water makes the place very beautiful, cool, refreshing and peaceful.

Sadly, most of the buildings are in ruins now. Later day rulers usually removed material from older structures to build their new buildings and forts.The material used at Hauz Khas Madarasa is grey quartzite stone which was very hard and therefore one does not find much design on the walls.

ROOF AND WALL OF FEROZE SHAH TUGHLAK'S TOMB

Feroze Shah's tomb too is quite austere. The dome on top does have certain stucco work with painted geometric patterns. The colours used are red and blue. Blue denotes the sky and red denotes wealth. The carvings are in plaster, carved and then painted. The doors of Tughlak's tomb have Hindu architecture. It is also surrounded by a boundary wall which looks like the walls normally found around  Buddhist stupas



THE BUDDHIST STUPA BOUNDARY



There are 6 smaller buildings in the gardens near the tomb and madrasa, which were perhaps tombs of the tutors of the Madrasa. There is a Masjid at the eastern side of the Madrasa. Strangely the western side in the Mosque does not have a closed wall with a mehrab(a niche facing Qibla or direction of Kaaba) as is common in most mosques.

DOMES ARE ELONGATED

The domes of the Tughlak era Hauz Khas monuments have domes which are slightly elongated at the top, they are not very round. Further around the dome midway there are  patterns like battlements

 



BATTLEMENT ON THE DOME LIKE KANGURA



The place is lovely, peaceful, calm and quiet. A lot of people sitting, chatting, gazing at the water added to the beauty of the place. A lot of groups of people simply having fun, and sending out sounds of laughter made the place feel vibrant and joyful. It was altogether a feel good place. A place to surely visit and feel the youthfulness of all the students of the 14th century and later, who spent their time here studying and surely having fun as people with the future ahead of them normally have.





TRANQUIL AND HAPPY PLACE FACING HAUZ

We left this area and went to the Deer park area. Here we saw a couple more tombs. One was quite a large one called "Bagh- e- alam- ka- gumbad". This is of the Lodi era.When we reached this tomb it had already become quite dark. We quickly looked around and noticed that inside it was pitch dark. My husband took a photo and strangely a flash of light appeared in the photograph. Hmmmm, definitely haunted, we said and ran as fast as we could.



GHOSTLY LIGHT!


This place is supposed to be a deer park, so surely deer must inhabit the place. Sadly we couldn’t spot even one. There was a place where drummers were playing their drums. It was quite jarring as this did not feel the right place for drummers. Surely no wild life would feel comfortable and safe in the loud sounds of the drums. They need peace and quiet. 

Energy, tranquility, happiness is what I was filled with after my walk at the Hauz Khas and I was also filled with concern at our interfering with the peace and tranquility needed by wild life which we are trying to preserve in the middle of a huge metropolis.

A COOL PLACE IN DELHI - THE LODI GARDENS

MOHD SHAH'S TOMB WITH GULDASTA

Summer in Delhi is hot, and nothing but hot. The evenings also are unpleasant, as even after sundown the heat wave seems to continue undisturbed.

To get some respite from the desert like dusty Delhi, I ventured into the Lodi Gardens with the Delhi Heritage Walk, one fine evening! The walk was lovely, cool and green.

The gardens are spread in 90 acres, with lovely paths, huge shady trees, a whole lot of birds inhabiting the place, and the tombs of the Sayyed and Lodi dynasty spread around. I felt as if I had arrived in paradise! These gardens were restored by the British, therefore the pattern is not like what it would have been originally during the Sultanate times, when gardens were laid out as Char baghs(four squares) with water flowing through.

I had been to these gardens on many occasions for picnics. In those days the ruins never attracted me. Those were just spots which were usually fixed as a meeting point.

As I walked this evening, I found that I could not name a single Ruler from the Sayyed dynasty!  In fact Delhi-ites learn a lot of History from the names of the Roads in the city. I could not remember any road with the name of the Sayyeds!

THE MASJID & A SUNSET

Delhi, the city which never ceased to be the Capital, except for short intervals, was established eight times they say. The Sayyed Dynasty was the fourth in the series of rulers of the Delhi Sultanate. The first was the Slave Dynasty( 1206 - 1290), then Khiljis (1290 -1320), the Tughlaks( 1320 - 1414), and then the Sayyeds( 1414 -1451). Sayyeds ruled only for 37 years. They claimed to be descendants of Prophet Mohammed.

Timur of Uzbekistan had invaded Delhi a number of times during the reign of the Tughlaks. He finally succeeded in 1398, and deputed Khizr Khan  to be Governor of Multan, but the attraction of Delhi made Khizr Khan move to Delhi. After him his son Mubarak Khan ruled. Kotla Mubarakpur near South Extension is named after this Sultan, as his tomb is located at Kotla Mubarakpur.

After the short rule of the Sayyeds, Bahlul Khan Lodi became the Sultan in 1451, and the Lodi Dynasty started. The next in line were the Mughals, followed by the British.

THE MASJID

There are three main tombs in the Gardens. The first as one enters from the gate opposite the Meteorological Office is the Tomb of Mohammad Shah, not to be mistaken with Mohd. Shah "Rangeele" of the Mughal dynasty. The Mughal Badshah lies buried in the Nizamuddin dargah premises.

This tomb is very elaborate and was built in 1444.  It has a big dome in the middle which is surrounded by eight chatris which reminds one of Rajasthani Chatris. These look like  a flower arrangement or bouquet- and are called a “guldasta”! The beauty of this tomb lies in its symmetry, the crowning lotus and decoration on the domes. It is a distinctive octagonal tomb with the central chamber encircled by a verandah which has three arched openings on each side. There are stone lintels along the arches of the verandah with the sloping buttresses at the corner. The pattern of the lotus flower is used extensively. There are eight graves inside the tomb, of which the central one is said to be the grave of Muhammad Shah, the third ruler of the Sayyed dynasty.

BADA GUMBAD...NO TOMB INSIDE

As we move further North one sees a huge structure like a tomb, but inside one finds no grave! On both sides of this Bada Gumbad are two structures. One is a mosque which is very beautiful with carvings, Persian inscription and tiles. This faces the West towards Mecca. The other side has a plain structure which was most probably used as a madrasa or perhaps a resting place for visitors. We went up this structure and were witness to a beautiful sunset! Yes indeed, in this busy City with tall buildings around there are still such sanctuaries where one can enjoy the sunset.

SHEESH GUMBAD SEEN FROM BADA GUMBAD

Nearby is the Sheesh Gumbad. This Gumbad had glazed tiles on its Gumbad and was built during the reign of Sikandar Lodi. The glazed tiles shone and therefore the name “Sheesh Gumbad”. It is not known who are buried in this tomb. The Bada Gumbad and the Sheesh Gumbad are square structures.

SIKANDAR LODI'S TOMB

As we walk further up we reach a fort like wall. Inside this is the tomb of Sikandar Lodi. This too has a big dome but the chatris are missing, therefore there is no guldasta! This tomb too is octagonal like the tomb of Mohd. Shah, and every side has three arches and a verandah around the tomb.

Although both the tombs of Sikandar Lodi and Mohd. Shah are octagonal and have covered verandas all around, I liked the tomb of Mohd. Shah more, perhaps because it is at a height and the guldasta makes the dome look very pretty. There is a certain majesty about this tomb of Mohd. Shah as it stands alone on top of a little hillock. There is a lot of work on the doorways which seem to have been borrowed from the style of structures in Rajasthan.

HINDU ART ON MOHD. SHAH'S TOMB

During the days of the Delhi Sultanate there was a cultural renaissance of sorts as there was fusion of culture of Muslim and Hindu styles in art, architecture, language and dress. In fact Hindi and Urdu too were introduced as common languages during these times.

ATHPULA

Near this tomb is a lake which was connected to the  Yamuna river. This water body led us to the “athpula bridge” (Eight pier  bridge) This was built during Akbar's time. There were beautiful water birds like ducks in the pond. We walked across the bridge and arrived at a watch tower.

Our round had been completed. The birds were chirping away noisily. It seemed as if every bird was trying to tell its own story of the day to their fellow bird members. In this cacophony of sounds I wonder who could listen to anything!

SUNSET & CACOPHONY OF BIRDS

 The majestic trees filled with chirping birds, a long line of evening walkers, a lot of children playing in the park, senior citizens sitting on benches after their walk, was a nice peaceful sight.

 Cool, Lodi Gardens, taught me a few lessons of History. Forgotten dynasties, unknown tombs, and majestic places for respite from the hot summer days of my lovely Delhi! I felt there is peace all around and all is well with the world!



HAZRAT, AULIYA, KHWAJA!

KHWAJA NIZAMUDDIN CHISHTI'S DARGAH.

Hazrat Nizammuddin was associated in my mind as only a railway station in Delhi. It was the one from where trains bound for South India departed.

Yesterday  I took a walk  with Asif Khan and discovered the different facets of this unknown area. From the moment I parked my car infront of the Police Station at Nizammuddin, I slowly started getting transported in time. I travelled to the 19th century and heard in my mind's ears,

“Ye na thi hamaari kismat ki visaale yaar hota,

agar aur jeete rahte yehi intezaar hota!”

GHALIB'S TOMB

The tomb of one of the greatest Shayar of India seems quite small as compared to his stature. It is in a large enclosure, it's in marble, there is nice lattice work, yet somehow it left me feeling that something was missing. I couldn’t identify what was missing, but the feeling that one should have got after visiting the tomb of such a great poet was not there. Asadullah Khan Ghalib was a member of the aristocracy. His grandfather had come from Uzbekistan and settled down in India.

Ghalib(1797-1869) lost his father, then his uncle and therefore at the age of thirteen he got married to Umrao Begum and became a ghar jamai. He was colloquially called Mirza Nausha. He wrote in Pharsi (Persian) which few people understood. After a long time he started writing in Urdu, a language which people could understand easily. He was quite a liberated person, who loved his wine and  lived a life without inhibitions.

"Zahid sharab peene de masjid mein beth kar,

Yaa woh jagha bata jahan Khuda nahin.."

He said let me sit and drink in the Masjid, or else let me know of the place where God is not present.

While he lived, he lived in poverty, was not as famous as he now is. He received a pension and had a tough time trying to make both ends meet.

Now, he is known all over and his couplets are quoted very freely.

Posterity will know him and recognise him. Alas! While living he didn't get his due.

STORY TELLING ON THE GATE OF A SARAI.

 As we moved on there was a hujoom(crowd) of people in front of the local Mosque. This part of Delhi remains as it must have been in the 18^th century. All the men were in kurta pajama and  white caps and were busily walking down the road, with not an inch of space for fresh air. We went up an old gate of a fort like structure. This gate was built during the Lodi Empire. It was the gate of a sarai(inn) for people who came to visit the Dargah of Nizamuddin. It was a cool, wide and interesting place. We sat like little children listening to Asif Khan narrating the story of Ghalib, like an old time daastangoii( story narrator)

A HUJOOM OF PEOPLE

We then went down a few more centuries as we went into labyrinthine gullies. There were rose petal sellers, chadar(sheet) sellers, people selling caps and everyone inviting us to leave our shoes with them. Little children were manning a number of shops. The 20th Century thought of BAN child labour came to my mind, but I quickly banished the thought, and returned to the 19th century or was it the 16^th century?

TOMB OF AMIR KHUSRO

As soon as one enters the Nizamuddin dargah, one sees the tomb of Amir Khusro. Amir Khusro(1253-1325) was a poet who wrote in Persian and also introduced the khadi boli or Hindvi. He was of Turk origin. He composed a number of riddles, which are still popular. It is also said that he introduced the tabla and the sitar. He is also credited with enriching Hindustani Classical music by introducing Persian and Arabic elements in it.  He also introduced Qawwali style of singing. He was also the originator of the Khayal and Tarana style of music. Khusro was a great disciple of Nizamuddin and died within 6 months of the Auliya’s death. 

After visiting Amir Khusro’s  tomb we moved towards the main dargah of Nizamuddin Aulia(1238-1325). He was also of Turk origin and his grand father too had come from Uzbekistan and settled in Badayun in present day UP.

PRAYERS & RED THREAD

 At that time Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq was the Emperor of Delhi. He had banned all construction work as he was getting his fort built at present day Tughlakabad.  At that time Nizamuddin was getting a hauz (water tank) made for use by his many followers and visitors. As there was a ban on construction,the workers would work for the Auliya in the night. Tughlaq was annoyed at this and banned the sale of oil, so that work would not be possible at night. But to the astonishment of everyone the workers discovered that water turned into oil and they could light lamps to continue the construction of the Baoli. Delhi has a lot of legends and stories which keep our interest alive, and make us feel great to belong to this city which was full of intrigue as well as mysticism.

It is quite amazing to see the number of people who came to India from the Middle East, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and made it their own land. We also made them our own people. What do borders actually mean? I wonder! Who belongs, who have come to settle lately, who made my city rich with their culture, poetry, and style? Who are we?

TOMB OF JAHAN ARA

The tomb of the designer of Delhi's Chandni Chowk is also located in this complex. This designer was Jahan Ara the daughter of Shah Jehan. Her tomb is not covered by stone on the top, and there is no roof too. There is only a marble screen enclosing the tomb. It is said that Jahan Ara wanted the natural elements to visit her grave, and had asked that her tomb remain without a cover on top.

BADSHAH MOHD. SHAH RANGEELE!

A later day Mughal Badshah, who gave away the Takhte Taos or the Peacock throne as well as the Kohinoor to Nadir Shah of Iran in 1793 is also buried here. This Badshah was Mohd Shah also called “Rangeele(colourful)”.

People throng the dargah of Nizammuddin, and there was a constant stream of men going in to offer flowers, chadar and their prayers. Women of course are not allowed inside the main chamber, they can look in through the lattice work. Almost all the beautiful lattice work in marble is filled with red thread. These are all applications of the people with their wishes spoken directly to the Auliya. It is said that all wishes made at this Dargah are fulfilled. Faith they say moveth mountains!

PRAYERS, ARZIAYAAN!

We then visited the famous hauz. The water was absolutely green. There were small children willing to dive in for a few rupees. Child labour again raised its head. I banished the thought again. This my dear is India where little children have to bear the burden and bring home some money to add to the meager money that their father must be earning.

After this interesting and intriguing walk down centuries, I walked out as if in a trance. It took me a while to realize that this is the 21^st century as I had travelled pretty fast from the 13^th century to 15^th, 19^th and finally 21^st Century.

I AM CAPTIVATED

It is amazing to see these pockets of places where time and style is very different. Where the dead are revered and prayers are answered. Where Ghalib the great Nausha Miyan who looked for more money and thought of his marriage as a cage where one is entrapped, is buried. Ghalib’s couplets, ghazals and writings are known to almost everyone. He was a man who lived with his head held high, but lived a life of want. Do we only recognize a person’s worth after his death?

QAWALLI SESSION

Now after going to the 14^th century and seeing all the sights, sounds and smells as they must have been then, I know and believe that Sufism, music, qawallis and ghazals will remain forever. They talk of love, peace, happiness and sukoon! These are the things that remain in the hearts of people through generations!

The Qawwals at the Dargah sang what Amir Khusro said, 

“छाप तिलक सब छीनी रे मोसे नैना मिलाइके

बात अगम कह दीनी रे मोसे नैना मिलाइके
प्रेम भटी का मदवा पिलाइके
मतवारी कर लीन्ही रे मोसे नैना मिलाइके  

“You've taken away my looks, my identity, by just a glance.

By making me drink the wine from the distillery of love,

You have intoxicated me by just a glance."

THE MAZAAR

Yes indeed Hazrat Nizamuddin is not just a train station. It is a station which takes you to your destination with peace and love, and beautiful, soulful, entrancing music!