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| Sunday, 11 December 2005 |
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Lasting impressions of 'Incredible India' by D. C. R. A. Goonetilleke
It was a great pleasure to have been invited as a distinguished visitor by the Government of India and follow a programme beautifully implemented by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations. It was touching that my scholarly achievements were recognised by India especially as India has been, and is, one of my major interests as a scholar and as a person. I was introduced to the cultural heritage of India as a part of the tour. The Red Fort of Delhi is known to everybody as the place where India's Independence Day celebrations are held. The Taj Mahal in Agra is magnificent, poetry in pure white marble. Its creator, Emperor Shah Jehan wrote in praise of the Taj: "The sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sighs, "And makes sun and moon shed tears from their eyes. "In this world this edifice has been made, "To display thereby the Creator's glory." The Taj was built over a period of 22 years from 1632, as a tribute to a beautiful woman and as monument for enduring love by the Mughal Emperor. Plunged into grief by the death of his beloved wife, the Empress Mumtaz Mahal, Shah Jehan had the Taj constructed to enshrine her mortal remains and be a centre of pilgrimage. Fatehpur Sikri is also a part of India's Mughal inheritance, a part religious, part secular monument. Jaipur, the pink city, is extraordinarily rich in its historical monuments. I was able to see the Wind Palace, the City Palace, a section of which is the residence of the present Maharajah, the Lake Palace, the Amber Fort, and the Jantar-Mantar, the ancient astronomical observatory. The observatory was of particular interest to me because it showed how advanced the Indians were in mathematics and astronomy in the early 18th century. Jai Singh who created this observatory may be considered the Newton of the East. The State of Maharashtra is proud of its rich heritage in the form of the cave temples of Ajantha and Ellora. The Ellora caves are notable for their remarkable sculptures and stupendous architecture, whereas the Ajantha caves are popular for their gorgeous mural paintings. Unlike the Ellora caves which are Buddhist, Hindu and Jain, the Ajantha caves are all Buddhist. On the way back from Ellora, I saw the impressive medieval fortress of Daultabad and a monument unknown in Sri Lanka, Bibi-ka-Maqbara (1679 A.D.), built by the last of the Great Mughals, Emperor Aurangzeb, in memory of his wife, Rabia-ud-Durrani. It is modelled on the Taj Mahal at Agra, the creation of Aurangzeb's father, Shah Jehan. It is without the opulence of the original, yet not without its own splendour and grace. At Bombay, the Elephanta caves are a well known attraction. Unfortunately, their sculptures have been ruined by the British colonial army which used these as targets for artillery practice. The Gateway of India is still impressive, while anyone interested in Gandhi would visit his one-time residence, Mani Bagh, now a museum in his memory. The Hanging Gardens are good for relaxation. I marvelled at India's cultural treasures. The tourism slogan, 'Incredible India' is not a mere gimmick. |
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