Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
We don't fly out until early tomorrow morning, so we arranged with A&K for a private half-day tour. Munjo and her driver picked us up at 9:00; it took a good hour in traffic to get to Humayun's Tomb downtown Delhi. Completed in 1572, it's an example of early Mughal architecture, built before the Taj Mahal by his favorite wife. Humayun, the second Mughal emperor, died in 1556. The tomb complex became the royal family cemetery for 160 graves, most unmarked. The surrounding gardens are symmetrically designed as paradise on earth as described in the Koran (quadrants of flowers, trees, water).
Fast forward to the late 20th century. The Lotus Temple, built in 1981, is the Bahá'i House of Worship in Asia. 27 concrete and marble lotus petals form the dome, visible from quite a distance. The temple is surrounded by nine clean turquoise pools and sits on 26 acres of gardens. A popular site for visitors, everyone must remove shoes before ascending the entrance stairs then remain silent for meditation once inside (hard for young children!). With all the noise and bustle of India, scheduled travel, traffic, crowds of people and vendors, a few silent moments inside a temple that seeks to unite people of all faiths was a welcome conclusion to our visit.
Our afternoon is spent relaxing in our room and packing before heading to the airport at 10 tonight.
- comments