Whoever he was, he thought this wall was a great place to proclaim his love for Neetu (click the photo if you can't see his name). This wall, which is part of a 400-year old structure, part of Fatehpur Sikri – which was the political capital of the Mughal Empire.
Shabbash Bablu. And shabbash to all the others who’ve etched their names on that same wall.
I knew of how our heritage sites have been (are?) vandalised. I’d even read about it. But to be walking around this huge, resplendent place and to look at that wall…it disgusted me. A feeling of revulsion. Which then gave way to a feeling of failure and of shame.
To stand there and see those foreigners with their cameras, listening to their guides explaining the story of Akbar-Jodha…..looking at the beautiful structures of the Diwan-e-Aam, Diwan-e-Khaas…and at then looking at this wall proclaiming Bablu’s love for Neeta, along with God alone knows how many other such scribbling defacements. Complete shame.
Anyways, moving on...here are some other photos of this magnificent heritage site. Go there if you’ve not, because these photos can’t convey half of the beauty of these structures.
Jodhabai’s palace
Panch Mahal
Salim Chisti’s tomb
For a really good virtual tour of this place, go to the World Heritage Tour website (link via Wikipedia).
My next post with some photos of the Taj is coming up next...
Technorati tags: India, travel, history, heritage site, Agra, Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri.
6 comments:
And they look particularly marvellous against the blue sky, don't they?
Oh yes Anil, absolutely they do..have you been here (and the Taj?), would love to see your photos.
Yup, I visited Taj once, during a school vacation. I didn't own a camera then, so got a picture of mine taken against the backdrop of the Taj by one of the photographers there.
I awaited the picture to be mailed to me. He mailed me the pic, only that it was of my co-passenger in the bus, so I must assume that the co-passenger got my pic :) And I was quite low for some time because it was the only picture I had of me from eighteen days of traveling through Delhi. Those were the days, very different from now.
Anil - that was some story, you should've posted it ! Pity about the photo and wish you'd got it !
:)
Yo're doing a very good job with the Hafta Magazine.
Thanks a ton Anil. Appreciate your kind words.
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