HERITAGE BYTES: VIEWING THE TAJ: Some Uncommon Frames (Part 1)

THE Taj Mahal not only forms one of the most iconic representations of India but is also considered the greatest architectural achievement in the world of Indo-Islamic architecture. The monument, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983, was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his favourite wife, Arjumand Banu Begum, better known as Mumtaz Mahal. On her death, she was buried in the garden of Zainabad at Burhanpur and then shifted, in December 1631, to Akbarabad (now Agra). She was finally enshrined in a crypt in the mausoleum that Shah   Jahan built in her honour-the Taj Mahal. 

The tomb (rauza) was built on the right bank of the Yamuna at a point where the river takes a sharp turn and flows eastwards. The land for the mausoleum was acquired from Raja Jai Singh (grandson of Raja Man Singh), who donated his grandfather’s haveli for the purpose. He was given four havelis in Akbarabad in exchange. The foundation of the Taj Mahal was laid in January 1632. While the tomb complex and its garden were completed around 1647-48, the Darwaza-i-Rauza (the Great Gate or the main entrance) was completed around 1653-54. 

The monument is, among other things, known for its--beauty and grace; symmetry and uniformity of shapes; surface brilliance; selective use of naturalism; hierarchical grading of materials, forms and colours; symbolism; and attention  to detail. Most accounts of the Taj emphasize its symmetry. It is true that the monument was built on the principle of strict bilateral symmetry with emphasis on the features of the central axis—the tomb and its four minarets flanked by a mosque to the west and an assembly hall (Mihman Khana) to the east. Radial symmetry is also observed in the nine-fold plan of the tomb and the gate.

There are also several non-common frames for looking at the Taj Mahal, all of which enhance our understanding of this unique architectural marvel. For instance, few know that the monument was originally conceived as, in the words of Shah Jahan’s historian Qazwini, “a masterpiece for ages to come”. As the scholar Ebba Koch says, it was built with posterity in mind and viewers were a part of its concept. Such was the consciousness; such was the confidence. What also remains unnoticed is that the monument not only formed a heavenly tribute to Mumtaz Mahal, it reflected the power and glory of the Mughals, in particular Shah Jahan. Likewise, there are other frames as well. This multi-part article looks at several related ways of looking at the monument such as the evolution of tomb construction in India; interactions between red sandstone and white marble; the notion of a garden paradise; surface ornamentation, pietra dura and stone inlay; and finally, myths surrounding the monument. The first article in the series look at Taj as the highpoint of tomb architecture in medieval India.

Tomb Construction in India 

The systematic beginnings tomb construction began during the Delhi Sultanate days and the tomb of Iltutmish in the Qutb complex in Delhi formed one of the first royal tombs. It followed a very simple plan--simple square plan with a domed roof. Taj Mahal marked an improvisation over several features of tomb architecture developed over a period of time, including the octagonal structure (seen in the tomb of Khan-i-Jahan Tilangani near Nizamuddin Auliya’s tomb in Delhi and later in the imperial tombs of the Sayyids and the Lodis-- as seen in the Lodi Gardens and Humayun’s tomb complex); the double dome (seen in Sikandar Lodi’s tomb in New Delhi, though the true double dome appears first in Humayun’s tomb); drum /raised platform to raise tomb elevation (see Adham Khan’s octagonal tomb in front of Mehrauli Bus Stand near the Qutb complex); positioning of the tomb at the centre of a char bagh, or four-fold garden (introduced by Babur and seen in imperial Mughal tombs, we saw this in Humayun’s tomb as well); use of minarets (see Akbar’s tomb at Sikandra, Jahangir’s tomb in Lahore and Itmad-ud-Daulah’s tomb in Agra); hasht bihisht symbolizing the eight doors of Paradise (we discussed this during our Heritage Walk at the Humayun’s tomb complex); construction of a complete marble tomb and pietra dura (first seen in Itmad-ud-Daulah’s tomb at Agra); and the idea of a forecourt, Jilau Khana square with streets, bazaars and residential buildings (first seen in Jahangir’s tomb in Lahore). These architectural components are seen in their most classical and developed form at the Taj.

- Dr. Shashank Shekhar Sinha

Saaraansh

A Decade!

'Chapter 1.

He was too romantic about Manhattan, as he was about everything else. He thrived on the hustle bustle of the crowds and the traffic. To him, New York meant beautiful women and street-smart guys who seemed to know all the angles...'

Ah, corny, too corny for my taste. Can we ... can we try and make it more profound?

'Chapter 1.

He adored New York City. For him, it was a metaphor for the decay of contemporary culture. The same lack of individual integrity that caused so many people to take the easy way out was rapidly turning the town of his dreams in...'

No, that's going to be too preachy. I mean, you know, let's face it, I want to sell some books here.

'Chapter 1.

He adored New York City, although to him it was a metaphor for the decay of contemporary culture. How hard it was to exist in a society desensitized by drugs, loud music, television, crime, garbage...'

Too angry, I don't want to be angry.

'Chapter 1.

He was as tough and romantic as the city he loved.'

I love this.

'New York was his town, and it always would be.'

....

The first scene of Manhattan. The voiceover swims with music, Gershwin's 'Rhapsody in Blue' — soon a story will unfold and it echoes my thought today.

Love is an odd thing. A restless dream. Maybe that is why every morning an impish day waits to watch anew. Your time in a place deepens that spirit, that dream to build, make, change, question, grow. To bring out the best from within, to imbibe the best from others. To share, to create, own and together.

Excellence is virtue: I think about this often. I look at the desktop screensaver (it is from Kiarostami’s Close-Up, a film director and his earnest imposter riding a motorbike in surreal motion) to rest my eyes between heaps of work, to remind of possible zeniths. A tribute to what the human spirit is capable of, when it makes great books, art, poems, pictures, comics, songs, sparks of thought, ideology, ruptures, scientific imagination, emboldened by technology and the incredible physical endurance of the body. The hunger for knowledge, action, expression, well-being, art, freedom, love.

To strive for nothing short of excellence, armed with fierce passion, to find something that you love is a privilege. I have had that privilege.

All problems are problems of harmony. I think about that. Courage is the golden mean between recklessness and foolhardiness. I think about that.

To chase that mean, to look for harmony. Empathy and frankness. To be truthful and kind at the same time. To withstand storm and the daily everyday. To come back burnished and strong. To hold, to persevere, to nurture. Dissolve negatives, bracket the beauty.

To go back to your desk every morning, driven by an unsaid power, immersed in the zest to make books, to breathe and hear its heart throbbing in the markets, among readers, authors, sellers, buyers. To think about this business organically, like it were a living thing, grounded, aspiring, diverse and dynamic. To embrace a challenge and the tough times because you know that pain will bring love.

To look out for a while when it rains, to breathe the wind floating from the trees that line the office, in the heart of a metropolitan capital, amid rush and traffic, exchange ideas and conversations. To be faithful to inner values and outer goals. To resilience and work ethics. To justice, equality and fairness, to hear the other, to be sensitive, gentle, steadfast, honest and strong. To be responsible and confident. To judge, but liberally. To be generous often, to have distance and proximity in equal measure. To be open to differences, to making mistakes and accepting your vulnerabilities, because that is the only way to learn, evolve, being true to self. To be patient and committed. To rate talent and integrity alike. To be engaged, to be prudent. To be real yet ideal. Fearless and free. Without hubris, with compassion and candour.

These are the ideals I seek every day.

You know the road will never be easy, or maybe it is in some way and we don't know that yet. But the fire counts. Perfection is known to hide in little moments. And that's where an unmixed kind of delight lives.

Thank you all of you who have made me feel at home. You know who you are: warm, friendly, bright, funny, inspiring. I have learnt everything that I have through difficult and beautiful days. The years are cast with tiny stories, ignored crevices, folds of a weary day or the after-shine of happy adventures. Unforgotten, relentless, the dream renews. The camera pans out, the radio starts to play. Like in a song loop that takes you far and now brings you ahead of time.

* Completed 10 years, this August, with Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, Informa plc (not including some off-record months at Routledge Liaison Office in India).

--Rimina Mohapatra

Tasveer-Nama

A Frame

I have seen generations. I may not have gone to places, but I have seen the world coming to me. Different cultures, different people, thousands of stories and all kind of seasons, I have passed through. Mughal period or present, I have seen it all. I may be just a frame of a monument, but I have experienced the most ups and downs of the time. I have witnessed tensed situations of royal families and also their merriment. I have stood here since ages, and will be here for many more to come.

Now, I may be a monument, but, once I was a palace. I am a place for visitors to look into the long gone era, a window to the past. They visit here, click their photos, and take memories with them, of their happy times spent here. I watch all this quietly, getting nostalgic of my memories, which is a history now.

Young couples, small children, old people, everyone visit here. Their ways of looking at me is different. Some find me interesting enough to click my photo; others may find me boring, thinking that I am just a support to this whole construction. It’s interesting to hear them, see them, and feel them. Wish I could speak too, tell them what I have seen, what I feel. If only once I could let them know, the hidden stories in and around me.  Be it the conspiracies or the joys, what not I have, to tell this world.

I am how you see me, a window for some and a passage to another window, to some other.

Puja Kumari

HERITAGE BYTES 2: Smith’s Folly: The ‘Crown’ that always lay uneasy on Qutb’s head

Smith's Folly

The cupola in the foreground (popularly known as Smith’s Folly) once crowned the Qutb Minar. It now lies unnoticed in the south eastern corner of the Qutb Complex and very few visitors actually get to know about it. Though the cupola seemingly looks close to the Minar, it is separated from the latter by a time gap of around 625 years.

It is believed that the first storey of the Minar was built by Qutbuddin Aibek and the next three were added by his successor Iltutmish around 1220. Inscriptions indicate that the structure was first struck by a lightening during Muhammad bin Tuqhlaq’s times but no details about any repairs are available. The Minar was stuck again with a lightening in 1368-69 which knocked off the top (fourth) storey. Firuz Shah Tuqlaq who was the Sultan then built two more storeys in red sandstone and marble and also added a cupola at the summit. Inscriptions indicate that the Minar was repaired again in 1503 by Sikandar Lodi when it was struck by lightning.

In 1802-03, the cupola on the top was thrown down and the whole pillar was damaged by an earthquake. This time Major R. Smith working as an army engineer under the rule of East India Company, was assigned to do the repairs. It was the best of times for him−he was involved with the design of St. James’ Church and Kashmere Gate. However, he went on an overdrive while repairing the Minar for which he stands permanently reprimanded in history. He put back the facing stones that had fallen down without any regard for order. He also added a balustrade (railing) to the projecting balconies in a Gothic style. Finally, he added a new cupola on the top which was met with enormous resistance both within and outside the colonial order. Major Smith attracted the wrath of architectural bigwigs such as Fergusson, Cunningham and Page of the Archaeological Survey. So huge was the outcry that Lord Hardinge had it taken down in 1848.

While the Minar continues to stand tall, Smith’s cupola lies sheepishly on the margins of the complex. It cruelly reminds the Present about how the Past could be unforgiving at times. 

The curse of the Minar continues to haunt Roger Smith.

Dr Shashank Sinha

Postcards from far away

Delhi at its center: Connaught Place

Connaught Place, Edwin Lutyen’s work of architecture, was completed in 1933. It has since then changed many faces, but it houses some of the old time buildings and businesses which have survived the rise and fall of the British. Let’s take you through some of those by-lanes in the history of Delhi.

This is where it all started… ‘Keventers- Ends the quest for the best’

Keventers, 1925 (Courtesy: Keventer's archives)

Our very own go-to place for a refreshing bottle of milkshake has been flourishing for about a century now. It was set up by Edward Keventers in 1920s, with its first factory in Chanakyapuri, and later taken over by Ram Krishna Dalmia in 1940s.

With other outlets opening up in Saket and DLF Promenade, the one bustling in A-block corner has to be one’s favourite.

While at Keventer's, it is hard to miss Wenger’s on its side. One of the most popular bakery and restaurant among British bureaucrats, foreign diplomats and Indian royalty until Independence was designed in 1926 by British architect Sir Robert Tor Russell.

Wenger’s, 1930 (Courtesy: Atul Tandon)

It was built across a vast stretch of A-block with a ballroom, restaurant and café on the first floor.

Wenger’s, 1930 (Courtesy: Atul Tandon)

In 1945, the Swiss owners of the place sold it to B.M. Tandon. Since then, although it has shrunk to a small shop, the place is hustling with people at all times.

Surviving the decades old legacy, commercial movie theaters, built in 1930s, mustered large crowds, and were considered cultural hubs by the elite.

Odeon cinema, 1950s (Source: unknown)

Plaza cinema, 1952 (Source: Jaspal Sawhney)

Regal cinema, 1980s (Source: unknown)

Before Bollywood films began to be showcased, these theaters ran silent films, organized Russian ballets and Urdu Plays, and were frequented by the aristocrats till before Independence. With many restaurants and cafes opening up around these halls it has started to attract people from all walks of life.

And this is Delhi (or rather CP) through the years...

(Written by Gurkiran Shahi)

Saaraansh

sMother Nature

Composed by Tenzing Topzer Bhutia

It's scorching here, some of these Lords in here

Should realize the cost and what's important here

Understand there are resources we're exhausting here

Don't wait until it's too late

Panic-stricken, I'm two-faced

I'm screaming Green week, Earth day, 

But as I speak righteous today, do I care?

Putting everything aside, do I even practice what I say?

No

But I guess admitting is the first step to rectify my mistakes

Tough pill to swallow, my words ring hollow and I swear

These broken promises live anonymous,

Now the air we breathe is poisonous

The food we eat is hazardous, 

Diseases delivered through aqueducts

What can I say that hasn't been said yet?

Go poetic on your beauty and then leave you for dead?

No

Sorry dear Mother, for all the abuse you've endured

These past few decades have left you impure, in need of cure and so much more

We've used you, abused you

Selfish intents and self-serving needs that felt crucial

When our own existence is at stake, we can't afford to stay neutral

Wake up dear friends, Mother Earth needs you!

We owe a debt to the the generations that are yet to take a step

Here, this world's not ours to take, it's ours to protect

UNESCO Photo Contest 2016

Win a chance to get your photo displayed at UNESCO New Delhi office’s new premises

1. The contest is open to nationals of the six UNESCO Cluster countries, namely, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

• Photographs must be submitted under the chosen category(s), with your name and residing country along with a short description of the photo in not more than 30 words. Please mail your entries to: unescondlphotos@gmail.com
• To participate for the special prize for the most popular photo on social media:
• Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/unesconewdelhi/ or follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/UNESCO_NDL. Upload your photo on Facebook or twitter with the hashtag #Science4Sustainability #UNESCONewDelhi. Please make sure that the post is public. The photo with maximum likes and shares either on Facebook or with maximum retweets on twitter shall win this prize.

2. Last date for receiving the entries is 31 August 2016. Entries must be submitted in jpeg format, minimum resolution 300 dpi and maximum file size 5MB. Entrants should retain high-resolution files of their submissions. In the event your submission is shortlisted, you will be asked to submit the original highresolution image.

Contest Themes: 

Five thematic categories are open for photographic submissions:

• Science in everyday life
• Science for Peace and Development
• Biodiversity, Natural Heritage and Wildlife
• Water and Life
• Climate Change

Submit your entries and get a chance to win:

• 1st Prize – US$ 500
• 2nd Prize – US$ 300
• 3rd Prize – US$ 200
• Special Prize – US$ 200 for the most popular photo on social media

The four winning entries will have the honour of being displayed at the UNESCO New Delhi office’s new premises in the diplomatic area, New Delhi.

Photographers will retain all copyrights to their images. By submitting their entries, the Entrants accept that these entries may be used by UNESCO as part of its communication tools.

Entrants must possess the exclusive rights to entries and are responsible for having obtained any necessary permission from the subjects shown on the entries, in accordance with applicable law.

Contest Ends On – 31 August 2016

For more information click here or log on to http://bit.ly/29iWNGB.

So hurry up, submit your entry now to get your photo displayed at UNESCO New Delhi office premises and to win exciting prizes :)

HERITAGE BYTES: Dilli and the Tale of the Two Pillars



Iron Pillar and Qutb Minar

Though the Iron Pillar and Qutub Minar are located around 15-20 meters apart, in terms of history, they cover a time of around 900 years. Between them, and the site they cover, they narrate the tale of transition from Rajput kingdoms to the Delhi Sultanate and also emergence of Delhi as a capital city.

 

The inscription on the Iron Pillar (belonging to 4th century CE) valorizes the achievements of Chandra II identified as Chandragupta II of the Gupta dynasty. This rust-free metallurgical marvel is also associated with the tale of Dilli. According to a popular legend, one Brahman told the Tomar king Ananagapala that the Pillar rested on serpent king Vasuki’s hood and was immoveable. Further, his rule would last as long as the Pillar stood firm. Out of curiosity, the king got the Pillar dug out only to find the base smeared with Vasuki’s blood. He tried hard to fix the Pillar.

However, even after several attempts, the Pillar remained loose (Dhili, in Hindi). The name of the capital ‘Delhi’ is often traced to this lore about the ‘dhili’ pillar. The Tomars soon lost the kingdom to the Chauhans who in turn lost it to the Turks. Qutubuddin Aibek, the slave general of victorious Muhammad Ghori built the capital city of Delhi in the heart of the former Rajput stronghold called the Lal Kot and Rai Pithora. The temple complex gave way to the ‘Quwwat-al Islam’ Mosque and a part of the Minar. The sky-scape of North India also changed with domes, minars, and arches replacing the flat-roofed or pyramid-shaped tops of the building structures. 

Known as ‘Qutb Saab ki Lath’ (the staff of Bakhtiyar Kaki, the Sufi saint respected hugely by Sultan Iltutmish who built the subsequent storeys), the Minar was popularly believed to connect the earth to the heaven. More importantly, it served as an imposing visual reminder to the advent of the new Sultanate and Islamic supremacy. 

Delhi never looked back after this and though the seats of power kept on changing within the city, it continued to remain the capital city. 

The two Pillars still stand tall talking to each other and to the visitors about the glorious and not-so-glorious times they have seen.

Written by Dr. Shashank Sekhar Sinha

Delectable Tales

Basa Fish with Zucchini and Broccoli

By Sajleen Bedi

I made this dish, for the first time, last night for dinner and it turned out really well. It is extremely simple and hassle free.

 The ingredients you’ll need to make this particular dish are:

• 500 gms basa fish (I ordered from Nature’s Basket, it’s by Cambay Tiger)
• 1 Zucchini
• 1 small broccoli head
• Seasonings

To marinate the fish, you need some seasonings. I love pepper and basil, so I added a pinch of both and some salt. You can also add thyme, rosemary (basically whichever flavor you like) and squeeze a bit of lemon juice in the end. Keep this marinated fish in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.

In the meanwhile, cut the vegetables. Take a nonstick pan and add a little bit of olive oil. Now add the vegetables. You can also add sweet corn if you like. Saute the vegetables for 2-3 minutes on medium flame until they are crunchy but cooked.

Take another pan and put some olive oil in it and then start cooking the fish. Add some salt and pepper according to taste. Cook the fish for 8-10 minutes. Basa takes very little time to become tender, so make sure not to overcook the fish. Now add the veggies and cook for another 5-10 minutes and cover it with a lid. In the end, squeeze some more lemon juice before serving the dish.

Cooking for me is all about experimenting. One can take a rough idea from a recipe, but one must give it a personal touch too. So add the seasonings and the vegetables you like. It is easy and doesn’t take much time to cook, and therefore is perfect for me.

So you think you can manel?

Manspreading: When a man sits with his legs wide apart,
invading the space of the occupant next to him.

All-male panels may soon be a thing of the past. Now, feminists are calling out organisers who turn the dais into a manference.

Over a year ago David Hasselhoff, the alpha male once-lifeguard from Baywatch, found himself a new (uninvited) career as the mascot of the 'manel' - the all-male panel. He appeared on a Tumblr called All Male Panels, started in Feb last year by Finnish feminist researcher Dr Saara Sarma. The Tumblr wanted to highlight the gender lopsidedness of discussion panels and other high altars of expertise and experience, like say, state cabinets and boardrooms. Sarma invited people to send in flyers or pictures of all-male events and seminars, which received Hasselhoff's virile stamp of approval: 'Congrats, you have an all male panel!.

The manel is being named and shamed worldwide, with memes, online petitions, boycotts and even spoken word poetry slamming it. 'Group thinking turns into brain shrinking; humans seeking meaning and development, male-only panels are such an embarrassment' raps Sofie Sandell, professional speaker and digital leader on YouTube. In India too, the stew's beginning to simmer.

Last year, Sairee Chahal, founder of Sheroes and Fleximoms — career communities for women — was invited to a top tech conference in Bangalore. "It has typically been a bro affair, but the organisers wanted to do an all-women panel for the first time, alongside their regular all-male sessions, Chahal recalls, "They had no context for the panel - the organisers asked me to identify women panelists and a suitable subject. We didn't do it eventually because the four other women I'd approached from tech felt there was no purpose to the panel."

Companies and conference organisers who are inviting a lone woman to a male-heavy dais simply to avoid the label of sexism are now being called out. Ashwini Asokan, co-founder and CEO of the Artificial Intelligence company, Mad Street Den, has been challenging sexism in the tech industry and got trolled for it. In fact, sexist putdowns are often what hold women back from taking the stage. "Several women started conversations on Twitter saying they lacked the confidence because of bullies and trolls," says Asokan.

She points out that India has more female engineering and computer science graduates than most countries (30- 40% of college seats), giving the lie to the specious claim that suitable women experts simply cannot be found. "It's why I pick up the phone, find them and push them to these panels," Asokan says.

To counter the old boys clubs that conferences and seminars have become, Asokan suggests that women create their own networks. "I was one of the biggest promoters of the Grace Hopper (Celebration of Women in Computing) conferences," she says, "I believe women-only events are a great training field; if you're shy to get up on a mixed gender panel and get bullied, here's where you start. Hopefully, in a few years we won't need women-only conferences at all."

Several women's organisations globally are building databases of women leaders and experts (a woman can nominate herself). Some like the UK-based Her Say and The Women's Room are also shoring up female experts across disciplines who can comment in the media (only 24% of women are heard, seen or read about in traditional media globally, revealed the Global Media Monitoring Project 2015).

ElsaMarie D'Silva, MD and co-founder of Red Dot Foundation, and her colleague, the Kenya-born Esther Ngumbi are assembling a crowd-sourced directory of women experts from around the world; they've got 500 profiles from 45 countries so far. "Filling panel spots with known names (often men) is easy. How can one discuss a topic of any importance without considering the views of 50% of the population?" says D'Silva, a resident of Mumbai. So far two international organisers in Australia and Shanghai have already reached out to them. Phase two will put those profiles on a map with the public listings.

D'Silva and Ngumbi recently wrote a blog post on GoodMenProject.com, appealing to men to also weigh in on the debate. In January, in a domino effect, three leading comics artists withdrew from the lifetime achievement award shortlist of a major comic-books festival in France because it was all-male, prompting several others to bow out as well in protest. In Australia earlier this month five male 'star' speakers pledged to boycott panels that weren't gender-diverse. Quartz also featured Sree Sreenivasan, the chief digital officer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as one of those pledging to give all-male panels a miss.

But a panel is only one Tetris block; it needs to fit in with others to move the bar. An organization that doesn't channel more women into leadership roles would have accomplished nothing more than window dressing by asking a woman to a panel.

"Women don't crave patriarchal pats on the back; they deserve equal participation in public life. Their voices need to be respected and actioned. Women who speak up in public fora are called 'aggressive', 'militant', 'trouble-makers' and worse," says columnist Shobhaa De, who for years has occupied a place at the conference table. "I make sure I am heard loudly and clearly when I sign up for these panels. I turn the 'feeble' questions around when required. If it's an important enough panel discussion, I don't care if I am there as a 'token woman' — I make sure I have my say regardless."

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-times/deep-focus/So-you-think-you-can-manel/articleshow/52379744.cms