Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Riding an Elephant in Jaipur
The animal's back swayed a lot, so it made video rather difficult to shoot.
Video of Taj Mahal
From some reason the proxy here does not allow uploading photos, but videos seem to work.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Qutb Shahi Tombs
Grey rock domes pierce the low skyline, held up by massive square foundations. Minarets flank each aging tan dome. They are decrepit. Trees grow on their sides as time and weather as stripped all adornment from the buildings.
Shoes from those who enter adorn the ground outside the each building. These are the tombs of the Muslim rulers of Hyderabad in the 15th to the 17th centuries.
Hyderabad has a long history of muslim rule. Prior to the Mughals there existed the Delhi Sultanate in the north of the country. From it spawned the Qutb Shahi rulers of Hyderabad. The remains of their kingdom can be seen today in their splendid tombs. Seven in total on the site, with the last one unfinished—that king was overthrown by the Mughals. Nearby is Golconda Fort, situated on a hilltop, that protected the Hyderbadi state until the Mughals. I plan to go their soon.
The tombs were made to be a heaven on earth. Inside each tomb is a certain eery quiet, and a tomb with Arabic script sheathed in colorful cloth. But each tomb is empty. The true burial place lies below in the substructure of the tomb, designed to keep the king free from disturbance.
You can enter the actual tombs below, hewn from the rock underground, where light does not enter. Even with a candle, you cannot see more than a few feet. It is quite a sight.
Shoes from those who enter adorn the ground outside the each building. These are the tombs of the Muslim rulers of Hyderabad in the 15th to the 17th centuries.
Hyderabad has a long history of muslim rule. Prior to the Mughals there existed the Delhi Sultanate in the north of the country. From it spawned the Qutb Shahi rulers of Hyderabad. The remains of their kingdom can be seen today in their splendid tombs. Seven in total on the site, with the last one unfinished—that king was overthrown by the Mughals. Nearby is Golconda Fort, situated on a hilltop, that protected the Hyderbadi state until the Mughals. I plan to go their soon.
The tombs were made to be a heaven on earth. Inside each tomb is a certain eery quiet, and a tomb with Arabic script sheathed in colorful cloth. But each tomb is empty. The true burial place lies below in the substructure of the tomb, designed to keep the king free from disturbance.
You can enter the actual tombs below, hewn from the rock underground, where light does not enter. Even with a candle, you cannot see more than a few feet. It is quite a sight.
Ramoji Film Studios
They are the largest film studios in the world, here in Hyderabad. Ramoji film studios are sprawling and tacky. A certain unreality permeates. Buildings are entirely plaster and fiberglass. Houses are only facades and a set that combines a hospital with an airport as well as a school indicate the extent to which one structure can be used for multiple purposes. There is even a fake hollywood sign to complete the scene. If there is one thing that ties Indians together and is cultural stable, it is a love of film, Bollywood, Tollywood and more.
But this fakeness and tackiness devolves the studios into a cheap trick. It's entertainment, such as a circus with a juggler and two midgets, resembles a park designed for 6 year olds and feels like America at its worst. There's a wild west, a “fundustan” Anyways, a couple of photos I'll post here.
But this fakeness and tackiness devolves the studios into a cheap trick. It's entertainment, such as a circus with a juggler and two midgets, resembles a park designed for 6 year olds and feels like America at its worst. There's a wild west, a “fundustan” Anyways, a couple of photos I'll post here.
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