Guilty...

...of leaving the past couple of days unaccounted for. Much happened and nothing happened. The news of a pull-out from Iraq by the British (only to inject them in Afghanistan?). That news went round and round in my head for some strange reason. I generally thought about it a lot and had a few things to say but it doesn't count much what I think in any case. Basically, laziness wins over purpose (or a lack of it really). A lot of time was spent alone. 'Aimless in Delhi' was the theme this weekend.

FIRC (French Information Resource Centre)

First, it was the FIRC, where I mostly go alone in any case. It was nice to have a Marcel Pagnol in lap and a cup of coffee on the table outside. This was Pagnol's Le château de ma mère, which I was not understanding as it was in French and I'm nowhere near reading books in French (have read it in English though and seen the film by Yves Robert). But continued looking at the words. People chatted around, I faded in and out of the surroundings and then realized the sun was on its way to the far west. Looked up and soaked-in the sunrays. It was mild and delightful- the kind of evening time when the rays just seems like a gentle spray, a drizzle, in which you could slowly get drenched. It was beautiful. Then looked back into the book and the words seems to look different with the light falling on the page directly (although it was still French and I understood as little as ever). Found a dry, shrivelled-up leaf on the table, its tiny veins running a maze all over. It' edges wore a deeper brown than the rest of it. Twirled it in my fingers for a bit and left it to the mercy of another breeze. Sometimes one notices so much and with so much lucidity. I wonder what doors of perception would have opened if I was brave like Huxely!

Safdurjung & Lodhi The next day I ended up in Safdurung's Tomb lamenting the falling apart of the monuments the walls of which now bear evidence of x's love for y. The lawns (which follow the Charbagh layout of gardens says a board) were full of lovers and their coquettish ways. They left very little space or independence to the eyes so one could simply gaze upwards on the minars of the tomb which have ends shaped like petals. Some 'petals' were sadly broken. The fountains were dry but you could imagine the splendour of their former life. The trees and the corridors of the tomb gave a sense of invisibleness to everyone but the couples who needed it the most. It was evening time and the winters-are-on-the-way-out kind of pleasant evening sun shined a brilliant yellow. On my way out read the board put up there and tried to learn it up just for kicks as had some time before meeting friends at Khan-market. It said: This tomb was built by Nawab Shahjudaullah, in memory of his father, Mir Muqdim Abul Mansur Khan, entitled Safdurjung, who was the governor of Oudh during the reign of the mughal emperor Mohammed Shah (1719-48), and prime minister during the reign of his successor, Ahmad Shah (1748-54). He died in 1754. With its high enclosure walls, the Charbagh layout of gardens, fountains and tanks, and the central domed mausolem, the tomb follows the fine example of Humayun's tomb. It has been aptly described as the last flicker in the lamp of mughal architecture in Delhi. Think I did learn that up pretty well! Was happy to see a board there in Braille as well, which I think is a rarity here generally. Crossed the road and then walked over to Lodhi gardens where I explored some areas for the very first time. Another tomb but no idea who built it or when and for whom. No board was found. Just parrots and pigeons. The parrots were in pairs mostly. Tried to mimic them imagined a confused look on their faces. Walked around till I got a call from friends wondering when I'd be there, so broke off from reading a board (another one!) with pictures of birds and a little on each of them. Felt illiterate and had a strong urge to make acquaintance with each of their kind!

A good weekend I think.