Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-06-13
THE ROME OF ASIA.
Delhi. the Tai Mahal. the Peacock
Throne, and the Kutub Minar.

Delhi. the Tai Mahal, the Peacock
Throne. and the Kutub Minar.
Delhi, for the last 5000 years the
Rome OF Asia, possesses a history dat
ing back to the mythical period Of tho
Aryans, says u wriuer in the New York
Evening Post The city is situated on
the banks OF the Jumna, just outside
the Northwest province and within tho
boundary OF the Punjab. 1t has sue
cumbed seven times 81 attack and us
often rises again todominion and grand
cur. Delhi owes her renown 20 the OK
trayagant ideas and abject cruelty OF
Sha Jehan, who swayed the rod OF en-
pire from 1927 TO 1858. The Great
Fort; the Dewan-i-Kas, or hail OF priv
alto audience; the Notice Musjid, tho
Mosque of Pearls, and the Grown OF
the World, the Tai Mahal at Agra,
built for the last restlng-place OF tho
fair Persian queen OF tho ruthless en-.
perOr. all stand rs eulOgies 10 perpetu-
ate his name. The fort is a little less
than two miles in circuit and its walls
rise forty feet from the ground. Inside
this Enclosure. are the most superb and
costly buildings of Hindoostan. Enter
ing by the Lahore, now Victoria gate.
succeeded by a long vaulted aisle,
which at present is utilized by the ma
| tive hawksrs for the display OF their
wares to tae English soldiers
who occupy tho citadel, the hall of
public audience and the Pearl mosque
st md out against the clear Asiatic
sky, bringing to mind the productions
OF Jerome and Constant, who have
immortllized the scenes Of eastern
luxury. Pre-eminent among those
marvels OF mans handicraft Is tho hall
OF private audience, which commands
an extensive view of the silent Jumua
and tho monotonous expanSe of rolling
plain. The hall Is OF marble open at
the sidos and supported by pillars rich
in precious stone and gold mosaic ald
carving. At each corner rises "a kiosk
composed of the same material Us the
building and the ceiling ia decorated
with gold and silver filigree work.
Tho elimination ot all this splendor il
attained in tbs tlkt-i-tIus, the famous
peacock throne, which stood in the
center Of the palatial chamber before
its destruction 10y the Persian Nadir
Sha in the early part of the last CEN
tury. II IS formed OF mass Of gold
wrought In the form OF two peacocks
with distende tails. fashioned TO life
with di .monds, sapphiros, rubies. en-
CT IDS, aad suspended between them a
pacrOt OF normal size. This regal
seat was perfected at cost of crores,
or $4,000, 900 rupees, nominally abou,
$50 900, 900.
The Jumna Musjid-i. G., the Friday
mosque, that day being the Mohamme.
dan Sabb th-contlins large quail
ranglc 450 feet square, approached on
three sides by broad sandstone steps.
a small fountain gives forth constant
, stream OF cold, crystal wator for The
/ additions OF the faithful. On one side
stands building extending the ontirC
length OF the court, surmounted by
three white marble domes, which are
, capped with gilded spires. At the cx
r tvemeties two minGrct5, alternately
striped with sandstone and marble
= perfect the symmetry OF the reli giou
eIifce. TO westward, toward Mecca
the middle blilding lies open. AID or
Friday the vast area is crowded will
a worshipers, principally mon, for, &C
: cording to the Mohammcdan educa
|, tioE, women have no souls; they live
+ for and are the property OF mon, the
j. koran permitting man to have fou
wives, to say nothing OF cogcubines
l a drive Of some hours brings us /,
the kutub min r. LAYING passe,
through one deserted city after anoth
8 or, some containing n few buildings il
= Il tolerable state OF preservation, it i
e not strange that this tower should seon
e Of such colossal height. Undoubtedl
a it was erected in the middle of the d2r,
q ages ard was one OF the wonders 0
/ the period. At the base it measure
o 100 feet in circumference, and gradual
o ly diminishes in a series OF five storio
o 10 so feet at the summit.