St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-07-20
THE ROME OF ASIA.


Dslhl che rAj MaA.l the Peaseek rAree1
and the KataA lllaaP.
Delht for the last 5000 years thu
Rome Of Asia possesses history dat
ing back to the mythical period of the
Aryans. The city il situated on thu
banks Of the Jumna, just outside the
Northwest province and within the
boundary Of the Punjab. It has suo
cumbed seven times to attack and q
often rises again to dominion and
grandeur. Delhi owes her present 10.
nown to tho extravgant ides and ab-
5ect cruelty Of Sha Jehan. who swayed
the rod Of empire from 1927 to 1858.
The Great Fort; the Dewan-i-Kas, or
hall Of private audience: the Notice
Husjid. the Mosque or Pcarla and
the Grown Of the World" the
TAI Mahal at Agra. built for the
last resting-place Of the fair Per.
sian Queen Of the ruthless Emperor.
all stand a. eulogies to perpetuate his
name The fort Is . little less than
two miles in circuit and its walls rise
forty feet from the ground. Inside
this inclosure are the most superb and
costly buildings Of Hindoostan. En-
tering BY the Lahore. now Victoria
gate. succeeded by long vaulted aisle.
which at present Is utilized BY the ma
tive hawkers for the display OF their
wares TO the English soldiers who oc-
cupy the citadel. the hall Of public
audience and the Pearl mosque stand
out against the clear Asiatic sky.
bringing to mind the productions OF
Jerome and Constant. who have i'm
mortalized the scenes Of Eastern lux
ury. Pre-eminent among these marvels
Of mans handicraft is the hall of pri-
vate audience. which commands IN ex-
tensive view Of the silent Jumna and
the monOtOnOus expanse Of rolling
plain. The hall Is Of marble. open ut
tho sides and supported by pillars rich
In precious stone and gold mosaic and
carving. At each corner rises kiosk
composed Of the same material ~ the
building. and the ceiling IL decorated
with gold and silver iiligree work. The
elimination Of all this splendor Is at
tained in the takt-i-taua the famous
peacock throne. which stood in the
center Of the palatial chamber before
its destruction by the Persian Nadir
Sha in the early part Of the last cent
ury. It 10 formed Of q mass OF gold
wrought In the form Of two peacocxs
with distended tails. fashioned to life
with diamonds. sapphires. rubies.
emeralds. and suspended between them
. parrot Of Dormal size. This regal
seat was perfected at q cost Of 6 crores,
or 60. 600. 900 rupees, nominally about
es0. .000. COO
The Jumna Iusjid-i q. the Friday |
mosque. that day being the Moham- !
medan Sabbath-contains q large
quadrangle $50 feet square. approached
ou three sides BY broad sandstone
stepA A small fountain In the center
gives forth . constant stream Of cold.
:rystal water for the ablutions Of the
laithful. On one side stands q build
nG extending the entire length Of the
>ourt surmouoted BY three white mar
'le domes. which are capped with
yilded spires. At the extremities two
ninarets. alternately striped with
audstone and marble. perfect the sym
netry Of the religious edidca To
westward. toward Mecca. the middle
lies open. and ON Fridays the
'ast area r. crowded with worshipers,
men. for. according to tho
education, women have
70 souls; they live for and are the
Of mon. the koran permitting
man 70 have four wives. to cay moth
ng Of concubines.
A drive Of some hours brings % to /
be kutub minar. Having passed
trough one deserted city after an.
ther. some containing . few buildings
. . tolerable state OF preservation. it
J not strange that this tower should
eem OF such colossal height Un-
Il was erected In the middle
the dark ages. and was ono Of the
'onders Of the period. At the base Il
100 feet In circumference,
nd gradually diminishes in . series Of
W stories to so feet 1t the summit
!. 7. Evening Post