The Van Buren press., 1895-04-06
AN INDIAN FAlRY.LAND.
splendors Of Oudenpore. tho "City Of the
SUNRISE" - efth


SUNRISE" - tA
Passing under arches, we emerge
from the shadow into dazzle of light;
from the broad platform OF old and
yellow marble, we'll polished by the
constant friction of bare feet, few
low steps lead down to the blue water
Of the Pichola lake. On one side q
white wall ending in little temple
cuts off the view; the dancing refiec-
tion of the sun in the water is thrown
up in long ripping waves of light into
the shadow Of the caves. The view
down the lake ON the other side is un.
surpassable in India. A long perspec-
tive of white palaces, with many
domes and oriel-windows, with solid
masses of dark foliage rising from
the water here and there, reaches to
the great supporting walls of the Ra-
mas castle, and at this point the lake
opens out into greater width; its hori-
zon of gardens and hills beyond is in
terrupted only by the fantastic sill
houettes of the island palaces, which
seem to float between water and sky;
1t is as il the elusive mirages which we
had SO often seen on our way across
the white salt deserts of Persia, and
which had always melted into thin air,
had at last become materialized here. As
we stand on the steps and look across
the water in front of us, which is
like a narrow river at this point, we
see other temples among dark trees,
all in the shadow, and there are also
little garden pavilions, with steps de
scending to the water, and sometimes
with graceful arcade galleries over
hanging 1t. Just now the platform
behind us and the steps are crowded
with women and young girls, babies
and children, all either bathing or
washing their bronze water-jars, chat
tering, gossiping, laughing, or lying
about in the genial afternoon sunshine
of January, and not at all in a hurry to
finish their work or to 60 home. I'm
der and through the white arches an
endless throng of these gracefully
draped, swaying figures, in scar
let, in crimson and dull gold, in
faded reds and warm blues, carry
ing on their heads the great vases
of glittering metal, is continually
passing to and from the wet and glis-
tening steps. The golden afternoon
haze is beginning to soften the white
of the walls, but tomorrow morning,
when this side is in shadow, we shall
see exactly the same mellow glow on
the opposite side, and the difference
between morning and afternoon is
quite too intangible to express with
any painters medium A boat with q
numerous crew is waiting at the land
ing, and having settled ourselves COM
fortably among the cushions, we are
pushed. off from the shore and steer for
the island of "Jug Navas," f"
which is the nearest Of the lar.
ger islands, and seems to be the
more material. As the boat moves
down the lakes towards the islands,
the glow and power Of the white light
thrown back from the vast and tower
ing expanse of blank wall from which
the Rana's palace scars upward against
the deep blue of the sky, and from the
white city at its side, is almost too
much for the eyes. All this white,
strealked in places with the golden
green of the hanging terraced gardens,
and the scarlet and multicolored fig
ures ON the steps, and the drinking
elephants, is mirrored below, and until
the plow cuts the CLASSY surfaces 1t
seems at times like passing over white
cloud.-Edwin Lord Weeks, in Harpers
Magazine. 'i'r1 '' l''A-