Washington sentinel., 1899-11-04

onnade, l found a secluded spot
and, sitting there gazing beyond
the parapet, the eye wandered over
wonderful, quaint, historic Delhi.
It is a place that inebriates the i'm
agination-so gorgeous, so flntas-
tic, so fairy like / found it. Look
ing upon the city that lovely spring
morning, with the scent OF the rose
gardens waited towards me, l re.
membered that il was the whisper |
Of DelhIs glories that sent Col |
umbus coursing to the West and |
inspired Vasco di Cana to brave |
the unknown Cape. Delhi was the |
capital of the ancient Asiatic
world, as Rome was Of the Euro
pean, and as London is Of the
modern. But the glory OF the
Eternal City. with a history OF
twenty-five centuries, slides down
almost to a yesterday before the
forty stirring centuries that have
wheeled over the mighty Indra-
pechta, the Shahjehanabad, OF the
faded past. Around Delhi lie the
ruins of nine cities that have borne
its name. Here was gathered the
fabulous wealth Of the MOgul Em-
perors-of the great Akbar, Jehan-
lire, Shah Jehan, and Aurungzio.
1t was here that Tamerlans swung
his mighty arm. The history OF
Delhi IS a calendar Of war, Of terce
butchering and horrible slaughter,
OF victories and defeats, from the
swoop by the Tartars to the siege
bv the British. Today it dazzles
with its radiance. But gone is the
glorious Kazz-Hazar-Situn, with a
thousand needle minarets. And
gone is the majesty OF the killa
Rae Pitthora. Around lie the
crumbhng emblems OF forgotten
gorgeousness-noble pillars rec
ording noble deeds, bold-breasted
battlements that have answered the
invaders rush with flashing ardor,
exquisite old temples hiding in
sylvan retreats, sturdy gateway
still proudly displaying their chis-
elled decoration and dainty inscrip-
tions; great tombs that will outllve
the memory ol the monarchs they
encase are to be found In shaded
groves-everYwhers wonder mys-
terry; overwhelming heaven con.
ceived loveliness.
Delhi today dazzles, with even a
remnant Of its former Splendor.
Bur it is a remnant that outVies
many a more vaunted site. 1t IS
not a pretentlous city pretentlous
in the way that Paris, Athens,
Rome, and Cairo are preten.iOus,
always Haunting attractions and
having troops Of guides and map
ped out sight seeing. There are,
OF course, scenes in Delhi that all
men must visit, but its charm lies
rather in the by-paths, in the curl
Gus bits OF antique masonry IN out
oi-the-waY corners, strange mOnu'
ments buried in greenery, and ir
the varied, enticing, delightful
glimpses OF Eastern life in the
crowded. Cabling bazaars. There
is one street no one can grow weary
OF tramping, time and time again
This is the Chandni Chank, broad
boulevard, lined with native shops
and with a wide, tree enclosed
path in the centre, usually packed
with fruit sellers and their euor
nous baskets. Just at eventide
when a mellow glow IS settling
and the rich Hindus, in their Euro.
pean carriages, swing by, and les.
prosperous folk stroll on foot, anC
friend meets friend, and there ar
elaborate greeting and salaaming
and hand holdings; when the mer
chants squat before their shops
and the clang Of the bell is heard
and the call OF the priest at tn
Golden MOSQUE, and the MOslem
all knesl in the open air and pray
and when there is chattering an
low laughter from the easements
where be-ringed and scented, topa
eyed damsels sit IN the gauze finer,
and enjoy the passing thrOng -
then l think the Chandni ChanI
puts on its dreamy garb, In al
hour you come away with nothing
definite in your mind, only feet
ing, elusive sense, as though 20
had been staring at painting tina
suggests mora than it represent,
or had been listening, rapt souleC
to music that for the time had bee
absorbed into you and yet enve
oped you. The charm of the Ia
is its elusive delights. You S
often hover on the fringe OF wo
like, changing, slipping away Pa
disc. But this appreciation an
ianciful love of the quaint depend
on the temperament of the onloOkC
as much as on the marvel Of th
scene. The beauty is not oil IN
concrete kind. And yet there
plenty OF that kind of beauty /
Delhi. The Fort, for instance,
stupendous structure-solit
with terrible breastworks, a gre.
mass Of defying wall, with the rIgC
broken BY air pavilions risln
above the great gates. lnsid
bald barracks stand on the sites
the Burj-i Shamali, the Mitii
Mahal, the Nawbat Khana. The
are still the palaces, and one &c
a bewildering conception OF tf
magnificent Mogul Court. tt
buildings are noble, OF lofty desig
There seems to have been a poel
cal architect at work, tor ever,
thing is majestic without Obtrusio
lovely without ostentation, curiO'
eccentrieity. The Dewani Ar