Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-28

is forty-one feet and the projections are all
rectangular, the fourth, twenty-six feet
high, is a plain cylinder, and the flfthso top
story, Twenty-Five high, is partly huted and
story is exactly one fifth of Its height. and
the material is alternate courses OF marble
and red sandstone, the entire exterior sur
face being incrusted with inscriptions from
the Koran, sculptured in sharp relief. 1t
has been compared for beauty OF design and
perfection of proportions to the Campanelh
at Florence but that is conventional In every
respect, while the Kutab- Miraar Is unique.
The sculptures that cover Its surface have
been compared to those upon the column
of Trajan in Rome and the CoiAmn NendoIne
in Paris. but in this case they relate the
military trfumphs of the men IN whose honor
they were erected while the inscription
upon the kutab- Minar Is continuous
recognition of the power and glory of God
and the virtues of Mahomet HAS prophet.
Groups Of sepulchers.
Whichever way you look. whichever way
you drive in this extraordinary place. yoa
find artistic taste, the religious DEVOTION,
the love Of conquest and the military ge-
MUS of the Mohammedans combined and
Ierpetuated in noble forms. The camel
driver of Mecca like the founder of Chris
tianity, was a teacher of peace and an ex-
ample of humanity but his followers have
been famous for their pride their brilliant
achievements, their audacity and their mar
tial violence and success. The fortresses
scattered over the plain bear testimony to
their fighting qualities. and are an ex-
preston of their authority and power; their
g1lded palaces and jeweled thrones testify
to their luxurious taste and artistic senri-
ment. while the massive mausoleams which
arise in every direction testify to their
pride and their. determination that posterity
shall not forget their names. wrote you
the other day about the tomb of Humayun.
the If (fhp Lion OF the Eaiti1.
who transmitted to a long line Of moguls the
blood of cOnduerOrs. But IT is only one OF
several noble examples of architecture and
pretensions. and as evidence of the human
sympathies of the man who built it, the
tomb of his barber is near by. This was
the hiding place of Bahadur Shah. the last
of the mogulS who was involved in the
mutiny conspiracy OF 1857 and was sent
into exile in Burma.
About mile across the plain Is another
group of still more remarkable sepulchers
about seven or eight miles from Delhi
They are surrounded by grove of mighty
trees, whose boughs overhang a crumbling
wall intended to protect them As we pass
ed the portal we found ourselves looking
upon a large reservoir or tank. as they
call them here, which long ago was blessed
by Nizamu Din. one of the hottest and most
renowned of the Brahmin saints so that
none who swims in 1t Is ever drowned
A group of wan and hungry-fooking priests
were standing there to receive us; they live
on backsheesh and sleep on the cold mar
BILE floors of the tombs. No dinner bell ever
rings for them. They live entirely upon
charity and send out their chelas, or dis
ciples, every morning to skirTnish for food
among the market men and people in the.
neighborhood. While we stood talking to
them a group of six naked young men
standing upon the cornice of n temple at
tracted our attention by their violent ges-
ticu]ations. and then. one after another,
plunged headlong, fifty or sixty feet, into
the waters of the pool. AS they 'reappeared
upon the surface they swan to the marble
steps of the pavilion. shook themselves dry
like dogs and extended their hands for
backsheesh 1t was an entirely new and
rather startling form of entertainment, but
we learned that it was their way Of making
a living. and that they are the descendants
of the famous men and women Eho occupy
the wonderful tombs. and are permitted to
live among them and collect bAcksheesh
from visitors they did from us.
Several women were hanging around, and
half dozen ferce-looking mullahs. or Mo-
hammedan priests with their boards dyed
a deep scarlet because the prophet had red
hair.
Hall Of Sixty Four Pillars.
The most notable of the tombs the Hall
of Sixty-four Pillars is an exquisite struc-
ture of white marble, where RESTS Azizah
Kokal fash, foster brother OF the great
Mogul Al1bar. He was buried here in 1923,
and around him are the graves Of his
mother and eight of his brothers and sis
ters. Another tomb of singular purity and
beauty is that of Muhammud Shah, who
was mogul from 1719 to 17fS-the man
whom Nadir Shah, the Persian, conquered
you about the other day, and $500, 100000
worth of treasures. By his side lie two of
his wives and several of his children.
The tomb of Jehanara, daughter Of the
great Emperor Shah Jehan, ID a gem of
architecture; a dainty bungalbw of pure
white marble. The roof is low dome with
broad caves, and the walls ARE slabs of
thin marble perforated in gepmetrie de
calls her Heavenly Minded and reminds
us that "God is the Resurrection and the
Life" that it was her wish that nothing
but grass might cover her ddst, because
such a pail alone was fit for the lowly
Dead and closes with a prayer for the
soul of her father Notwithstanding her
wishes so expressed the tomb cost 5000, 900,
but such sentiments which appear upon
taken literally. The inscription over the
entrance to one of the granddst in India,
where lies The Piercer of Battle Ranks
admits that However great and powerful
man may be in the presence Of his fellow
creatures; however wide his power and in
fiuence, and however large his wealth, he
is as humble and as worthless ss the small
est insect in the sight of God"
Human nature was the same among the
moguls as it is today. and men who were
able to spend million or half a million
dollars upon their sepulchers could afford
to throw In a few expressions or humility
The most beautiful of the tornbs Is that
of Amir Khusrau poet who died at Delhi
in 1915. the author of ninety-eight poems.
many of which are still in popular use He
was known 1.-The Parrot OF FIindustan.'
and enjoyed the confidence and patronage
of seven successive moguls. His fame is
immortal. Lines he wrote areis still recited
nightly in the coffee houses and sung in the
harems of India, and women and girls and
sentimental young men come daily to this
place and lay fresh flowers upen his tomb.
Work on Mckinley Memorial.
A dispatch from Canton, Ohio saws: II
the plans of the Mckinley National Me-
mortal Association fr,1sfaaa 81 49, -.