By Amina Syarfina Abu Bakar
THE REPUBLIC OF INDIA! It always has a special place in my heart. It is one of the greatest countries – infused in art and rich culture, making India such an exceptional place. The journey from South to North of India is not your typical tourist luxury experience.
The highlight of my trip was visiting the superb iconic Mogul architecture that is the Taj Mahal, situated in the city of Agra, in the capital of Delhi. Taj Mahal, amongst the most spectacular icons of saintly art in Asia, is equivalent to the expressions of Renaissance and Gothic architecture as seen in the western continent. Historians in the city explained the magnificent history of Emperor Shah Jahan who built it for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, a Persian princess. The whole building is painted with calligraphy on the exterior wall on the black and white marble with one whole holy book of Al-Quran text. It was beautifully sculpted with flowery thuluth script by over 20,000 artisans who worked on the project including Persia and Syria.
Seeing art in India made me realise how huge and spiritual the sacred sites and traditions of the world are. I also had the chance to experience the Holi Festival, which is the festival of love and colour that is held to celebrate the eternal love of sacred Radha Krishna. It has a deeper understanding of mystery, yet it was a wonderful celebration! The ancient culture of India is spectacular from the history of meditation, yoga, spiritual philosophy and traditional music. India’s spiritual side may help you discover your own divine essence and far deeper experience on every level!
Source / Reference
Knapp, S. M. (2020). Seeing Spiritual India, A Guide to Temples, Holy Sites, Festivals and Traditions. The World Relief Network Publisher. http://my1lib.org/book/5211100/b60060