What's your sign?

No Open Heads
Delhi

Continuing the "What's your sign" series...

This, seen in Nizamuddin Dargah, Delhi.

A Dargah is a mausoleum or tomb for a Muslim saint. Nizamuddin Dargah, constructed circa 1563,  houses the remains of Sufi saint Nizamuddin Auliya, as well as those of Amir Khusro and Jehan Ara Begum.  The tomb of Inayat Khan is in the same neighborhood, round the corner.  There's one area of the tombs into which women are not allowed (I can't remember which, but don't worry, signs are clearly posted).

Thursday evenings at the Dargah feature live Sufi Qawwali music from about 5pm, and continue only about two hours. Admission is always free.

The simplest way to reach the Dargah is just to hop in an autorickshaw and say, "Nizamuddin Dargah" (it's near to Humayan's Tomb, but every driver should know the Dargah).  You can also take Delhi's spiffy Metro to Central Secretariat, but you will still need to take an auto from there. 

Nizamuddin will immerse you in Delhi's rich medieval history of Sufis, Mughals and minarets.  As with Hindu temples, the road to a Muslim dargah is lined with stalls selling appropriate offerings. Rather than oil lamps and sindoor, they feature incense, roses and glittery green cloths to drape on the tomb.  The atmosphere is male-dominated, with some interesting exceptions.  At one stall I saw a woman, head demurely covered and carrying a basket, conversing with the stallkeeper. It didn't even take a second glance to see this was a transgendered person.  She was obviously well-known to the local merchants.  In a previous age, perhaps she would have been a court eunuch or even a court entertainer.  So much has been lost, in a time when Muslim culture is dominated by Taliban and ayatollahs.

Big Valley

News from Nubra
Diskit, Nubra Valley, Ladakh


I am typing on the rock-like keyboard of the only internet available in the entire Nubra Valley. There are 2 terminals (c. about 1985) in the Community Information Centre here. I had to wait 2 days to get on line; yesterday the power was off all day. The day before, the operator wasn't around. I am typing as fast as possible before either the power cuts off again or the net connection fails.


Field and Stream

Nubra Valley has got to be one of the best-kept secrets in India. Peaceful villages, placidly grazing cows, burbling clear mountain streams, cheerful open-hearted peasantry working away in the fields like a Brueghel painting. Unfortunately, permits are given to foreigners for only 7 days at a time...that means, you spend one entire day on the bus here, and one entire day back, limiting your stay to five days, which is almost nothing. Still, it's worth it.



I made a gallant attempt at getting the Subdivisional Magistrate (a Ladakhi Buddhist woman) to extend my permit, on the basis of wanting to see completion of the Diskit Gompa's Yamantaka sand madala. But that extension is only possible for Indians (who also need a permit for this restricted area). As the Sikh sub-officer said, "No powers have been delegated to this location for the extension of permission to foreigners."


Yesterday I visited the official Yak Breeding Farm, only to find that all the yaks had been exported to the North Pullu grazing camp (about 5000 metres). Seems Nubra Valley, at only 3100 metres, is too hot and sunny for them....till December, when they are herded back down the Khardungla to Diskit. I was really disappointed, but it was a gorgeous, silent walk through the fields and streams to the Yak Farm.


Nubra valley, like Ladakh itself, is full of surprises. So is most of India. Unlike most of India, however, the surprises are pleasant. Like, getting a beautiful clean room with attached bath for 150Rs ($3.50) a night. Or, that the hotel "boys" are almond-eyed 16 year old Nepalis from Lumbini, who are thrilled that"didi" knows a few words of Nepali and will watch Indian Idol with them. Or, the fact that a brand new Sufi mosque has just opened in the valley. I have long been curious about the Indian Sufis, and now here they are next door, in a tiny valley a few miles from the Chinese border.


I spent three hours yesterday conversing with members of the local Shi'a community. When the Dalai Lama came to visit here, he made special trips to the various Mosques (all three of them - Sunni, Shi'a and Sufi). After the first hour or so I began to confuse the three S- sects, and everyone's name began to run together (Abbas Ali, Asaf Ali, Abdul Ali...) . but I am trying to get a picture of community relations in the area. As always, it's extremely complex and sensitive, especially around the issue of intermarriage.

Whoops - nearly lost this post when the power cut out. Better go before it happens again.