Yamuna is the sister of Yama, the deity of death, and the river Yamuna is named after her. Delhi is situated on the banks of Yamuna, and interestingly, it is called the city of tombs. Delhi is also one of India’s most polluted cities and Yamuna can’t be called a river anymore; it has become a stinking sewer.
I moved to the Raajdhani when I joined the Jawaharlal Nehru University. As I was born and spent my childhood days in a calm and serene village, cities have always frightened me. The heavy traffic and the sound and air pollution it causes makes me uneasy. However, since the JNU campus was eco-friendly, I did not feel like I was residing in one of the most polluted cities in the country.
During my stay in Delhi, the only places I visited were tombs. They are everywhere and almost all of them are calm and serene places with spacious gardens that provide fresh air.
The innumerable tombs of Delhi are today the few repositories of fresh air in the city. Delhi breathes because of these tombs, I feel.
In the film Tomb Raider Lara Croft raids tombs seeking lost artefacts and treasures. In Delhi, I used to raid tombs looking for a treasure—fresh air.
In the heart of the city, there is Safdarjung Tomb with a sprawling garden of more than three acres. It’s a lovely place. I have also spent time at the tombs of Razia Sultana, the first female ruler of India; Magam Anga, the wet nurse of Akbar; and many more. The tombs of Nizamuddin and Amir Kuzru are places of worship (dhargas) too.
The first place I visited while studying at JNU is Raj Ghat, the tomb of the Mahatma Gandhi. Adjacent to Raj Ghat, there is Shanti Vana, the Nehru samadhi.
Humayun’s Tomb is the most magnificent among the numerous medieval tombs in Delhi. Taj Mahal was built as a replica of Humayun’s Tomb. The only difference is that the Taj is built with marble.
In the Qutub Minar compound, there are two or three decrepit tombs.
While most people were busy shopping at Delhi’s expensive malls, I walked around the dead, enjoying the solitude in which they rest. And it was a relishing experience.
Sukumaran C V
Email: lscvsuku@gmail.com