Week Ending October 20, 2019

Our delightful visit with Winston and Kathy continued on Monday morning with a visit to Humayun's Tomb, 1570, first garden tomb on the Indian sub-continent and setting an architectural trend that culminated in the Taj Mahal.  

This shot was taken from the interior of the smaller and earlier Isa Kahn Tomb.

From Humayun's Tomb we walked to the old Nizmuddin neighborhood to the shrine of the Sufi Saint Syed Muhammad Nizamuddin Auliya or Hazarat Nizammudin.  We listened to qawwali and just watched all the interesting people.

That evening we attended a performance of the Ramayana  at the Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra.  This closing scene depicts the return of Ram and Sita on a moonless night to the kingdom of Kosala where he assumed the throne after 14 years in exile.  They were greeted by the people with lamps hence the celebration of Diwali, the festival of lights.

On Tuesday morning we visited the Jama Masjid, built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan between 1650-1656.  It was early and quiet.  This is the south gate, Gate 1.

From there we descended into the chaos of Old Delhi

We made the obligatory climb to the top of the Spice Market to survey morning scenes in Old Delhi.  Note the man bathing in the lower left of the photo.  We made a final stop at the Red Fort before heading back to the apartment.

Wednesday morning we visited the serene Baha'i Lotus Temple . . . 

then the Sri Bangla Sahib Gurudwara (Sikh Temple) . . . 

which would not be complete without a visit to the large kitchen where food is prepared and distributed free of cost to thousands of people every day.  Kathy and I stopped to roll a few chapati.

Winston and Kathy wrapped up their trip with  some souvenir shopping at Dili Haat.  Here Kathy is learning how make a singing bowl sing.

Winston and Kathy flew home Friday morning and we flew to Kolkata to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the founding of the branch.  We had a dinner and program on Saturday evening at the Sonnet Hotel in Salt Lake City.  Highlights included the branch members singing "Heark O Ye Nations,

a lovely dance duet by Riki Kumbhakar and Sayantanee Saha,

a performance of songs by Rabindranath Tagore by Amitra Kundu and her mother Manasi, 

and a recitation of a Tagore poem by Sayantanee.

We had a wonderful evening.

Amrita Kundu, President Sujal Saha, Sayantanee Sujal and Manasi Kundu.

Branch members and friends.

Clair Anderson from Springville, guardian angel of the branch, Anita Pyne with daughter Sashrika and President and Sister Hansen.

Anita Pyne and her husband with Olia Kumbhakar and Sashrika Pyne.

We have a lovely meeting on Sunday morning with Elder and Sister Evans from Hong Kong, President and Sister Hansen, Elders Cook and Magesh from Delhi and members and friends.

From 4:30 until 6:30 we had an open house.  Sayantanee, Sushrika and Amrita covered the Primary.

Anita, the Relief Society President covered Relief Society.

Elder Cook and Soumya Kumbhakar covered the Chapel.