It is a beautiful day in Delhi, and it is the day we have come here for. Judith’s final interview with Vipin Bhardwaj, the head Pujara for this month at the Kalka Ji Temple in Delhi, is this afternoon. (Judith’s books deal with religion and modernity, and Vipin is a highly spiritual man with some pretty interesting ideas.)
But before we go there, we head towards the Lhodi Gardens, which turns out to be the sight of some unique two-story looking tombs that are really single chambers. The grounds are beautiful, with caretakers every where one looks. Also yoga classes abound. I bump into an extraordinary pair of dedicated athletes who partake in a sport called parkour. As I frame an image of the ancient tomb, I see on the monitor a man in a blue shirt doing push-ups with his hands on the ground and his feet up a couple of steps on the center entry. Quite impressed, I ask if I might make a few exposures while he is exercising. Round the corner comes another blue shirt, the wearer asks if she too may join the photo shoot. She is now in a plank position spanning the width of the entry. She is strong, flexible and beautiful. So, of course I spend more time photographing her. (Pictures to come, I assure you.)
There is another ancient tomb in a different part of the garden, and it is there that I encounter a group of boys who want me to take their picture, and I do. Afterwards, what they tell me they really want is a picture of me with them. I of course, comply. Hopefully they will receive the email I just sent.
After tea in a lovely garden setting near the Park, we stop by Humayan’s tomb, the final resting place of many, but the big deal dude is the father of Shaw Jihan, of Taj Mahal fame. The lineage of the Taj is apparent. Not at all as perfect, it is non-the-less spectacular, and very well attended. Lines of school children, all very well behaved, garland the grounds, waiting to enter. They, too, want me to take thier pictures. So, I do..
And now for the Kalka Ji.
Pictures to come