1957-01-09 — Page 4

THE CHINA MAIL,

#

N

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1957 -*

CONTINUING A SIGNIFICANT PERSONAL ODYSSEY. IN INDIA, THE TAJ MAHAL BY MOONLIGHT, AND THE BURNING GHATS OF BENARES .. THEN NEPAL, SO LIKE SWITZERLAND OR THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS, WHERE TIBETANS GATHER TO MEET THE DALAI LAMA

By

PETER TOWNSEND

DRIVING ALONE AROUND THE WORLD

Tibetan pilgrims and priests at Kathmandis.

T is winter. in minarets of each corner ap- looking like Ivory but carved Kathmandu, but it peared to be suspended above out of solid marble and inlaid the ground and the dome, softly with precious stones in flower feels more like brushed with moonlight, looked designs and writings from the spring. The morning as if it were poked in mid-air Koran. mist has lifted and I am above them,

was led down Into the cir- cular marble vault below, The sitting out in the warm sun.

his A light breeze stirs the

tombs of the Emperor and wife lay side by side.

They trees and the air is full of

were richly ornamented. That of Mumtaj Mahal

the the raucous cries of rooks

smaller. When she died in 1630, and jackduws,

Shah Jehan erected the Mahal as her mausoleura. Intention ore for himself on the opposite bank of the Jumna. But the scheme never materialised, and when In 1666 he also died he was laid beside his wife.

Great masses of woolly cloud are piled up high over the surrounding mountains. In the garden, flowers and shrubs are in bloom.

I

WAS

a

have motored many hundreds of mile; peros india since leaving Delhi, When I reached AFT", it was already dark, but there

Jalf- moon, * having left luggage at the hotel I set off to It the see the Taj Mahal, most wonderous building 1 have ever set eyes on. Of pure white marble, stands on the banks of the River Jumna, just out- side. the city. Beneath its spacious dome le the bodies of

It was an unforgettable im- pression, and I agree with those Taj Mahal who say that the must be seen by moonlight.

As I drew closer, I was struck by its inmenee, harmonious proportions, of which no photo- graph I have ever seen gives any led slowly round

the still warm walls, which were with the day's heat. Beyond, the waters of the Jumna were still and silvery in the moon-

ght.

THE TOMBS

COME cover-shoes were laced

over my own before I was allowed to enter the mausoleum. The darkness inside was soften-

was

was do build a similar

No description, no photo- graph, could ever do justice to the Taj Mahal. It must be scen, and above all, seen by moonlight, to be believed.

Next morning. I was Alling up with

petrol when charmer appeared with a sack- fut of snakes and a mongoose. He offered a snake-dance five rupees, and a fight between snake and mongoose for ten. settled for a combined display at

a shake

but of course the venom, like the teeth of the mongoose, had been drawn-slithered up to the tough, furry little creature and, raising itself slantways, leered a challenge at it. This was too much for the m

pounced on the

-01

Lands

for the Burmah-Shell Company's Rest House. It was a most re- warding find, and I spent a very comfortable night much need- ed, for the strain of the journey is beginning to tell. But there's who nothing like a good sicep for of and seized relieving that leaden sense

which weighs 60 fatique morselessly upon one.

took The Journey next day

Khanpur from

through me Allahabad to Benares, the holy city of the Hindus. The roads are good, between these cities but narrow, so that you have to drive aft on to the dusty side. track in order to pass another One meets dew cars, vehicle. but there are scores and scores of bullock-carls which ramble along sleepily as if the Grand Trunk Road enthely for them.

Its head in his jaws. After a writhing, dusty little battle, in which the contestants tied them- selves up into inextricable knots, the

mongoose was declared the winner and the show was over, I went to look at To Mahal once more. It glittered in the and bright sun, dazzling white magnificent, yot robbed, thought of the magle which the moonlight casts upon it.

BLOCKED ROAD THREADING my way through

in

the crowded streets of Agra headed towards Khanpur (Cawnpere). Soon after passing through Mainpuri I got com pletely stuck

country for village and was held up over a quarter of on hour, two bullock wedged between carts, while half a dozen others blocked the road in front. Their drivers were all arguing fiercely

10 budve.

wero

reserved

capitals on the back of

bus.

0

Priests

And

Pilgrims

HOWEVE

I stick to the slogan which I saw inscribed in large

country

"Hora Plees" It said. So I horned and kept on

was in the room next door began horning, and by the time level with the bus the driver sorting and coughing in the heard me and, swerving grace early hours. He was still con- fully off the road he and the vulget when at 6.30 I got up. passengers waved me on.

bullock carts there is

hideous element always a

l

of

We spinning his praying-wheel and

flew in low over the muttering. Suddenly he stopped mountains of Nepal. "It could bo bad opposite me and, wilts a dis- a hazardous fight arming smile, demanded "Bak- weather," said to the pilot, sheesh I couldn't help feeling "You're right," he this 'was

father on frreverent wo don't even try itled, "and We followed a valley where request in the midst of his de- votions. Still, he had his reward. the mountain tops sometimes to rose above us, and then, pass- The road from Benares Patru was simply swarming

between two great pro- with people walking,

followed Ing. montories of rock,

ing

in ricksbows, tongas and another valley. At the far end bullock-carts. Some were even of it Kathmandu was just being carries in litters, borne by visible. four wiry men. Half walking,

T was leaning over the pilot's half running, they advanced at "We had a prang here a shoulder as we approached to

a

surprising pace.

of peaceful,'

weeks ago," he said. "You'll

an-

I drove through miles and fow miles of canvas and pusy "Well, don't let's have

countryside, see the aircraft as we come in." village life. The vivid green of other," I replied. His landing

was irreproachable.. the flat paddy fields made perfect background brightly coloured enris of the women as they walked in little droops to the village well, their pitchers balanced Immovably on

their heads.

for the

TO KATHMANDU

ed by the

the light of a single candle, which dimly revealed the marble walls and the white ceiling of the dome, eighty-five feet above. An old man vng Mumtaj Mahal end her husband, keeping watch beside the tomb- seven rupees, but quite frankly began to inch our way forward. and they, often more alarmed by in a rowing-boat. Beggars, sume Burmah - Shell

the Emperor Shah Jehan.

UNFORGETTABLE

HE evening air was quite sill. TH

As I walked through the massive arched gateway into the garden, a pale and shadowy upparition emerged from the darkness some way ahead. The shape of the Taj Mahal Just discernible bit, so it seem- ed, without solid form. The tall

was

de-

Comr

looked

stonea. In a whisper he scribed the echo which from the dome. Then he up and, raising his twice, gove a long ery, like the call of muezzin. The sound filled the dome, reverberating back for fully fifteen seconds before it died away,

The tombstones are replleas of the actual tambs, which lie in a vault below. Round them is the

fereen, most beautiful

Chameleon

1 new 18ct gold Rolex Chameleon the only watch

the

world with a wardipör, You dress for Juncheon... your Chameleon drewe

to match. You change for dinner... so does your Chuumelcon. Because Chameleon has interchangeable straps, in an infinite variety of colour. But, quick-change artist thought it is, this distinctive new Roick sever varies in accuracy. Don't lost another minute! Ask to see the Rolex Chameleon.

Rolex

1bel, goid Beier Chameleon, wilk "sterley ark" af four olyak, euses in Kandomme merre jewellery bot

POPULAR PUBLICATIONS

Chinese Creads & Customs Vol. I

Chinese Croads & Customs Vol. II

Baby Book

This is Hong Kong

The Hongkong Countrysido (Herklots)

Hongkong Birds (Herklots),

Coronation Glory

King George VI,

It's Fun Finding Out - 2nd serios

(Bernard, Wickstead).

Expres Annual

Rupert Annual

Rupert Magazines

Stamp Albums

Tan Points About Pearls

Points on Judging. Jade

Outline Relief Map of China

Asia

5.E. Asla On Sale At

$18.00

THE GURKHAS

HAVE been in Kathmandu.

for three days and it has been:

a short but delightful holiday. It

is extraordinary how qulet the streets are after an Indian town. There are no tengas and rickshaws-only a few motor-.

most of them old towing

cars, models with hoods. There is a smell and

a feel in the fresh clean air which is familiar. Is it

lands of Scotland? I don't know; perhaps it is something between the two.

The city stands round, a great square of grass-It is more like T Painn I was once more

vast lawn. a vast

People sit about comfortably lodged in the basking in the sun and chatting. Company's A few are trading in goats and sheep, which have been driven with the in from the mountains. They

are terribly hard and tough, these mountain people. Small of stature and barefooted, you sco them, men and women and even great children, bent beneath

taking back provisions for the

Switzerland or is it the High-

In the evening the sun sank out of a clear blue sky, and long before it reached the earth's horizon it seemed 10 be dm- I had planned an early visit mersed in an ocean of pale blue A deep stain of purple haze, to the bathing-ghals on the

and crimson spread out through banks of the Ganges, and ar- with one another and refusing doubt. You horn and when you rived just as the sun was rising, the haze and, mounting up, fill- ed the sky with its glorious the

streak It cast a pale yellow

radiance, There was nothing to do but are at point blank range,

driver wakes up and springs across the grey water which, wait while crowds of villagers adroitly from a recumbent post despite the chilly air, was quite stood about the car and looked tion in the back of the cart into warm. for

in, not without sympathy, at the driver's seat. He lays the

There was a crowded scene my plight. At last the cart in

I embarked front have a little jerk, and we drowsy bullocks with his stick at the ghat where

your approach than by the of them horribly maimed, sat bungalow. You may think you're an ace blows to which they are well- about on the broad steps of the After discussion

cope successfully accustomed, If you can

veer suddenly to ghat. Pilgrims were in the act with the traffic in London or one side or the other,

as the Brussels, but you begin to feel

spirit moves them. genius you're a

jc

get you through an Indian village un- scathed. Added to the jumble of camels and tongas, bullock carts and tricycle-rickshaws,

with thick seeding of pedestrians, came a fresh hazard-elephants, traffic sense is excellent and they amble along politely.

keeping of the road. well in to their side

I don't think I got my money's worth,

DUSTY BATTLE

Wo cobras and a krall-the most deadly snakes in India were tipped out of the sick. The cobra swayed nonchalantly for a few minutes 10 "The Campbells Are Coming." It was played in squeaky tones on bamboo pipe. Another cobra was set face to face with the mongoose, but it was apparently new to the game and gave in without a struggle. The mon goose looked distinctly bored.

Then a craft, yellow and evil- looking-I nearly said venomous,

to

of undressing and preparing to manager, Mr Tej Ram, I came enter the holy waters. Some had to a decision not to motor

but to go by alr Kathmandu, already begun the ritual cleans-

I had always under AT THE GHAT ing. wading in waist-deep instead.

stood that it was possible to do Immersing themselves Tthe moment you must act before

but I was mistaken. The Ganges A quickly. There is no ques- completely beneath the surface, the journey by road in one day, loads of wood which they sell,

Straightening up their dripping tion of Anger-tip control, as the bodies, they stood scoeping up advertisements call it, but a the water in their hands, which

alter course as you

in the opposite direction.

That night at Benares I had remained for some Twenty-five miles from little sleep. The right was full facing the sun, with eyes closed Khanpur I had a puncture, and of the barking of frightened and Ups moving

prayer.

I must say, however, that their violent wrenching of dhe wheel there of offering.

it was already dark when I pye-dogs and the dismal, un- found myself Altering through earthly wailing of Jackals.

ΤΟ

the scathing trame, searching add to my discomfort the man

NATHANIEL GUBBINS

TN the manner of

Clerihew Bentley: Christmas pud Never seems to do people

much good,

And large helpings of

turkey

Make even the brightest

morning look murky.

held out before them in a Thus they

moments

in silent

QUITE PURE

AMONG the pilgrims

were

men and women, both young and old, strong and feeble. There were many priests, too. scalod on little platforms beneath large wicker parasols. Some were bicasing the pilgrims who came to them; others sa immoblie, deep in meditation, à sublime expression of detach- ment upon their features.

The boat glided along past the burning ghots. Smoke was ris- ing slowly into the morning air. Two bodies, wrapped in white. liren cloth, lay near by. They looked eo inent and irrelevant in the land of the living, wall-

and them,

leave nought but their ashes to be scattered on the waters.

Stacked up on

That the old lady has double- When your stomach's full of ing for the flames

crossed him first.

So, a man like that International

dopo

acid,

This may be why the spirit

didn't shine too good In Hollywood,

to consume

Benares

is three miles wide

Indians bathing in the Ganges: at Patna winter.

They move

with

the banks loaded on to a train it is a band across their foreheads.

and the car has to be ferried curious lope, their loads fixed to ACTOSS. On the far

and carried

Gurkha soldiers--those stundy, above the ghats were rowB of some miles further over a river indomitable fighters — march pink stone slabs. The bodies of before the road

the briskly about their Journey to

duties, Christmas lepers, sufferers from smallpox Nepal frontier can really begin. while boys and girls in Littlo

and children under five are not The ferrying by boat and groups doubt if we shall be very Paul Brinkman socket Homer burnt. Instead they are tied to train takes four hours, possibly in the y marbles or hopscotch

Foster Dulles hasn't got a hope.

I

happy in the spring or new summer raiments

in

After

too

many mince pics

On account of adverse balance

of payments. Even if it is warm and sunny

we shall only trown You can, hardly see out of Because Imports are

up and exports down

114

your eyes,, And

for whisky cock. And even pictures of American talis followed by cham- fim girls with curves Pagri

Won't "make us happy without

dollar reserves, Never,

never, never nover, never, never agaign..

1957

At least, that's what we all As another

Say

On Boxing Day,

But within a week we are stuffing ourselves with good cheat,

And wishing each other a

happy New Year, Though many

ahead will.be fit to burst 18.00 Cn January the Furst. 25.00

☆ ☆ 8.50

After which we have nothing 25.00 to be happy about but the 35.00 high cost

7.50 of living and the frost,

7.50 And now on high and low

ground,

5.00

And everything so much more

La pound, 10.00 with no petrol for the car

4.50 thanks to Corporal Nasser, 1.00 Who, oven among Egyptians,

is an ace doubla' crasser.

8,001

1.50

1.50

Which la mying a lot,

30

As those boys are pretty hot,

130

30 People who have been any

- whore noir, the Nile:

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, LTD.

HONGKONG

Where, after a

party,

Rhoads good and hearty,

☆

They say it was about a girl

called Jeanne Crain, Though I think they had been

followed by champagne, You'd think by now that even

an ape Would know that spirit distilled from grain does not mix with grape,

driniting whisky cocktails,

strecta.

Assam Trunk sitecture and carvings. Somon

a stone slab and sunk in mid- longer. Moreover, it would be Around- Kathmancha aro stream. It is apparently true necessary 10 repeat it on the numerous temples, both Budd- though difficult to believe, that return journey, as there is no hist and Hindu. I am not allow- the waters of the Ganges are diroot road to the north of the ed to enter the Hindu temples, quite pure

Ganges which leads to Cooch though I have visited many and Lugubrious as this burial pro- Behar and the

an extraordinary wealth of cedure may sound I did not get Road. that impression. It seemed to fit In order to reach the Assam are quile grotesque, though no most naturally into this scene Trunk Road i must co from more so than the gargoyles. on of religious fervour where the Patna to Bhagalpur and cross Christian cathedrals, and all sun shone down and the broad there to the north bank of the have a religious significance.

of the holy Ganges. and placid waters river flowed on to cleanse the living and carry the souls of the dead upon their way,

HOLY PLACE

to

The air Journey from Patna

Kathmandu tokes

only one

GREAT TEMPLE CLIMBED up the long steep steps to the Buddhist temple. Monkeys

But in the autumn wo shali And makes people belligoce,

look forward to Christmas And want to punch each other

hour. In the morning I set off in a DC3 of Indian Air Lines. on the nose.

After we'd been in the air for of Swayambhu Nath glimpse of a phoney heaven.

LEFT the banks of the Ganges, half an hour the pilot came aft swing out-of the bushes and Therefore I don't believe they

"Come up in performed the most ridiculous And do ourselves no gud

fought about Jenny or any

and motored to the town of and sald to mo With more Christmas ptul,

five Sarnath,

miles away. front it's about the only chance coptes, grouping the railings and other girl And drink whisky

down them with a cocktails

dexterity no small boy, cont followed by champagne,

But because their lums were in Sarnath is a holy place of the you'll have of seeing Mount sliding

Buddhists. It was here that the Everest.""" Though we said we'd never do

a whirl.

Beneath us lay the dark green ever match. 2,500th Gautama Budkih, the

and Beyond, still some They swarmed, quite freely It agaign;

☆☆☆

anniversary of whose birth is Jungle, And stay up for too late.

celebrated

year, way off, the foothills of Nepal round the temple buildings, but this

not even the praying. stretched in a long line across no one, To wish each other a happy Anyway, after seeing Jenny's being

proached his first sermon. An

Piled above them priest, seemed, the least bit dis picture, I wouldn't care to ancient red brick tower stands our course. be in a mix

the sacred spot, and near was a layer of cloud, and there, turbed.

over a hundred miles away, but

The great temple even it her On her account,

Is a modern temple. by measurements are 38-23-30,

I took off my shoes and enter- sharply defined in the clear, splendid sight. Coloured dags Though I must admit I could

high air, rose the great white and bunting were strung from od. Round the walls Avero

its high plamcle and fluttered paintings illustrating scenes from masdf of the Filmalayas,

in the breeze, Pligrima walgod the life of the Buddha, and I

about in little crowds arou ***** With her I would never feel was surprised at the resem

fis circular base, while priesto plabla

1950-

So life goes on and on and on What fon, what fon, what fon,

Champagne agaign? For Marilyn Monroe.

THOSE who were dreaming of Be my stomach full of alcaline

a white Christmas, by hock, and not acid. Certainly got, it in, the neckti Which it still is And those who read that A Despite bicarb and bis,

turkey would be cheaper than ;

a bunny

Didn't think it very funny

· When they touneša, ZA They had to Day the Fame old

price per lb.

Will tell you that a Gyppo will The spirit of good will

double-cross his own mother Does not shine brightly with 'smilo;

you are feeling lil, KOWLOON Also with relish it ho has In other words" 19" hat

"already-icarnéq- the worntik

placid

over

blanco which some of them bore

EVEREST

#

azo was riveted on the were at worship, some prostrat

e pilot was ing themselves, some seated and

peaks which the

to scenes in the story of Christ: MY

On the way to the temple I had passed a group of Tibetan pointing out to me. He guided spiring their praying wheels.

me

along the range,

then. The lame was seated in a little that one, he said, "next shrine where a hundred candies

gently

pilgrims, and now they were arriving and crowding into the, temple. A priest struck a heavy, to the one with a shadow on it, flickered. Ho swayed Anyway, here's wishing you a brass bell with a slow measured that Everest" Even at such a from side to side as he chantext

Happy New Your

beat, and it boomed, out a wel- great distance it looked superb, 4 prayers.

Many of the pilgrims' and with a cloud, like a great white Full good fortune and good come to the pligrime.

priests are Tibetans, Lheste hear

They were a cheerful lot, plume, at its summit. Though I have warned you donic-skinned. and weather. To our lett, Annapurna raised capiat, is about ten days march about mixing whisky and boafer and dressed in leather its huge white bulk above the north through the mountain, champagno

Jackets and trousers of thickly cloud layer. I wished, we could Most of them have come by this You'll probably do it again woven tweed. The women and have stayed for a longer look, route, to be at Kathmandu in

· ́anck agaign" and agnigh) some of the older men-wore but we were steadily nearing time for the visit of the Dalai.

at the clouds, sit as we new Lama, depen Bo life goes.on bnd-on sad on. their hair in a long plalt.. What don, what for what,fon. 2.One.old man was walking beneath them the Himalayas

round and round, the temple, passed from our vie

mutwaria Neopyright = reserved. * Reprocnetian my whole we

• ka" para utzietly forviddat.)