New Delhi - 11th March 2011

So today begins our 3 day Youth Festival in Delhi to conclude the Jago Yuva Bharat Campaign. On today’s agenda was to visit ‘Places of Hope.’ We started by assembling at the Jama Masjid. What a beautiful piece of architecture! The magnificence and splendour of this massive building and it’s gates was breathtaking..

We get the privilege to be guided by one of the members of the Jama Masjid authority who knew the history and significance of the building and in full enthusiasm he took us around and explained everything to us.  The Jama Masjid was built by Shah Jahan out of red sandstone and white marble in 1650 AD. It combines Hindu and Muslim styles of architecture.  It faces west, and Jama Masjid means ‘Friday Mosque.’ We were also showed all the places where the Mosque was restored and what the meaning of the writings on the building were.

There was also a ‘pool of nectar’ in the center of the compound inside. People are believed to be healed of ailments and diseases by washing the affected part of their body with water from here.

Again, like other places, the peaceful vibe was prevalent, but here there was some kind of feeling that one could write very beautiful, profound poetry here as well. The arches and the domes, the writings in Urdu on the building, the combination of the white and red of sandstone and marble of which it was made, and the subtler elements of people’s thoughts towards God, their prayers, they way the whole place is illuminated by the sun and just to be witness to the majesty of this structure was enough to inspire anyone..

After this we moved on to Birla Mandir, which was like the largest temple many of us had seen, in terms of housing the largest number of idols of Gods and Goddesses under one roof. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the second in the Hindu Trinity of Creator-Preserver-Destroyer, and his consort, Lakshmi, Goddess of Wealth. It had a look of some of the temples that you’re find in Orissa, with tall curved towers. It was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1938, and is open to people of all faiths.

The idols that were here were a true thing of beauty.. There were so many, representative of the various Gods and Goddesses of Hindu Mythology, and the most striking thing was that they were sculpted with such care, so ornately decorated and with dedicated finish, truly royal in their appearance and so pleasing to the eye. And a rare thing to see so many of them together, shining their splendour to all those who came to pray.

There was a hall inside, called Geeta Bhavan, which had paintings, done very well with intricate details, depicting scenes from Indian Mythology. There was also a temple devoted to Lord Buddha that has fresco paintings showing his life and work. Open verandas and gardens and some fountains flanked the back.

Unfortunately, photography was strictly prohibited inside, which is a pity, as the whole scene is something worth treasuring a copy of.

The next stop of the day is Bangla Sahib Gurudwara where we were explained how things run here, especially about how Langar is prepared. Then we get a guided tour by some of the top authorities here, and are shown where the food is prepared and how it is done. It was very similar to that which we had seen at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, just on not so large a scale, I guess. But the best part was that we got to do seva ourselves too! The whole K2K team made rotis, which would be served later at Langar. It was a looooot of fun! So many of us aren’t too proficient at cooking and trying to make the roti round and even was quite a task, and to watch it was hilarious!

After this, we all went into the Gurudwara and sat for the Kirtan, breathed in the bhajan that was being sung and just suspended thinking for a while.. Felt all the negativities being cleansed.. Floated away a little bit...

The day was definitely one of Hope, inspiration, positivity and coming together, as we visited these places of worship. And despite each place being different, followed by different religions, with different languages and customs, that didn’t feel like an impediment in accepting each, learning from them and respecting them. The intention was to acknowledge the journey we just completed, express a huge ‘thank you’ in gratitude to the Lord for guiding us through it all and bringing us back safely, but mostly for the journey to keep on going, throughout the country, through the incredible people we met and interacted with, for further positive action, and peace and harmony to blanket our country.

Sometimes things are so simple.. We just need to slow down enough to see it and let it sink in..