This is the first time that I've gone on a journey without a tour guide, no plans, one friend and one stranger. Yet, it turned out to be one of my best trips ever!
Travelling in a threes, is pretty interesting. I discovered along the way that each of us had unspoken distinctive roles. One decided where to go, one decided how to go, another provided information about the places visited (acting as an on-the-spot tour guide). The roles developed as we strolled along sidewalks and kerbs. Throwing endless questions back and forth, like a brain-teasing game, tickling our ribs the whole time!
Since all of us come from different faiths, visiting a place like Istanbul, was an added advantage. It is here, where east meets west, a splendid exemplary model of the integration of Christian and Muslim influenced arts, philosophy and architecture. As they explained about the Islamic faith, model of Mekkah, its umbrellas, I shared with them on my knowledge of the Bible, Jesus, Mary, and the angels on the walls. It was this way, our faith strengthened, our tolerance increased, our understandings deepened.
In KL, I stayed near two mosques. During prayer times, these mosques would compete with one another, reciting the same prayers simultaneously, but unsynchronized. One could not even hear what they were saying, because the loudspeaker from another mosque, overlapped the soundwaves of another.
In Istanbul, they have three mosques, in the same area. Not exactly side by side, but probably separated by just 500 metres. Yet, as they recite their prayers, it is tremendously harmonious. Without looking, you would have thought that the sounds originated from only one mosque. But if you looked up, you'd spot 3 mosques! Apparently, the leaders decided to harmonize these mosques, and decided to assign one alternate verse each. What a brilliant solution! No squabbling, no quarrels, no noise. Just pure melancholic voices reaching out, touching souls, far and wide.
Hence, when we cruised and walked along the Bosphorous Straits, recitation of Quranic verses floated along the shorelines. Our hearts quietened, our minds settled. An unbroken silence precedes and quietly takes over...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scenery along Bosphorous Straits...
Front
Houses on the Hills! Imagine if this were your house...
Asian Side
Asian side
It's one of our national tourist herritage
Golden Horn - Sunset from Cruise
Mosque in the night
No comments:
Post a Comment