We had decided to go to either the Sun Temple at Modera or archaeological site Lothal but shelved the plans to take it easy. On the last day, we made a trip to the main outlet of the famous Kandoi sweets, which, as mentioned in one of my earlier posts, proved totally fruitless.
Two more places were on our agenda - the first being the mosque of Sidi Sayed which is located near the Lal Darwaza. The reason was to take a look at the 'Jali' - a mesh covering ten semi circular windows. I had my doubts about women being allowed inside the mosque but I did not voice them. Maybe I can take some photos from outside. When we reached the spot, the place didn't look like a conventional mosque. It was an open area and there wasn't a soul in sight except for a few tourists. I almost forgot about the 'women not allowed' rule till a woman tourist pointed it out to me. There it was, mentioned clearly on a board. No one in the group was as enthusiastic as I was about visiting this place anyways and since I wouldn't be able to go in, we turned on our heels and left the place. I have vowed never to include a mosque in my itinerary anymore.
The second place was the Hathee Singh temple, a very famous Jain temple constructed in 1850 AD by a, need I say wealthy, Jain merchant Seth Hathee Singh. I have had my share of experiences at the temples in South India - you have to be clad in a saree to be allowed in and so on. So I had checked beforehand at the hotel and had been assured that no such rules exist in this temple. I had read on the internet that this temple is built using white marbles and has lots of intricate carvings. But you really have to see it to believe it. The courtyard is surrounded by small shrines, 52 in all, if what's mentioned on the internet is to be believed - each of the shrines being dedicated to a Tirthankara. I would have loved to spend hours here, checking out the carvings leisurely. Alas, in India, temples are the last places to afford you any sense of peace or space, unless they are tucked away on a hill or in a remote area. No chance of getting spiritual at all. So after clicking the customary photos, we bid adieu.
Two more places were on our agenda - the first being the mosque of Sidi Sayed which is located near the Lal Darwaza. The reason was to take a look at the 'Jali' - a mesh covering ten semi circular windows. I had my doubts about women being allowed inside the mosque but I did not voice them. Maybe I can take some photos from outside. When we reached the spot, the place didn't look like a conventional mosque. It was an open area and there wasn't a soul in sight except for a few tourists. I almost forgot about the 'women not allowed' rule till a woman tourist pointed it out to me. There it was, mentioned clearly on a board. No one in the group was as enthusiastic as I was about visiting this place anyways and since I wouldn't be able to go in, we turned on our heels and left the place. I have vowed never to include a mosque in my itinerary anymore.
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| Hathee Singh Temple |
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