(2 of 3 of The Two Towers)
The bell resonates through the city again. Noon. He has his lunch. At two, the drums take over. Menacing and threatening. As if counting down the hours till the end of the day. The street empties itself of the men as they congregate at the Great Mosque for their Friday prayers. Their kufi so familiar yet so strange in this place.
***
The temple is no longer a temple. It is overcrowded with tourists who talk and laugh loudly. Who flout the rules. As if the place belongs to their fathers. The renovations to make the place more 'tourist-friendly' do not help with the noise and dust either. For a temple this size, it's surprising how tiny its altars are. No, it is no longer a temple. Xuanzang would be most disappointed.
Xuanzang must've had the adventure of his life. Five years! Of travelling to a faraway land. With different customs and cultures. Learning to speak a new language. Moving from one new place to another day by day. He completely understands and knows how Xuanzang must've felt.
***
The temple is no longer a temple. It is overcrowded with tourists who talk and laugh loudly. Who flout the rules. As if the place belongs to their fathers. The renovations to make the place more 'tourist-friendly' do not help with the noise and dust either. For a temple this size, it's surprising how tiny its altars are. No, it is no longer a temple. Xuanzang would be most disappointed.
Xuanzang must've had the adventure of his life. Five years! Of travelling to a faraway land. With different customs and cultures. Learning to speak a new language. Moving from one new place to another day by day. He completely understands and knows how Xuanzang must've felt.
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