Dream Trip 2009

Great Travel Moment

Believe it or not, this man sits on the corner of a stair with scores of steps below him - I had just ascended them all. The destination for my climb was the Jama Masjid at Fatehpur Sikri in India. A group of us had traveled from rickshaw to bus to camel-drawn cart to visit and honor this sacred site. At the "iwan" entrance and beyond, through the elaborate arcades and across the vast square, we were everywhere surrounded by pilgrims, holy men, merchants, children, tourists - all seeking in some way a spiritual experience to move them. As we exited the mosque complex, this man I had seen out of the corner of my eye on the way in was still seated on the corner, and it was his presence overlooking Uttar Pradesh that moved me more than any venerated saint or "mihrab" inside.