Delhi’s Red… errr… White Fort…

Well, according to the Daily Telegraph, conservation architects in Delhi have discovered that originally, a good deal of the Red Fort was originally… white. Quoting KK Mohammad, head of the Architectural Survey of India said the ‘Red Fort’ is a “misconception” because although its exterior ramparts are red sandstone “more of the Red Fort is white than people realise.” Apparently, the giant red stone sundial that is the Jantar Mantar was also originally all white too… ooops.

 

India - Delhi - Judduchkra Iqbal, a magician from the Kathiputli Colony in the Shadipur Depot slum dresses for a show behind the Red Fort
India - New Delhi - A garden seen through the arches of the Janar Mantar

Vesak

Happy Vesak (Vesakha) … not exactly the same date across all of the world but never mind…

 

Japan - Hikone - The shaved head of a Zen monk of the Soto School meditates at the Seiryu-ji Temple. In Zen Buddhism, zazen (literally "seated meditation") is a meditative discipline practitioners perform to calm the body and the mind and experience insight into the nature of existence and thereby gain enlightenment (satori).
Vietnam - Hue - A young monk writes in the early morning dew on a pillar at the monastery at the Thienmu Pagoda
India - Sarnath - A Buddhist monk blows a trimpet during a service at the Vajra Vidya Institute for Buddhist studies

Tim

I woke up nearly a fortnight ago in a hospital bed completely unaware of where I was, to multiple cellphone calls telling me that my friend and colleague, Tim Hetherington had been killed. I have written before about colleagues being killed (here and here) but I think that there’s very little I actually want to say about this episode. I’m overwhelmed by the tidal wave of industry tributes and I am completely uninterested that Tim was a photographer or a journalist; why he was where he was and what he was doing – simply that he was my friend and I hope that wherever he is, he is at peace.