Water from the Source
I enjoyed an experience of beauty today, exploring one of the Mughal gardens that our area is famous for. Walking through the gate is like passing into a parallel dimension—from the dirty, crowded street full of noisy Indian traffic, we suddenly found ourselves in a cool, leafy space with the sounds of bird calls and waterfalls around us. The Mughal emperors built these gardens in the 17th Century and planned them so that one would never be out of earshot of falling water. 
Pavilions with carved marble pillars stand like islands surrounded by pools and fountains. Even in the heat of mid-summer, these gardens are an invitation to rest and peace.
Just as lovely as the gardens, to me, were the people I saw enjoying them. The Mughal gardens are a tourist destination for Indians, especially for honeymooners, and we saw young couples posing among the flowers for Bollywood-style photos. There were families gathered for picnics in the shade. And the shallow pools and gentle fountains seemed designed with children in mind—their laughter as they waded and splashed harmonized with the sound of the falling water.
From the garden entrance, I looked up and noticed the mountains in the distance, still holding the winter’s supply of snow. The glacier visible thousands of feet higher up is the source of the water that keeps these fountains splashing. It’s that uninterrupted connection to the source that nourishes the garden’s life, beauty, and peace.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged Garden by Lisa