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| India Islamic Culture Centre |
In an effort to learn about Islam, I went to the
India Islamic Cultural Centre (IICC) today. I walked from my school to the IICC, which was only couple of kilometers. I have passed the IICC often, as it is located on Lodi road, which is the way the auto takes me to school. Blue tiles façade the IICC’s red brick building with large white letters that read in three different languages: India Islamic Cultural Centre. The building is quite magnificent in both its size and design. The main entrance of the building sits between two large wings. Upon entering, I was greeted by a beautiful sea green glossy floor with a circular stairway that led up to the second floor. To my left was a library; upstairs was the auditorium and a coffee shop. I was hoping that the centre would have some gallery or exhibition that would help me understand the Islamic religion, though I had no real luck with this. However, I went to library thinking I would explore some text. I happen to be a horse lover…right when I entered the library there was a magazine with a rider and horse in a show jumping competition; the magazine was entitled, “
Saudi Aramco World.” Get this, the oil company, Saudi Aramco, in Texas publishes this magazine in an effort to “increase cross-cultural understanding. The bimonthly magazine's goal is to broaden knowledge of the cultures, history and geography of the Arab and Muslim worlds and their connections with the West” (http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/201101/). Very interesting. Wonder how you’re fairing now S-n-A…. Aside from the magazine doing a cover on
Al Sharbatly and his horse winning silver at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, there was also an article about how Arabian horses came to America through Homer Davenport. After the magazine, I went upstairs to the coffee shop. It was pretty nice, except for my expensive 20 rupe. chai. (Chai usually cost 5 rs.)
After the IICC I decided to walk the one or two kilometers to the Jor Bagh Metro station. Best Idea Ever—I found myself in the middle of Jor Bagh Colony Market (remember how I mentioned every colony had it’s own little market?) Well, this market had a little bookshop…I obviously have an addiction. Walking into the bookshop was like a slice of eating downtown on Beale Street for mothers’ day brunch with piano jazz playing in the background. Love it. There was this little old Sikh man manning the shop, and I went up to him and asked if he could recommend something in fiction that I wouldn’t be able to put down. He recommend (and I bought):
Island Beneath the Sea, by Isabel Allende, a book set in the old deep south at the beginning of the 1800’s; I also got,
Room, by Emma Donoghue, the same author of
The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas. I’m going to start reading them as soon as I finished (geek alert) my book by Stephen Hawking,
The Grand Design, which is attempting to explain to the layman (me) how quantum physics and this M-Theory holds the key to discovery the universe’s creation. It’s a totally hilarious read, filled with witty metaphors using goldfish bowls to compare what
is reality really, and constant jabs at Christianity and Catholicism. (I mean after all, The Church did basically condemn everything Mr. Hawking stands for.) The two books cost me 1000 rs. I think it's amazing how I freak out when I spend 1000 rs, but in America I would throw down 20 bucks or more on a nice meal and a movie. Not everything in Delhi/ India is cheap. But when I can eat three meals a day under 200 rs and can buy a whole outfit at around 500 rs, it just feels weird to spend so much in one moment. But I love my books. Ahh.
