A Tale of Two Countries: Travels with Georgina and Suresh

Indira Gandhi International Airport Delhi 

This year, Georgina and Suresh embarked on an epic journey, visiting friends and family in India and Portugal. Of course, wherever they travel, they are keenly aware of local architecture, art, and culture. The trip began in New Delhi, where they visited Humayun’s Tomb – a UNESCO World Heritage site and precursor to the Taj Mahal. The Mughal garden-tomb, built by Persian and Indian artisans in the 1560s, was the grandest Islamic mausoleum of its time. It features a charbagh, a quadrilateral garden layout divided into four parts by water channels representing the four rivers of paradise.

Humayun’s Tomb, New Delhi

Georgina and Suresh left New Delhi, with its Mughal landmarks, Lutyens' colonial buildings, and broad avenues, for Kolkata's crowded, winding streets and Victorian-Gothic, Indo-Saracenic, and Bengali-style mansions. The soulful and poetic city boasts the duality of Hindu shrines dedicated to Lord Hanuman and the British South Park Street Cemetery. Lord Hanuman is one of the most beloved and influential deities in Hinduism, renowned for his strength, loyalty, wisdom, and devotion to Lord Rama. In contrast to the monkey god's vermilion appearance, the 18th-century South Park Street Cemetery exhibits restraint through a blend of classical and revivalist architectural styles.

Hanuman Mandir, Kolkata

From New Delhi, Georgina and Suresh proceeded to the coastal state of Goa, which served as the perfect segue for their trip to Portugal. The former Portuguese overseas territory is renowned for its stunning beaches, Baroque churches, and vibrant villas, which are juxtaposed with Indian traditions. Georgina and Suresh visited the 17th-century Fort Aguada, which showcases panoramic views of the Arabian Sea and coastline. It protected the colony from the Dutch, and ships stopped to replenish their water supplies from its spring. Sailors and their families prayed for safe journeys in the gilded chapel, Our Lady of Good Voyage.

 Our Lady of Good Voyage, Goa