A Last Paradox
This evening being my last in India, and with time running short, we took a trip to the Swaminarayam Akshardham Temple on the eastern outskirts of New Delhi. Having seem it many times from the toll road, I had little idea of what to expect inside.
If you've ever tried to imagine what Angkor Wat might have looked like when it was first put up, look no further than here. Inaugurated as recently as November 2005, every inch of this stunningly constructed complex is packed with carvings. No less than 15,000 artisans spent four years chipping away at sandstone blocks, and the result is absolutely exquisite, if a little over the top.
The main temple is surrounded by a frieze depicting the elephant in mythology and folklore; the interior is a virtuoso display of religious art; and there are fountains and gardens too. And this is just the free part - there's a raft of other exhibitions and filmshows to keep you occupied for an entire afternoon at least.
Yet the whole experience left me just a little confused. If the time, effort, money and sheer organisational skill that went into this were to go into the rest of New Delhi, it would become the world's number one city by next week.
It can be done. India has the people and it has the skill. It just can't be bothered. That's a shame.
