One of our stops today is in Old Delhi. Jama Masjid, a functioning mosque. 20.000 people can kneel outside the mosque in prayer.
We take our shoes off outside it's courtyard walls and Ananshree and I have to cover ourselves up in colorful robes. We were wearing long pants and had our shoulders covered, but it is about covering up western clothing. Interestingly enough, men's western clothing is not offensive. Then we enter through a gate into the open plaza in front of the mosque.
Once inside, the attention we got was startling at first. People would follow us and as soon as we would stand we were surrounded by them, starring, giggling and pointing at us. Some wanted to have their picture taken with Ananshree and me, others just used their cell phones to snap a photo unannounced. Raj-nish was quite irritated and would interrupt his explanation to escape the crouds.
We moved into the mosque. There were many small rugs laying in rows on the marble ground. I'm not sure if we were supposed to be there. I could sense tension and hyper alertness in Raj-nish. He didn't say anything but kept looking for someone or something to happen. Within a couple of minutes a man dressed in white appeared and vigilantly and assertively rushed us out. He was speaking loudly at us and used his outstretched arms to hurry us out of the mosque and then out of the plaza's gate together with other westerners. He seemed very impatient, like he couldn't get us out fast enough.
Raj-nish explained that it was their prayer time. I'm not sure that there wasn't a little more to that...
We take our shoes off outside it's courtyard walls and Ananshree and I have to cover ourselves up in colorful robes. We were wearing long pants and had our shoulders covered, but it is about covering up western clothing. Interestingly enough, men's western clothing is not offensive. Then we enter through a gate into the open plaza in front of the mosque.
Once inside, the attention we got was startling at first. People would follow us and as soon as we would stand we were surrounded by them, starring, giggling and pointing at us. Some wanted to have their picture taken with Ananshree and me, others just used their cell phones to snap a photo unannounced. Raj-nish was quite irritated and would interrupt his explanation to escape the crouds.
We moved into the mosque. There were many small rugs laying in rows on the marble ground. I'm not sure if we were supposed to be there. I could sense tension and hyper alertness in Raj-nish. He didn't say anything but kept looking for someone or something to happen. Within a couple of minutes a man dressed in white appeared and vigilantly and assertively rushed us out. He was speaking loudly at us and used his outstretched arms to hurry us out of the mosque and then out of the plaza's gate together with other westerners. He seemed very impatient, like he couldn't get us out fast enough.
Raj-nish explained that it was their prayer time. I'm not sure that there wasn't a little more to that...
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