In the background you can see people participating in a protest march in conjunction with mmm.. Black Friday? I'm not sure (the day Kashmir fall to the Indian forces). Anyway the atmosphere were tense. But not for us. We continue acting like 'stupid tourist' taking photograph, shopping, etc. However, the Philippines delegate were not lucky enough and were tear gassed by the police.

The photo on the right is supposed to be one of Jinnah's house that was to be converted to a museum. Well, apparently work had not started. The guy standing next to me is one of the student coming back from the conference. He is from Palestine studying in Karachi.

and send me back to the airport 2 hours before my flight back to Malaysia.

By 11.30am I was back in my hotel room. I was exhausted. It's summer in Delhi. The temperature is hot and dry with the thermometer goes up to 45 degree Celsius. My meeting with Mr. Buphinder was only schedule at 12.30noon. So I order breakfast and watch a bit more Hindi musical program on TV.

I was really surprised that the architectural practice in India differs a lot from Malaysia although both are Commonwealth countries. It shows that both country had assimilates the English way of doing things differently. That's took a chunk of my time, try to find out how actually a project was carried out in India. The candidates were very eager to show off their talent and experience. Some of them had 15 to 20 years of experience. Some are visibly surprise that the person who are interviewing them are very young (especially with my punk hairstyle!). 

The last candidates leave my room at midnight after the hotel security called. The hotel has regulations against entertaining guest after midnight. I manage to finish only 14 of them. So the next day, the interview starts at 9.00 am. Again its end up at midnight. Generally, the 2nd day interview was brief. These were because I had already short-listed the candidates that I feel are suitable for the position of Project Architect, Design Architect, Auto CAD manager and Interior Designer. It is NOT an easy task. Besides the difference in ways of project being executed in India, there are some fundamentals that really worry me. Not one of the candidate that I had interviewed is aware of the 32 clauses of contract, which are THE most important document in a project. In Malaysia, this 32 clauses is the one things that separates an Architect from Technical Assistant, Draughmen or Designer. 

I think, due to the economic situation in India, not many architects had the opportunity to get involve in big project like their counterpart in Malaysia. The most experience one in India also only involve in some small scale interior design work, single residential project, modest scale hospitals, 8 storey `high rise’ project, urban design (mostly conceptual), farm houses and factories. I'm not trying to undermine them here, but I really feel sorry for them. Just imagine, substantial parts of their portfolio are toilet's details! Not many of them come prepared with a presentable (to my standard) portfolio. Some brought along very old and fragile looking rolls of blueprint. Another thing that caught my attention is the size of their certificates. Huge! 

I eat very little during the interview sessions. Besides being careful not to upset my stomach and to avoid non-halal food, I was also too engrossed with the interviews. I take some fruits and tea. Later after I finished my interview Mr. Bhutani invites me to his house because he is worried that I could not have a decent meal. 
On Monday I send a fax to my office on the short listed candidate. Mr. Tan was very please with my 3-page report (at least he sounds like it). He wants me to immediately confirm 4 candidates. 2 Project Architect and 2 Design Architect. Immediately I arrange for a second meeting with the prospective candidates. 1 Design Architect refuses on conditions of my offer so immediately a replacement was called. I was very happy that my mission had been accomplished.

The bus leaves the hotel at 7.00am. It was a 4 and a half-hour uncomfortable journey through India hinterland. There were about 25 of us in the bus. We stop for breakfast at one of the government run restaurant (it seems to me that there are a lot of `government run’ enterprises). I did not eat anything because the people there cannot explain to me the ingredient in the food.

The details of managing a project of such vast scope are mind boggling. Raw materials had to be procured from the desert of Rajasthan and from places as far as Persia and Afghanistan, Burma and Kashgar, thousands miles away and carried to Aggra. There was marble from mines at Makrana, there was yellow amber from Burma, lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, jade from China and other stones such as coral, chalcedony, green beryl, jasper, amethyst, agate and onyx from various regions of India. All this marble and semi precious stone would have to be checked for quality and than stored and guarded until they were required. A regular check would have had to be maintained on their quantity and used, so supply kept pace to the consumption. Accounts had to be prepared and maintained. The work of skilled craftsmen of many different guilds had to be co-ordinated. 

Managing the work force and the needs of so many varied artisans and workers would have required organization skills of an extremely high order. And this was in 1635! And for us modern day architects, even with latest technology available, putting up a simple residential building also were not done properly. The visit was a very good lesson to me. The reflection of the white marble building on the turquoise water of the elevated marble pool is something to cherish forever. The inner mausoleum was closed to visitors. The only part, which was not symmetrical in the whole complex, is the cenotaph of Emperor Shah Jahan and his Queen Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan tomb was not planed for this building. An octagonal screen of unbelievable beauty surrounds the cenotaphs. It consists of single pieces of fretted marble set in marble frames decorated by fantastically design pietra dura inlay. 

Since the beginning of the tour until I was about to board the bus, I was assaulted by a barrage of souvenir seller. I'm one of the `stupid tourists’ who are unable to say `no’. So by the time I sat down in the bus, my hands are full with postcards, fans fake marble boxes, stone necklace etc. Agra Fort is only a short distance away from Taj Mahal. The Fort is similar to Lahore Fort and contains Macchi Bhawan (courtyard) Diwan-I-Am (Hall of Public Audience), Diwan-I-Khas (Hall of Private Audience), Daulatkhana-I-Khas (Royal Residence) and Hammam (Royal Bath). Sheesh Mahal (Palace of Mirrors) and Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque) were closed for restoration. I imagine the Sheesh Mahal were similar to the one in Lahore Fort. 

The highlight of the tour is Daulatkhan-I-Khas (Royal Residence). Its Thambi Khana or parlor is the gem in this imperial diadem. Originally, It was decorated with precious and semi-precious stone inlays in floral and geometrical patterns. The entire precious stone inlay was looted and most of the semi-precious stone work was damaged. A small portion was restored to its former glory. Projecting beyond the walls is the Jasmine Tower. I feel tranquil when I gaze from Jasmine Tower towards the Taj Mahal `floating’ in the distance. This is where Shah Jahan last saw the monument to his greatest love in a small mirror set in a marble pillar of the prison in the fort, where he had been put away by his own son, Emperor Aurengzeb. 

Again we had to rush back to our bus. We stop at one of the government run (again!) souvenir shop. They show us the demonstration on how the marble craft had been repeated in modern day furniture such as table top, chairs, boxes, plate, knick-knack etc. All were sold at cut-throat price. I settle for fake marble souvenir! Than the journey back: 4 and a half-hour of uncomfortable ride back to Delhi. I reach the hotel at 11.30pm. Exhausted but very happy. That night my sleep was filled with dreams that I cannot recalled but had everything to do with the history of the Mughal era. Wish you were there to experience it with me!