‘There's got to be something magical about the place where two ancient
rivers flow’, I thought to myself. So, sidestepping the cautious travel
advisory (as it borders Syria) we set foot on the plains of Mesopotamian
civilization fringed by Tigris & Euphrates wherein some of the most
important developments in human history, including the invention of the wheel,
development of script, mathematics, astronomy & agriculture took place.
Our vantage point was the golden
city of Mardin in southeast Turkey, perched on top of a high rocky hill,
located on the much-celebrated trade route, the silk road. Walking through its
many lanes, visiting ancient houses, mosques & medresesis is like time
travel through the period of Seljuks & Ottomans with occasional breaks
along the way to soak in the hues of this fortress city.
Towards evening, we trekked up to
the base of this fortress (now cordoned off by the military) for far-reaching
views of the primal plains. Sweeping down the ornate 14th century Sultan
İsa (Zinciriye) Medresesi, it bows at the Ulu Cami (Great Mosque) before unravelling
itself in a riot of colours & lights as the sun sets. Of all the sunsets,
we have seen to date, this one was special, for it reflected the resilience
& perseverance of thousands of years of civilizations.
But just when I thought that
serenity & laid back were the words, I was going to use to describe Mardin,
I was proved wrong in the most entrancing way possible. The highlight of this the trip turned out to be the musical performance at caravanserai (Antik sur) where
local musicians and singers re-created a world of the past filled with traditional
songs & beguiling music that got everyone foot-tapping & dancing while
having authentic local spread for dinner.
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