Vedasri Siddamsetty

To be a good architect, be a good human being.

To be a great architect, be a great human being.

– Seah Chee Kien

No, Chee Kien is not a Chinese scholar, with a long white beard, or a modern-day Sadhu playing golf or riding a bicycle across a subcontinent. He is a Singaporean Architect, who was once upon a time my boss, and now is the Head at RSP Singapore. That one line is distilled with so much wisdom and offers a plausible explanation to the ever-precious inquiry of what it takes to be a great architect, one who builds the built and sometimes the unbuilt spaces in our living and non-living world. And he could not be more right just as Samarendra Ramachandra, again a former boss, also the author of the book Architecture of Value, published in 2021. In fact, reading this book got me thinking of everything that Chee Kien would actively say every single day during my time at the leading worldwide firm that has a million square feet under construction at any given time. While goodness is a value, greatness is a quality and a fine one at that. It is embodied and then expressed in all its finery, one that is not just seen but intrinsically noticed. And all goodness or greatness comes from integrity, simplicity, and humility. In humans and then in architecture. That is the premise of the book and Ramachandra expresses the gist, leading the reader through a trajectory of reason before arriving at the conclusion.

There are a bunch of extremely valid and relevant points, that point one in the right direction, also affixed by not just the author’s personal experiences but a bunch of collective experiences from architects who have been practicing the craft across India. The author’s poem titled “It Comes” is something that I would like to imprint on my home decor, just so that I can read it every single day. In the few lines there is a truckload of wisdom, naysaying what seems to be happening, to toasting what could be, extrapolating again that in reflectiveness there is gold, silver and all the jewels of being alive. Being in the moment is extremely precious, that every guru tells us these days, but the only way to make something of wonder, something of relevance, the author reinstates is by reaching into the depths of one’s consciousness, into the mills of silence, of watching oneself to the brim, Here’s are a few excerpts of the said poem that begins the book.

not by cleverness of one’s mind

not by plodding a ritual’s grind

not of targets set or lofty missions

nor those well-rendered submissions

not by beckoning a well-timed style

nor a self-generated twisted profile

not for deluding others in many ways

nor bowing to a high master’s grace

in quietened thought, the answer dwells

like the prepared ground for a seed tells

the values learnt from a tradition grown

nurture the bold minds to hold their own

the subtle art to intelligence in design

where a human reaches, meets divine

in a silence deep, where the mind hums

quietly there, the truth creates, it comes

While the book begins and ends with several notes from architects across the country, including the likes of Charles Benninger. Jaisim, Shirish Beri and Yeswant Ramamurthy, Architect Shanker Narayan quite in essence captures what the book tries to say, in four words he says, “your architecture is you”, so one can be quite certain of where certain buildings come from, they are all after all inspired by people. To headfirst dive into the subject of the book may be too random, so the author first provides definitions of what is value and then what it is to be an architect. An architect’s definition he says must go well beyond a person who designs buildings or who supervises their construction but should ideally encapsulate one who contributes through design, thought and practice to the creation of our built environment. While having a scientific temperament is a must for an architect, there is no denying the crucial part that artistic insight plays in the being of an architect to enable one to see beyond the mundane. We all know that an artist perceives subtleties of emotion and beauty, then expresses them in various mediums – visual, literary, theatre, and music. But then, more important than science and art, more important than what meets the eye is the essence of what is, is value, thereby he says instead of hustling to build a marvel of science or wonder in art, architecture must be centered on a core of value and that value centered architecture can only take its root in a value-centered aspect of the human mind. A pursuit of value in architecture is simply a pursuit of truth and hence an architect’s creation is an expression of the highest truth that a human mind can produce.

The next part of the book explores the human story in correspondence with architecture focusing on evolution, need vs greed, nature vs human, technology vs progress and then the need for aspirations of empathy, oneness and freedom in the architecture of the future. The idea of the country India is explored, more so as a gesture to pay heed to our roots, to what value a motherland imprints on its citizens, and finally coming to why clarity is important, of where we come from, where we want to go for confusion is the cause of conflict. And the conflict can be done away with, when there is a pause, an ability to reflect,and understanding the essence of our being. The following chapters address concerns that the students of the profession face and the doubts a young architect may harbour. Of course none of it would skirt an architect or a person who is conscious or even is aware with crystal clarity of their reasons for the choices made. Like they say when you know you are in the (k)now!

Now here is a book that tries to make a very relevant point to architects in the practice, mentors students of architecture and presents a philosophy that every person should do well to embrace. It is a conversation with the author, one that looks forward to further initiating a conversation within one, and in that intent, championing the spirit of inquiry it wins.

There is something in the air of Goa, apart from the fact that there is lot of water vapour in it considering the beach is rather close, the apparent chill climes are what attract people in droves. In the peak season, Goa is unbelievable, the crowds are massive and unless one is staying in W, one would have to ensure massive reservations, dodge Russian travellers on the beach for the best shack views and of course be ready to be swamped in street markets! While eat, sleep, repeat could be the mantra of the day, swim, shop, surf make up for all the time in the day. With a beach or so walkable, Goa becomes more applauseable, with a ton of so of beaches there are some that are to be keenly avoided while others can be finished starting from the north.

Right at the northern most part is Arambol following which are Mandrem, Ashvem, Morjim and then come Anjuna, Calangute, Candolim before heading to Dona Paula and Bambolim. Of these Ashvem is highly popular with stunning views and places for chilling by the dozen, though the beach is much cleaner and more beautiful than the precincts of Calangute which is best avoided. Candolim on the other hand is wonderful offering up views of the fort Aguada. The southern beaches of Colva, Varca, Mobor and Canacona are much calmer and away from the party places of the state but are good enough to enjoy nature at its best. For food Susegado brings out the best of Goan cuisine, Thalassa serves up a Greek storm, Antares gives Greece a sigh and EDM a roll, Yazu the best of experience and cuisine without overdoing the Greek whites that are a given in the state of Goa. Gunpowder is rated super high but the South Indian fare there is not fun to say the least. Jamun in Goa sticks to Indian and the Burger factory pays ode to Burgers than are milled from a factory of sorts. All in all there is so much to eat in Goa, literally the cuisines of the world in one platter and the themes and mixes are just amazing. We stayed at the Hard Rock hotel and while the brand works I’d highly recommend Marquis beach resort, due to its proximity to the beach and it’s new rooms for sure. Located in Candolim it is very close to happy places and stores that imbibe the vibe of Goa.

But the star of this round of Goa was definitely Assagao, a quiet inland village known for leafy streets and lined with elegant colonial villas and Portuguese era churches. It is today a hub for creative businesses, home to design stores, upscale resorts, restaurants and yoga studios. The vibe of Assagao was simply amazing. My favourite haunts in Assagao were Rangeela and No nasties (I have long been their planet positive clothing consumer, right when they started in 2015) but Rangeela was surely a find. They stock most of their merchandise from Cochin Blue, a South Indian company that sells really pretty house and clothes wear. All available online ofcourse but one can’t exactly feel the vibe online!! The boutique hotels in Assagao feel highly Portuguese and while staying there one my indulge in laisse faire Portuguese neighbors sitting around in verandahs and literally swatting flies! The houses that have been converted to restaurants are so super snazzy that one would never want to leave. Jamun is one such restaurant where the attention to detail and the personal touch is absolutely touching. The restaurant that sits in an old Portuguese house, still holds the old well and all its rooms intact. The name and theme is inspired by all things Indian, specifically Goan, with a special mention made to the tropical fruit that is super indigenous called the jamun. The food by itself is delightful ofcourse.

Goa is fast commercialising, franchising and changing at the speed of light. Not too different from the world we live it. However it would have been nice if Goa balanced all that new with the old a bit better. That’s exactly what I felt being in the state of wonder.

In the last line of the limited series of Spotify, The Playlist, Daniel Ek says, when he thinks of the negotiations, he feels that he should have said that this is the future and if you want to be with us then you have to be with us on our terms. Basically he says that he shouldn’t have listened to people for things to have been better. But every tech company has a mammoth number of people it listens to, investors, the shareholders, the board but it doesn’t listen to the people who use these services. The users are the commodity, their data is mined and sold, when we ran out of land to mine, there are people and soon there will be something else. In fact tech companies tell their users what to do, supplying them with content that they apparently cannot refuse. I am one of them, the commodity I mean, in fact I cannot blame the tech companies, even plain Jane hoardings across the city can spark my curiosity and hence interest in most things. As I flex by abstinence muscle there are a huge bunch of influences I may have to stay away from, not to mention the influencers. I am told that the influencer market is almost inching towards the construction market in the world. The millennials certainly prefer experiences over anything else!

But honestly the Playlist, made me feel like I was watching the Social Network itself, probably every company in the Silicon Valley feels like it is absolutely hedonistic with a very sinister personal agenda. Digital communism then becomes an aforesaid notion, but then what is life without capitalism, ofcourse the musicians make the music, but Spotify makes sure it is seamless, enjoyed across devices across time and for that they probably charge a royalty and pretty much should. The middle man seemingly has become the main man. If you don’t want to fight, walk away, if you do not want to support something walk away. But can we really walk away from Spotify, Facebook, Twitter or whatever else there is? Can we actually walk away from the future to make some sense? Well it’s all until the next dawn of civilisation catches up, perhaps it will be hinged on morality or liberty. Knowing history that seems very unlikely. Exploitation against oil, coal, diamonds, animals, trees, crops, intellectual copyright and now finally data, where is the end? While we seem so busy making our lives more convenient with technology many we traipse back to the essence of humanity, even if the rich get richer and the poor poorer, let there be a twinge or perhaps more of humanity in every gesture. After all kindness is contagious as they say. That may spell some hope and that may be the future we all would want to walk into!

Phew! With all that traveling we decided to nestle close to Bangalore in another luxury tent and then a tree house. Well, I am talking about a highly Instagrammed place, sold so marvelously on the outskirts of Bangalore in Tamil Nadu, October was a month of tenting for us as we shuttled between the Kabannas and the Machan or the tree house fabricated by Loom Crafts Bangalore. The Treehouse was a welcome stay for of course, the view is always better from the top! But on that note, I must say that for all the joy that Instagram brings it mostly fabricates a story (well that sounds better than stating the fact that it tells a lie!), so at the Kabannas in Bedouin we were greeted to luxury tents, well in the pictures we saw a hint or an angle of the space, while in reality we saw 360 degrees of views that werent too kind. But the most beautiful part I must say and everyone would completely agree with me is that of nature. Time spent in nature is not just healing but it is also the most worth it of all. The only flora and fauna we were treated to were what we’d have in any urban setting, but were able to pause and notice them better.

Having nothing to do though is a boon at times and this was such a time. With a tiny pool at our disposal and not a much obliging weather we lapped in the pool for a bit before retiring indoors or heading for a walk. The part that I found most intriguing is the fact that the hospitality space built within a gated community being open for business! That someone could think of leasing out a plot in an enclosed gated community turning it into a money spinner is quite a win. Not having plots sitting as just idle investments is quite another thing. Just as slices of the investment is being put to some fantastic use, the marketeers of the concept property project partial views of the space to entice people to spend a night or a weekend at the tent accommodations with a tiny pool to unwind in. Just like Instagram allows one to view others lives in parts or through filters, wouldn’t it be lovely to view our own lives in rose-coloured filters! The only entertainment at 16 Bedouin are the cows that take an early morning walk on the neighbouring property, or rather some city cats who have retired to Hosur and hence the climes of Bedouin. It is an example of an extremely well marketed place, like they say a good salesman can even sell the Taj Mahal, but the reality is quite different. Here’s to the people who are not influenced by the influencers, and happily so, will probably stay far away from Bedouin!

The landscape of Cappadocia mainly lies in the Eastern part of Anatolia, the stunning rock formations were once molten lava cooled down and weathered over millennia. The resulting effects of rocky earth in a semi-arid region all endowed with fairy chimneys, towering palaces, and busy trails making the region the most Instagrammed place of all time. Goreme is a village in the Cappadocia region that expands over the provinces Nevşehir, Kayseri, Aksaray, Kırşehir, Sivas and Niğde. Extremely popular with tourits Cappadocia caters to all kinds of culinary experiences and makes one feel very much at home, as do the numerous cave hotels in the village. The Cappadocia Cave hotel was once a space which the Hittites carved into the rock to produce rooms, workspaces, and living spaces. While Goreme records what happen over the ground, Kaymakli and Derinkyu record similar rock-cut dwellings under the ground, even at times at over 85 m. These underground cities were used to store grapes, make wine, sell wares, live, and pray especially when times got tough or the Hittites took refuge from incoming warrior tribes.

Each of these cities is extremely well-ventilated, lit through man-made means, but are air-fed through aptly located shafts and ventilation chambers. The crafted models guide the visitor through the space and once safely at the bottom of an underground city, for the not-so-faint-hearted, it is a revelation. These dwellings underground were never said to have been used as permanent dwellings but were used intermittently. But there are so many in the area, that the maze is real. Even while following a trail to the wild expanse we are greeted with churches and homes carved into a towering block of rock. All parts of the world are victims to the vicissitudes of climate change and Cappadocia is no less. The gases in the air erode the rocks even faster as they come in downpours, in an arid area it could mean a change in the landscape. Climate change is real, but that is what made the beautiful rock formations in the first place so the nature of impending doom is highly debatable. The ice age caused the present day, and the present day will cause another age, it is but a way of the world, just having no plastic does make the surroundings of the earth a lot more palatable!

Getting on one of the highly acclaimed trails in the region to the Red Valley and the Rose valley, named because of the colors of the rock formation, we lost our way and ended up in Mendesehir Valley walking through narrow passages between cut-out rock, the Goreme National park that is within the Mendesehir valley holds unique shrubbery of flora and thankfully no fauna! The region with all its dryness is extremely beautiful, but better avoided during a sunny day when the caves promptly come to rescue! While I treaded on to the Rose valley the spectacular scenes literally showcase the boss Artist of all time – God, and once we tread over to the Red valley the vast expanse of Cappadocia comes into full view, and it is here with the sky streaked in colors one cannot find logic in Atheism. Well Cappadocia, you make me a believer. The world in its raw natural state is so beautiful and as a part of this world, we humans are magical as well! I couldn’t then doubt when we find a multitude of churches in the trails. Churches that are beautifully adorned with indigo blue (from India), gilded golds, and bright yellows telling stories of Christ that want never be forgotten.

Good heavens! I wondered as I made my way inside the caves of Cappadocia and above the ground of Cappadocia. In the Hot Air Balloon we looked down on this vast landscape, while the host of balloons in the sky provided so much affluence, down below we saw men climbing trials and women running with long trailed dresses capturing the perfect moment in a picture-perfect place. With so much light bouncing off the landscape, there is no need for extra lighting! The light that Cappadocia lights within anyone who treads on it is well, more than enough. The nights in Cappadocia are magical as well, the man-made fairy lights compete with the fairy chimneys to bring magic in the air, and consequently in oneself. Tourist attractions are attractions for a reason, it is undebatable. Thriving on tourism the region does its best to present a pretty picture no matter what happens in the cities, Goreme is very Turkish in all its beauty, with a wild rose or two reminding one to not simply dismiss the aridity of the land it’s lacking. I for one turned a believer in more than one thing, but firstly and mostly in myself. The climb to the Red Valley was something and everything!

Bursa was once a major capital of the Ottoman kingdom. It is today one of a centrepoint for the making of silk and Bursa silk is an extremely popular fabric not unlikely located on almost the end of the Silk Route! Bursa is known for its two features, the Grand Mosque of Bursa, it’s silk and if I may add, the cats of Turkey. First of all the Grand Mosque in Bursa, is reached after the Caravan Serai, the grand bazaar and upon entrance it fills one with a certain degree of fineness since the mosque itself is an epitome of finesse. At the mosques centre is its most unique feature, a fountain! Once open to sky it’s roof, today covered in glass, the roof brings in light from above rendering the mosque with a degree of affluence. The mosque is an example of the early Ottoman architecture and is also a proponent of the Seljuk Turkish architecture. It was designed and built by architect Ali Neccar in the 1300s.

Silk of Bursa is touted to be a must have, at as the city was the terminal of the famous Silk Route, it is said that the best silk in the world, all with the cocoons, was once found in Bursa. The Ottomans literally spun the silk industry to international fame and the patterns made by the Ottomans are in trend even today, they are classic now! Today Ipek shops dot the region, and Bursa silk is markedly a luxury item, aspirational even. Gercek Ipek or 100% ipek does not mean that the silk is pure, even with a label. For let me warn you that Turkey with all its beauty and allure is a scam capital (of sorts) in the world. While one friend got pick-pocketed in the Istanbul metro, another’s phone was hacked using the airport wifi and yet another one bought a silk scarf, with a fake 100% Bursa silk tag. Though Turkey did break my recent jinx of injury on travels, but that also could be my absence from sharing my life on social media. And that superstitious thought brings me to the most intriguing part of Bursa, and in effect Turkey, its cats!

In Istanbul cats are kings, but in Bursa, cats are queens, and what royalty indeed. Outside the Grand Mosque of Bursa, after a while of debating and discussing the beauty of the mosque all supplemented by facts, we sat by the mosque to catch a breather. Deep in the discussion I barely noticed a cat climb into my lap, and when I did imagine the fright. Cats can dig their claws deep if they want to and cannot be dislodged easily. As it curled up and refused to leave I tried telling it to go, but no, that’s not what it wanted, and well cats get what they want. The blessed creature did not go, even when several cat lovers in the group tried to get it to lets say greener pasters but no, it wouldn’t budge. The Persian ladies, well they had a laugh. Cats are very well treated in predominantly Islamic countries, and the Prophet is said to have a fondness for these animals. The cats well, they seem to love me. There’s a thing or two about cat attack!

A heavyweight city wedged between two continents, Istanbul is a heady concoction of several flavors all from not just different parts of the world but also from different timezones. The main part of the city or the old part of the city, the areas of Sultanahmet, the Beyoglu, Karakoy, Bebek and Taksim in the European side, and the areas of Dogancilar, Icadiye and Nakasteppe in the Asian side make up the city along with the lovely Bosphorous in the center. The entire city is a mixture of the old and the new, the touristy and the business, the avate garde and the day to day. Apart from the historic limits that includes the mosques, the palaces and the bazaars, the new zones of the city are those of Beyoglu, Karakoy and Bebek. Beyoglu is extremely modern, with shopping in Iskitlal caddesi forming the main spine of the new age shopping. Karakoy on the other hand is the city’s art district with fun cafes and galleries showcasing Turkish artists. The Musuem of Innocence in Beyoglu is a hallmark of the Nobel prize laureate Orhan Pamuk’s novel by the same name. The fact that Pamuk curated all the things used by his characters and made a museum out of it is quite something. The man has gumption, but to charge a 16 Euro entry fee is just quite fanciful. Am told the museum sees visitors all around the year, going on to show how really random life is and people are.

A walk through the hilly climbs of Beyoglu brings one through hammams, shops, homes, restaurants and leisure spaces that make it the pulse of the city. A part of Beyoglu connects to the Taksim Square, an urban space that offers a punctuation, a breather to the dwellers of the city. A multitude of restaurants serve up Turkish fare suited to the average tourist. The fun Taksim square is buzzing with activity any time of the day! Warm roasted chestnuts for company, one can read into the multiple uses of the square, uses that are sometimes cultural, at times political and other times sheer leisure. One of the diagonals from the Taksim square connects to Iskitlal Caddesi,a heritage toned shopping destination with boards of great alacrity selling brands found literally all over the world but with a Turkish twist. The brands of H&M and Zara, popular globally find their Turkish application in cuts and designs. The average Turkish men and women seem to be fashion conscious with an eye for detail. The food places in Iskitlal are also very international serving up all kinds of food. The Turkish Baklava is very popular though as is the Turkish delight. Ahead of Iskitlal is the galata tower and there are many cafes across the Galata tower that serve the adorable cheesecake called Sans Sebastian, another win on the trip if one does not mind waiting about 45minutes for a table!

Karakoy on the other hand is extremely artsy. The galleries here curate work by Turkish artists and present a very vivid and happy picture of the general vibe of modern Turkish art. The streets are also fun, one of them covered in upturned umbrellas, to simply be! The gentrified neighbourhood also boasts of vintage and antique shops, some probably wares of sunken ships in the Turkish straits, obviously none are got for a song. The vegan restaurants in these zones cater to different food and lifestyle choices that one may make in their lives. Bebek on the other hand is highly upmarket and we visited the Bebek park early in the morning just to see a lady dive into the Bosphorous in her gaiely decorated swimsuit, another few doing their morning runs while a group began to blast zumba tunes for their morning workout. The houses in Bebek and in effect the streetscape are very upmarket, but as the city goes, no junction is complete without paying an ode to the father of modern Turkey, Mr Ataturk! The transportation systems in Turkey are plenty, with the metro, the tunnel, the funnel, the ferry, the tram, the taxis and the pavements ensuring that the city is easily commuted through. After all Istanbul is touted as one of the most walkable cities in the world! A feat that probably beats all of its otehr feats, even over time!

The Bosphorus Strait divides the continents of Europe and Asia, also dividing Istanbul into its European side and its Asian side. It is the narrowest strait in the world used for navigation, and along with Dardanelles Strait in the end of the Sea of Marmara together they form the Turkish Straits. The Golden Horn or the part of the Bosphorous which bounces off golden sunlight hence giving it the name, is one of the most picturesque parts of the experience. Getting on a cruise along the Bosphorous is about a 4 to 5-hour escapade, that includes lunch and a high tea in case one is not ferrying from one point in Istanbul to the other along the strait. Without any stops, several seagulls for company, sightseeing places along the ride, container ships trudging past, and private yachts blasting away, the ride on the cruise is rather eventful. The Galata bridge, Hagia Sophia, the Galata Tower, the Blue Mosque are notable landmarks along the Sultanahmet part of the city while Karakoy, Dolmabahce Palace, the city’s star properties extending almost all the way to Bebek give one a glimpse into the real extent of the city. On the Asian side though an astounding tower stands clearly ignoring the nation’s heritage and beaming television signal to the addicts of Turkish sitcoms. The Four Seasons hotel alongside the Bosphorous makes for a really pretty stay and is a must for an experience of the calm and lucid waters.

On board the ferry, one is welcomed with a huge lunch, almost as vast as the cuisine of Turkey goes. Every traditional meal in Turkey is extremely colorful, red, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet, yes it is almost like eating the rainbow every single meal. The meal on board followed suit, we were served a huge salad, with fresh produce it was as crunchy as ever, then the lentil soup followed, which I very conveniently call the daal soup and then come the flurry of breads, the maincourse this time included the rice stuffed capsicum. Another popular dish in Turkey not on board but available elsewhere is the Pide or Turkish Pizza, a lot flattened, it serves one and is quite delicious. The high tea platter that soon follows is all about a rainbow of fruits and then the olives and cheese an unmissable addition in Turkey. Totally stuffed, and gazing into the horizon of the city, one is treated to a city that has beautiful buildings, old and new, interspersed with parks and adequate greenery, there are many flags on display putting on a show of Turkish nationalism in great measure. While studying any city, its green quotient is very crucial, but recent research has shown that blue is also an important color in the make of the well-being of denizens.

Living in places with blue skies is noted to bring out the best in people, maybe the tropics sure have a role to play in island life! Blue water bodies, watching them or using them all at the same time bring out the best in the mental health of people, if not the complexion! The food, the environment, and the lineage make Turkish people the most ridiculously good-looking people in the world. Even the smoke in the air disappears with all the blue. Feeling blue must have a different meaning altogether!

The Mausoleum of Ataturk or Anitkabir is an ode to the Father of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal. It sits atop the Rasateppe or Observation hill in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, overlooking the rest of the city meeting eye-to-eye with the most modern developments in Ankara. It is a stunning piece of architecture that is regal yet accessible, truly what the Ataturk stood for. It is entirely swathed in Travertine brought from various parts of Turkey, over its concrete structure while the Hall of Honour is covered in marble. The inner hall with its straight-line geometry and massive proportions is gilded to lay honor to its occupant. The grand architecture is the burial site of Mustafa Kemal, the Turkish Army General, the 1st President of Turkey and the founding father of Turkey along with Ismet Inonu, the 2nd President of Turkey. The Design came about as the result of an architectural competition in which the proposal of Professors Emin Onat and Ahmet Orhan Arda won over the other 48 entries. The Layout of the building includes the Road of Lions, Ceremonial Plaza, Hall of Honor, and the Peace park. The Anitkabir Ataturk museum rests below the main Hall of Honor housing very well-done representations of the Turkish freedom movement and the personal possessions of Ataturk. It is undoubtedly the pride of the country that has seen massive events in history and even at it’s prime.

As the center of the world, with several prominent locations across the Silk Route, not to forget to mention the end of the Silk Route, the confluence of rivers, civilizations and later dynasties and empires, Turkey became a republic in 1923 and Ankara was the headquarters of the Freedom movement from 1920s. This building is not just an ode to its founding father but also an ode to everything that Turkey today stands for. While the Anitkabir is featured on various Turkish banknotes and is touted as one of the greatest civil engineering feats in Turkey. Ataturk for his part comes across as a very sensible leader with a balanced outlook and only a person with such balance could employ terribly progressive means making Turkey a secular democratic republic. He banned the hijab for women, supported universal suffrage, he replaced the Islamic courts and Islamic canon law with a secular civil code based on the Swiss Civil code and penal code based on that of Italy. He surmised the best in the world and tried to transform Turkey. Today when one is in this magnificent land, one cannot but surmise that he achieved a feat that is quite formidable. The peaceful people of Turkey consider their leader a champion of all sorts, seeing his life like statue in his office setting, the aura of greatness is unmissable. While we were there we witnessed a primary school class on an excursion and we witnessed the university paying a visit to the Ataturk, their devotion and affability to this great man was absolutely contagious.

We headed to the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations first in Ankara before the Mausoleum and learning about the forefathers of the Turks was fascinating as ever. From the Paleolithic age that happened sometime in 8000 BC, to the Neolithic Age in 5500 BC, to the Chalcolithic Age in 3000BC, to the Early Bronze Age in 1950BC, to the Assyrian Trade colonies in 1750 BC, to the Hittite period in 1200 BC, the Phrygian Perios in 700 BC, to the late Hittite Period in 700 BC, to the Urartian Period in 600 BC, to the Lydian Period in 546 BC, to the classical period in Ankara including the Romans, Greeks, Hellentists, Byzantines, the Turks and finally the Ottomans, the award-winning museum hold pieces from the past that literally unlock the past. There are artefacts from Egypt where the civilisation through the ages had a massive influence, that only go to show that no matter what history is full of stories of plunder alongside stories of achievement and greatness. The physical manifestation of what the Hittites achieved is seen in full scale in the hillscape of Cappadocia, but there are several bits in the museum that are equally stunning. The best part of the museum is the curation of it, and how well the exhibits are displayed and made to understand for the non-history buff. The legend of the land is real, it is true. But Ankara is far from being touristy. It is unlike Istanbul, hardly putting on a show, what it does though is to show that behind all the dondurmas and caves, the hot air balloons and kunafas, the tombs and the mosques, Turkey, now christened Turkiye, means business.

Early bird catches the worm. Well the phrase actually means that someone will have an advantage if they do something first, or before anyone else. But then right now I mean it literally. We entered the Hagia Sophia, also the Aya Sofya at 6 AM in the morning just after the morning prayers and that is the best tip I can give you about visiting, first things first. And no, its not just because one can skip the long and elaborate queues later in the day but mostly because it is a lot more stunning in the hours of dawn, even at dusk or even in the nights, but the time of cracking dawn adds more layers to the already layered beauty, with the circling of birds over it and the sun rising slowly over the Bosphoros, the majestic Hagia Sophia glows. In subtle pastel colors against the streaked blue sky the building is a treat to all one’s senses. The Persian cats of Istanbul walk alongside the early morning visitors, yawning comfortably into the day. Approaching the once church, now mosque, from its southern side, we took a long walk looking at the beauty from two sides, seeing the plaza and the Blue mosque, before reaching the entrance. In a pale hue of pink, and a whole lot of Byzantium stone the structure is rock solid, with its minarets reaching deftly into the sky. Again up for renovation the fringes of the building were under restoration, but fortunately for us, the main building had just finished it’s round of restoration and we could enter uninhibited.

Upon entrance, and looking up, the dome of the Hagia Sophia is the most encapturing. It is 32 metres and rests on pendentives and two semidomes, one on either side of the longitudinal axis, enclosing a basilica in the central portion. The rose windows and stained glass of the churches of the 6th century remain keenly fixed to its windows but much of the interiors have elements to showcase it’s current use of a mosque. The carpet today is aligned towards Mecca, which is a tad tilted off the longitudinal axis of the Basilica. The apex, naves, auxiliary axis, aisles and porch find their placement as per the churches of that time. The most impressive part of the Hagia Sophia is it’s proportions, a trend it shares with the most impressive architecture of the world. The ratio and proportion makes the entire structure very stunning as does it’s gilded interiors. The dome though takes the cake. And its defining feature is the light quality seen and felt in it all day. There have been books written just on the light quality. When it was built under the Byzantian Emperor Justian I, the church was meant to be the Sancta Sophia, the Church of the Holy Wisdom or the Church of the Divine Wisdom, and well it did make me a whole lot wiser, on architecture yes, and other things too. Bet that’s what wonder does to people.

On it’s part Sophia has had a turbulent history of its own, (the price one pays for wisdom) first ordered to be built by Constantine I in 325 on the site of a pagan temple, it was consecrated by his son Constantius II, following a damage by fire during the riots in 404, then rebuilt enlarged by Constans I, redecorated in 415 by Theodosius II, burnt again in Nika ressurection in 532 before being replaced by what we see today, that was rebuilt in 6 years and finished in 537. A subsequent earthquake in 558 damaged the dome with further partial collapses requiring reinforcement of the structure time and again. In 1204 it was looted by the Venetians and the crusaders of the Fourth Crusade. After the Turkish conquest of Constantinople by Mehmed II it was repurposed as a mosque with the addition of a minaret, a mihrab and a minbar, the essential elements of a mosque. Bayezid II is said to have added the red minaret, a white minaret, and Sinan is said to have designed identical minarets on the Western side. In 1934 the extremely progressive Turkish President of the modern secular Republic of Turkey, also the father of Turkey, Ataturk is said to have secularised the building making it a museum. In 1985 the structure and its peripheries were listed as the UNESCO world heritage site including an area of Istanbul called Sultanahmet that includes more places of historical significance. In 2020, President Erdogen made a highly controversial decision of converting the museum into a mosque, and today it is used for daily prayers. The Christian imagery in the mosque are partially covered by curtains but luckily haven’t been felled.

There is just one Hagia Sophia, the Byzantines, so well known for their domes did not replicate the dome of the Hagia Sophia ever again. The Byzantine techniques of mozaic art, inclduing the tilting of Tesserae and the turning of gold cubes can be seen here, showcasing a vast preoccupation with light and contributing greatly to the light quality in even badly lit spaces like that of the vestibule and the gallery. Linearism takes a huge step forward here. A masterpiece in architecture the Hagia Sophia remains one of the best loved buildings in the modern world. With a Blue mosque in front of it, the two share an enormous plaza that holds the Hurrem Sultan Hamami, the Hamman built by for Hurrem Sultan, the wife of Suleiman the Magnificent in the 16th century. The Ottomans have such cherubic titles for themselves that inspire me to choose one for myself ;). The fountains in the plaza are very beautiful and relaxing making the perfect stop for us to fix our drawing sheets and sketch. The stunning Topkapi Palace built by the Ottomans in the 17th century lies on one side, while the Hippodrome lies on the other. The Hagia Sophia mansions right behind are now luxury hospitality spaces run by the Hilton hotels. The Basilica Cistern built in 476, lies to the North-West of the Hagia Sophia, it is the largest of the several cisterns built by the Romans to store water, that lie under the city of Istanbul. Used as a gallery today, the Cistern is quite a find, even for a well-seasoned traveler. The lighting for the gallery is exquisite and the management has left a little water in the cistern to give the visitor a feel of how the cistern functioned as we tread on the rails. Like any place of water that grants wishes, flipping a dime in the Basilica Cistern grants a wish or two, well let’s see about that, only time can tell! The poor Medusa and her head is still out there for all to see, must’ve had some effect on the Emperor and his people to cast her head or rather heads in stone!!

The Obelisks fixed in the Hippodrome area were looted from the Egyptians, well it seems like one man’s hard work is another man’s loot, and then history just seems to be repeating itself, all over the world. There is no building that has been as battered as the Hagia Sophia, through time, through generations, yet it stands tall, not just pretty but extravagantly beautiful with no peer. Its cultural additions and subtractions do not seem to matter to it at all, since it is just at peace being phenomenal. Peace is phenomenal indeed. The sight of silhouetted birds flying over the Hagia Sophia cuts a stunning experience. And that happens any time of the day, albeit more beautiful when the sun’s inclined in the hemispheres at sunrise or sun set. The azzans or the call for prayer are heard quite often, but the average Turk does not seem to be too frazzled going about his day and his prayers in a very matter-of-fact fashion. Sitting by the Hagia Sophia one can see the reach of this building, grabbing attention of people from all over the world. Grabbing some Simit, warm toasted bagels with butter, cream cheese or chocolate, or kumpir, the baked potato with tons of toppings, or the dondurma, the turkish icecream, fills the stomach as one gazes at the Hagia Sophia and time stands till. Beauty is vastly inspiration and there is no dearth of that at the Hagia Sophia. Visiting the Hurrem Sultan Hamam and seeing the use of the building, Mimar Sinan Building was truly an exquisite experience too. The dimensions of the dome, the measure of the space against one’s body and one’s soul is what makes architecture. The quality of elevating not just a space but also the senses and the intelligence of man is what good architecture does, and should try to do. In the 6th century and then in the 16th century, the sensibilities of people of the time seem very varied, in terms of ratio or proportion but the feasibility never seems to have mattered. They rose above the ordinary, crafting something truly extraordinary, without the extraordinary tools that we have today. It is absolutely awe-inspiring.