26th October 2013- Granada, Spain
Sanjiv,
Archana, Bini and I reached Granada on a beautiful morning on an overnight
train from Barcelona
It was a bit of a mistake arriving early into
a city. One cannot check into an accommodation until noon in most places and
folks end up walking the streets unwashed in their overnight clothes. That is
exactly what happened to us. However, we were in Granada for just 24 hours and
we did not want to waste it waiting for our host to let us in. In any case we
tried, and found ourselves waiting outside a small apartment on a street which
was even smaller. Standing with our baggage on the street was itself a good
reason to block all traffic on the road.
Granada
is a smallish city in Andalucía. However its size belies the enormous historic
significance of the place. It was a Moorish Islamic state from 711AD onwards.
In fact the Granada we were visiting was an old Jewish settlement that was
supplanted ( to use a mild term for massacred) and taken over by the Ummayed
Dynasty. It was later transferred to the Berber Kingdom. In the 11th
century the Nassrid dynasty took over Granada and ruled it till the end of the
15th century. In short it was ping ponged between several Muslim
rulers generally referred to as the moors for almost 700 years. It was the
Nassrid Kings who built the imposing Al Hambra as a palace, recreational home,
harem and fortification for its rulers. Unfortunately, they did not enjoy the
fruits of this architectural wonder- literally and figuratively perhaps. In fact they planted several fruit trees
including Pomogranates- the regional emblem of Granada (from granata for the
fruit). Granada passed into the hands of the Catholic monarchs in 1492. The
city itself is a quaint place that is a mixture of modern buildings, the
medieval Al Hambra, the cave like dwellings of the gypsies in the hills and the
gabled white and blue humble homes in the Sacramento region where we had booked
our apartment. It has been made into a UNESCO heritage site- and for good
reason.
After
being told to return later to check in, we decided to have our breakfast and
explore the city at our own pace. We chose to have a rather un-Islamic meal and
for a change, an English breakfast of Bacon, eggs and sausages.
It
was then that a young lady accosted us on a contraption that I had never seen
before. It had two wheels and a single handle like a bicycle. The wheels were
side by side unlike a bicycle. One stood on a little platform that lay over the
axle connecting the two wheels. She invited us to stand on the platform and
roll around. The vehicle/ contraption had a mind of its own. Getting on to it
was quite a job. It would run away! Once mounted, it could go anywhere in the
hands of unacquainted riders- which we
all were. On the promise that she would have us riding it with ease in ten
minutes, the young lady Nadia convinced us to book a tour on the Segway (as it
was called).
And
thus we found ourselves riding away on the funny little thing on a tour of the
Sacramento region of the town. It was the old Muslim and current gypsy quarter
of town. The tour was an exciting adventure along narrow roads including the
street on which we had booked our room (still unoccupied). There were steep
hills and sharp turns with a moderate traffic of curious car drivers who had to
be particularly careful to not run us down. As a precaution, we were given
orange fluorescent vests and helmets- I suppose to indicate ‘dangerous
amateurs’ ahead. Well! Exciting is an understatement. While three of us
generally got the hang of it and rode it with reasonable control, trying to
stay between the curb and the cars speeding on the narrow, winding streets,
Bini was literally in tears- sometimes falling of the damn thing and sometimes
allowing the contraption to take her wherever it wanted. Once we found her
heading in the opposite direction and Nadia had to bring her back. One needs to
ride the bloody thing to realize what I mean. I think it was a small prayer she
had offered up to St Joseph at the Sangrida Familia ( the church in Barcelona)
that saved her from being plastered like a Spanish omelet in distant
Granada. It was an exciting tour otherwise and we saw some breath taking views
from the top of the hills whenever we could take our eyes off the road- which
was not too often. At one stop we got a
terrific look at the majestic Al Hambra, silhouetted in red against the azure blue
sky. The trip also took us to the region where the gypsies lived in homes cut
out of the mountains. This has apparently been their housing for decades. If
you are thinking cave dwellers, let me assure you that they are modern dwellers
with all the amenities. In fact the local supermarket is built into a mezzanine
of caves. All of them have city housing licenses and live comfortably. I am not
sure what they do for a living
Having
thus escaped unscathed or almost (Bini had a couple of bruises to show off for
her troubles), we set out to explore the Al Hambra. This time it was on foot. The
climb to the Al Hambra can be a little steep and demanding. Sanjiv and Archana
marched away in healthful zest while Bini and I trudged up the steep hill. Bini,
after her morning adventures on the Segway, was beginning to look rather
despondent and was convinced that we had chosen Granada as her final resting
place.
Having reached the
hill top and the entrance she perked up and we did an elaborate tour of the
magnificent structure built in the 15th century as a fort, palace and military
installation. It would easily take 4-5 hours to see the whole complex. Al
Hambra was started as a small fortress in the 9 th century AD, we were told on
a commentary available with a phone like listening device. The forts were
renovated and structures were added on by subsequent Kings and Sultans in small
increments. The walls around the fortress were completed in the 11th
century. The grand palaces, gardens, water bodies and intricate inscriptions
were essentially 14th century additions by King Yusuf 1 and Mohammed
V the Nassrid Sultans of Granada, who made it their residence and palace from
mid 14th century (circa 1333) to the end of the 15th
century. The Moorish influence is evident in the architecture, and the
elaborate gardens and the housing for the large harems of the reigning monarchs
and their nobility. The structure takes into account every need from
temperature control to entertainment to, of course, defense. It is an imposing
facade of red stone on an elevated landscape that contrasts significantly with
the surrounding. The tour of the Al Hambra takes us through the numerous
palaces and gardens built to allow fresh air and light at all times. An
enduring feature of the palaces is the numerous fountains and water bodies that
give it a natural ambience.
It
is unfortunate, at least for the Islamic kingdom, that the structure was
completed at a time when Christianity was ready to take over. The ‘reconquista’
by the Catholic Monarchs (Reyes Catholicos) happened in 1492 when the Castilian
and Aragon forces of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabelle took over the emirate of
Granada- Al Hambra and all. To the credit of the conquerors who defeated the
last of the moors, they refrained from wanton destruction of the art and
architecture of the vanquished. There was some vandalism. Mostly it was indifference
and neglect that left the grand palaces in ruins for the next two centuries.
King Charles V built a large Cathedral on the premises. Cleverly, they
converted some of the rooms into their own palace to house their armies and their
families. Surprisingly, for me, the Islamic architecture survived the
inquisition that was to characterize the next couple of centuries in an effort
to re-Christianize the whole of the region- sometimes rather cruelly. The whole
complex was restored only in the 19th century through the efforts of
European interests and efforts. The Al Hambra became famous also through the
writing of Washington Irving who stayed and wrote a book called the Tales of
the Al Hambra- mostly fiction. In fact I first heard of the Al Hambra in reference
to Irwing’s famous book. His statue stands in the premises as a testimony to
the publicity that the palace got. Today it is the most visited site in Spain.
The Al Hambra and for that matter almost the whole city survives as an UNESCO
heritage site. It certainly is a place to see in Spain- a cultural pot pouri of
old Islamic grandeur, Christian conquests and Gypsy traditions
The long walk back from the Al Hambra was easy
on the lungs but a bit of a strain on the knees. We were finally admitted into
our rooms at ‘the terrace Al Hambra’ as our rented facility was called. It was
a small but cozy little place with an amazing view of the Al Hambra, as
promised . That evening the four of us sat on the balcony watching the amazing
structure lit up at night. Mellowed by the whiskey, Sanjiv and I agreed that it
was a day well spent- thanks to Archana for pushing us through a packed
itinerary without a break for lunch. We unpacked for the night, only to repack
again the next morning. We were set to head off to Seville, another Andalucían
city steeped in its own history!
