Taj Mahal in Aleppo
Before coming to Syria I had only heard of Damascu7s .Have you been to Aleppo? I was asked when
I reached Syria. I got a little confused. It sounded like our own Alleppey tucked away in Kerala .Aleppo is a city that clamours for attention—the industrial capital of Syria—it hotly contests Damascus’s claim of being that oldest inhabited city in the world, .It is always fascinating to discover links to India in such places, which one had not even heard of. Aleppo finds mention in texts dating back to 18th century BC .In Roman times, it was a major link between the Mediterranean and Asia The centuries of trade relations ensure a warm welcome for anyone from Hind even today on the streets of Aleppo. Even now Aleppo has a strong Indian connection There is a Mother Teresa Square .The Missionaries of Charity run an old age home, and many Sisters from India work there. The International Centre for Agricultural Research in Dry Area (ICARDA) is about 30 km outside Aleppo .Indians have played a prominent role in this institution for decades and many are currently
working here Chick pea is a staple diet off the Syrians .At ICARDA, an Indian discovered a variety that can be grown all year round. So it is now known as Saxena chick pea. And the city has a lone Indian restaurant predictably called Taj Mahal.
If you meet anyone from Aleppo in Damascus ,the entire conversation will be replete with In Aleppo , unlike Damascus … Much like the battle between Delhiites and Mumbaikars. World heritage buildings coexist with
modern industrial structures .There is also a link to modern English literature. At the old Baron Hotel in Aleppo ,Agatha Christie wrote Murder on the Orient Express. The city has Syria’s largest Christian population .The traditional Christian quarter has numerous old churches that have beautiful grand interiors with many ancient icons, Aleppo University has a sprawling campus and is now working towards collaborating with India for IT education. The charm of Aleppo is that it is a city with an eye towards the future ,while it gently holds on to its past.