Footloose
Moorish mystique
SUDHA MAHALINGAM
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Being in Andalucia is like being inside an Arabian Nights tale.
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PHOTO: SUDHA MAHALINGAM
The soul of Andalucia: The Alhambra palace in Granada.
ANDALUCIA evokes imagery few other regions do — of Alhambra, Granada's Moorish jewel; of Mesquita, Cordoba's gorgeous mosque with its striped arches and doorways; of Giralda, Seville's towering minaret, crowned, rather incongruously, with a Christian belfry; of endless olive groves, energetic Flamenco dances, eloquent operas like Rossini's Barber of Seville, esoteric novels like Paul Coelho's The Alchemist; of endless turquoise coasts fringed with emerald fronds; of the perpetually snow-crowned Sierra Nevada mountains... the list is endless.
Uninspiring town
But my friend Rekha and I are disappointed when we land in Seville late one evening. It is a dreary town of uninspiring concrete blocks, the Guadalquiver, a foul ditch winding its way through the rather congested streets. Our little hotel in downtown is grossly overpriced, over-ornate and under-occupied! In fact, we are the lone guests this evening. The manager is a surly pot-bellied man who gleefully informs us that the establishment has no boarding facilities. Booking rooms through the Net is not unlike going on a blind date. You take what comes. However, we're intrigued by a tag on our doorknob, which says "No molestar", and wonder if the high price of the room includes a premium for this assurance of safety! Only much later we learn that it is Spanish for "Don't Disturb".
It's almost midnight when we make our way to the much-touted Andalucian "tapas bar", drooling in anticipation of the epicurean delights that await us. It turns out to be a noisy, over-crowded, smoke-filled bistro serving an array of indifferent snacks! What they lack in tasty victuals, tapas bars more than make up for with a crowd of svelte and trendy women customers — all backless and strapless. We are the only ones with our shoulders covered and we feel suitably matronly and hopelessly out of place.
The streets of historic Seville are orange-scented and cobbled. The quaint alleyways twist and turn and lead us round and round. Finally we emerge into a square and, wow, the Andalucia of our dreams comes alive. The scene is straight out of a fairy tale. The cobbled square — Plaza del Triunfo — is illuminated by strategically placed light bulbs; the Giralda looms ahead while the cathedral dazzles in front. To the right is the Alcazar — the fortress — its high walls casting mysterious chiaroscuro patterns; a lone palm tree in the middle of the square throws eerie shadows. A long line of horse buggies completes the mystique even as a live band strikes up enchanting music. We are truly mesmerised.
Equally magical by day
The square looks just as magical by day. Orange trees groaning with bright ripe fruits are everywhere. The Seville Cathedral is an impressive Gothic and Renaissance structure — one of the largest churches in the world — with five stately naves and countless rich-hued stained-glass windows, all quintessentially Spanish. Murillo's large canvas depicting the vision of St. Antony of Padua dominates one wall. There is also a tomb of Columbus, although the real remains of the explorer are believed to be housed in the Dominican Republic.
We make our way to the top of the Giralda, the minaret, through a ramp on which horsemen rode in earlier times. The minaret overlooks Plaza del Triunfo with its ornate fountain. You also get a stunning view of the entire Seville town. Built in the late 12th century, the Giralda, a lofty, aesthetically carved and discreetly illuminated tower, is Spain's most perfect Islamic monument. The belfry, a later-day Christian imposition, holds El Giraldillo, a weather vane that is also the symbol of Seville. The Alcazar is a grand fortress with a mystique and history all its own. We saunter through its beautiful gardens and historic rooms, soaking in Andalucian history and folklore.
Unique monument
Granada, the pomegranate city, is our next destination. Despite the charm and appeal of historic Seville and Cordoba's exquisite Mesquita, it is Granada's Alhambra that is truly the soul of Andalucia. Ethereal in its grace and beauty, this alabaster Moorish palace perched on a hilltop and adorned with arabesques and Islamic calligraphy is unlike any other monument in the entire Islamic world. It has a little of Samarkand's Gur Emir, Esfahan's Loftulla Mosque, Agra's Taj Mahal, but is much more appealing than any of these. Situated in the Generalife, the typical Moorish garden with its fruit-laden trees and highly imaginative use of water channels and fountains, Alhambra enchants and enthralls. The Courtyard of the Lions is a symphony in stone.
Built by the Nasrid Emirs of African origin around the 13th century, Alhambra is a royal castle, which, despite its Islamic orientation, is distinctly Moorish, not Arabic. Inside the Palacio Nazaries you feel as though you're in an Arabian Nights tale. You can almost visualise a turbaned Moor sauntering along in the Courtyard of the Lions, and another, quietly smoking his hookah. You hear the tinkling laughter of the women in the harem. But your reverie is rent by the droning voice of a tourist guide who narrates a gory tale of how a nobleman was murdered ruthlessly for his dalliance with the emir's favourite concubine! You realise cruelty and aesthetics are in fact two faces of the same Janus persona.
When the Christians reconquered Granada, they even demolished portions of Alhambra to build a Renaissance monstrosity right next door. With chocolate bar architecture, the Palacio de Carlos V contrasts sharply with the elegance of the Moorish structure. Alhambra may have been lost to posterity had it not been for the timely intervention of Washington Irving, an American diplomat who, in the 19th century, found the place overrun by criminals and vagabonds.
Delightful little town
We stroll through the Albayzin, the hill overlooking Alhambra, a delightful maze of narrow lanes and traditional Moorish houses. Albayzin is Granada's Muslim Quarter where the city's Islamic population took refuge when the Christians sacked their town. We lounge around in a café next to a canal that divides us from the Alhambra complex and listen to live Spanish guitar while watching the sun go down behind the crenulated watchtowers of the Alcazaba. We also visit Granada's cathedral and the Capilla Real to pay our respects to the interred Spanish monarchs, Isabel and Fernando. Just opposite is the Madraza — yes, the original Islamic university with its domed prayer room, stucco lacework and tiles.
After a week in Andalucia, we reluctantly bid farewell to this priceless Moorish paradise. One thing is clear though. Much as today's European Spain might want to live down its Islamic heritage, it is Moorish Spain that allures the discerning visitor to Iberia.
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