Final Journeys Part 1: The Mausoleum of Akbar the Great

Final Journeys is a series of reminiscences by Arthur Needham after viewing photographs presented by his coauthor and numismatic research partner Mohammed Tariq Ansari.

There comes a time in life when one must consider that the wild extravagant journeys must end. Be it through illness or old age or both, reality bites. So reluctantly we enter our FINAL JOURNEYS.

As a coauthor and coresearcher in numismatics with Mohammed Tariq Ansari in India this aging Australian has enjoyed a resurgence in endeavours in recent years. Further wonderful travels through India, our innovative work published by the great Delhi based Publishers, Manohar, and some great new research initiatives through the Indian based Not for Profit company the Numismatics Foundation.

THE PHOTOGRAPY

The photography for the series is by Tariq. It came as surprise when Tariq started presenting photographic series of monuments favoured by Arthur. Tariq's keen eye for catching the obvious and not so obvious, or the obvious in a slightly different angle brought a great deal of reminiscing.

So, we progressed through looking at the photographs and the idea of The Explorist developed.

The Explorist is someone who is unrushed in crowds. It is someone who looks at things, rather than in the tourist's blind way of thinking and observing. We look a little closer, we move just a little closer and we look a harder. We do it just like Tariq does his photography.

THE MUSIC

The music is composed and arranged, engineered and presented by Arthur Needham.

They are rather in the form of tone poems. Each photograph or group of photographs evoked thoughts and ideas of the feelings when viewing them. the feelings were then transcribed into music. The playing group ARMO assisted in the presentations of the thoughts and ideas. The music is available through Awesound.

INDIA WAS ONCE THE HOME OF THE SOME OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST EMPIRES. RICHES BEYONG COMPARE AND IN REALITY, BEYOND ALL COMPREHENSION.

BUT THERE ARE PROBLEMS IN THIS MODERN WORLD. SO MUCH HISTORY, SO MANY MONUMENTS BUILT IN TIMES OF GLORY AND SACRIFICES THAT ANY COUNTRY, NOT JUST INDIA, WOULD STRUGGLE TO COPE WITH UNDER THIS GREAT UNEQUAL BURDEN OF RESPONSIBILITY.

WE ALL KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE GRAT TAJ MAHAL AT AGRA BUT THIS IS ONE OF MANY ARCHITECTURAL WONDERS THAT CAN BE DISCOVERED AND EXPLORED.

SO, JOURNEY WITH US, THE EXPLORISTS, AS WE DISCOVER THE REALITY OF THESE GREAT EDIFICES THAT WERE RAISED IN MEDIEVAL SUNLIGHT. WALK WITH US THROUGH TODAY'S SUNLIGHT AS WE EXPLORE THAT ARE, IN MOST CASES, A DECAY BROUGHT ON BY TIME.

IT IS NOT A CRITICISM OF WHAT IS CURRENTLY HAPPENING BUT MERELY A REFLECTION ON THE MODERN WORLD.

PERHAPS IN REALITY WE ALL NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP IN THE CONSERVATION AND PRESERVATION.

CONSIDER THE FUTURE WHILE UNDERSTANDING THE PAST!