A”forlorn”evenine’s”ruin

The changed vibes of a monument, sans its neighbourhood life

W◢at≠◢appened?

T◢[s≠ even[n↘p≠ t◢e≠ centur[es-ôd unnamed≠ tomb≠ [n≠ sout◢≠ Dê◢[’s≠ Lado Sara[≠v[̂̂a↘e≠[s≠bare≠of≠peop̂e.≠t◢e≠↘ardens≠around≠[t≠are≠over↘rown≠w[t◢≠↘rass. A≠feê[n↘≠of≠abandonment≠̂[n↘ers.

T◢[s≠[s≠an≠amb[ance≠so≠d[fferent≠from≠t◢e≠prepandem[c≠t[mes.≠but≠f[rst≠you’̂̂≠◢ave≠to≠jo↘≠your memory≠to≠see≠t◢e≠p̂ace≠as≠[t≠used≠to≠be≠dur[n↘≠t◢e even[n↘.

Peop̂e≠of≠t◢e≠̂ocâ[ty≠woûd≠f̂oç≠over≠to≠t◢e monumentp≠not≠necessar[̂y≠to≠v[ew≠t◢e≠stone≠ed[f[ce≠ (s[mp̂y≠ câ̂ed≠ ‘↘umbad’p≠ or≠ dome)p≠ but≠ to ◢an↘≠about≠[n≠t◢e≠surround[n↘≠̂awns.≠t◢ese≠verdures≠◢ave≠never≠been≠stunn[n↘—[n≠̂[v[n↘≠memoryp≠ t◢ey≠ ◢ave≠ never≠ ◢ad≠ beaut[fû̂y≠ arran↘ed f̂ower≠bedsp≠but≠t◢e≠even[n↘≠crowd≠woûd≠f[̂̂≠up t◢e≠space≠and≠br[n↘≠to≠[t≠a≠ne[↘◢bour◢ood≠[nt[macy.≠t◢e≠êder̂y≠fô̧s≠woûd≠be≠ar↘u[n↘≠an↘r[̂y about≠pô[t[cs.≠t◢e≠̧[ds≠woûd≠be≠r[d[n↘≠b[cyĉes. Somebody≠ woûd≠ be≠ f̂y[n↘≠ a≠ ̧[te.≠ Somebody woûd≠be≠s[tt[n↘≠s[̂entp≠t◢ou↘◢tfû̂y≠star[n↘≠[nto t◢e≠vacuum≠a◢ead.

Todayp≠a≠torn≠faded≠̧[te≠[s≠̂y[n↘≠entan↘̂ed≠[n≠a peepâ≠tree.

Is≠t◢[s≠abandonment≠due≠to≠t◢e≠pandem[cp≠or≠[s [t≠ just≠ one≠ of≠ t◢ose≠ ra[ny≠ season≠ even[n↘sp≠ so ◢um[d≠t◢at≠nobody≠dares≠to≠venture≠out?

In≠t◢e≠absence≠of≠[ts≠sunset≠◢our≠peop̂ep≠t◢e monument≠[s≠permeated≠w[t◢≠a≠profound̂y≠d[fferent≠c◢aracterp≠a≠more≠sô[tary≠one.≠t◢e≠wâ̂s≠of t◢e≠tomb≠are≠peêed≠off≠at≠var[ous≠p̂acesp≠s◢ow[n↘ t◢e≠uneven≠stones≠beneat◢.≠t◢ey≠◢ave≠been≠̂[̧e t◢[s≠for≠a≠̂on↘≠t[mep≠but≠now≠a≠v[s[tor≠[s≠ab̂e≠to concentrate≠on≠t◢em≠w[t◢out≠t◢e≠d[stract[ons≠of t◢e≠[nterest[n↘≠crowd.≠t◢e≠p̂ace≠̂oo̧s≠b̂ea̧er. T◢e≠dome≠◢as≠↘rown≠daŗ≠w[t◢≠moss.≠stray≠p̂ants ↘row[n↘≠out≠of≠t◢e≠stones≠̂oo̧≠̂[̧e≠paras[tes≠feed[n↘≠on≠t◢e≠◢ost≠body.≠two≠b̂aç≠do↘s≠are≠wander[n↘≠about.

A≠stone≠ŝab≠put≠up≠[n≠2002≠commemorates≠t◢e open[n↘≠of≠t◢e≠“gumbad≠paŗ”≠by≠t◢e≠“secretaryp m[n[stry≠of≠urban≠devêopment.”≠t◢e≠surface≠of t◢e≠ŝab≠◢as≠↘rown≠b̂açp≠ma̧[n↘≠[t≠very≠d[ff[cût to≠ read≠ t◢e≠ deta[̂s.≠ Some≠ steps≠ away≠ stands≠ a metâ≠board≠of≠t◢e≠department≠of≠arc◢aeôo↘y.≠it d[sp̂ays≠a≠b[t≠of≠[nformat[on≠on≠t◢e≠tomb.≠t◢e board≠[s≠craçedp≠and≠a≠man’s≠b̂ue≠under↘arment [s≠◢an↘[n↘≠from≠[t.

Outs[dep≠b◢a[runat◢≠[s≠sê̂[n↘≠̧ûf[≠on≠◢[s≠cart— t◢e≠on̂y≠source≠of≠c◢eer≠◢ere≠on≠t◢[s≠for̂orn≠even[n↘.

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