454 



THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



I 



I 



Photograph by William W. Chapin 



ONE OF THE DEEP BAYS WHICH ADD GRACE TO THE 

 TAJ MAHAL 



The appreciative thanks of the National Geographic Magazine 

 are due to Mr. William Wisner Chapin, of Rochester, N. Y„ for 

 permitting the use of a number of his unusual India photographs, 

 both in color and in half-tone, in this and forthcoming numbers 

 of the Magazine. 



move his shoes, but it is 

 forbidden to carry any 

 tobacco inside the gate 

 which leads to the sa- 

 cred |)o< >1. I hit once in- 

 side, the beauty of the 

 scene soon wins one's 

 admiral ion. The women 

 are unusually handsome 

 and their broad trousers 

 of wine-colored velvet 

 bear glittering applique 

 fleur de lis figures in pure 

 gold thread. Their filmy 

 scaiwes, like clouds of 

 mist, are marked with 

 bands of gold or silver 

 thread, giving them a 

 rich appearance. 



A marble causeway 

 with rows of gilt lamps 

 on each side leads from 

 a small entrance gate- 

 way, beside which a 

 handsome doorman with 

 a heavy silver mace 

 stands guard, to the 

 Golden Temple itself, 

 radiant as the noonday 

 sun in the midst of a 

 turquoise sky. 



In the center of the 

 temple is a widespread 

 cloth upon which a 

 shower of pilgrim coins 

 is continually clinking. 

 The rupee I tossed down 

 won for me a reward of 

 rock candy fashioned in 

 the form of a bowl. Up- 

 stairs a noble - looking 

 Sikh was reading the 

 Granth, or Holy Book. 

 A strong side light fell 

 on his fine face and 

 snowy hair and I wanted 

 to take his picture. That 

 was forbidden, but I was 

 taken to see the man- 

 ager, a high priest to 

 whom all things are pos- 

 sible. 



He admitted that he 

 could give me permis- 

 sion, but refused, not on 

 the ground that it never 



