gulrīzī-e ashk bū-ye khūn dāsht
īn subha zi khāk-e karbalā būd

The flower-fall of tears
was redolent of blood.
This rosary was made
of Karbala’s dust.

— Bedil

( selection and translation Prashant Keshavmurthy)

#karbala #khaakepak

So a visit to the house of Samuel Clemens with Kashif ul Huda,who took the pen name of Mark Twain was special. it was a living history tour with a character actor leading it.

Samuel Langhorne Clemens (Mark Twain) lived here between 1874 to 1891, designed by Edward Tuckerman Potter & built in the American High Gothic style and was described as

“part steamboat, part medieval fortress and part cuckoo clock.”

The interiors are exotic with extensive woodwork with walls and ceilings decorated by Louis C. Tiffany & Co.‚ Associated Artists‚ (Tiffany was the son of the founder of the famed jewelry store‚ Tiffany & Co.)

Of articular notice is the entry hall with a gold framed ceramic plate with paintings of the Mughal emperors

“This is indeed India; the land of dreams and romance, of fabulous wealth and fabulous poverty, of splendor and rags, of palaces and hovels, of famine and pestilence, of genii and giants and Aladdin lamps, of tigers and elephants, the cobra and the jungle “… – Mark Twain

The rooms are very beautifully designed too.

On the mantle piece were many objects & Mark Twain would tell stories to his three daughters every night using each object on it : a different story every night!

I found a picture hanging in the children ‘s Room of the first book I ever bought and poem I learnt!

Oh mother Dear

I sadly fear

Our mittens we have lost!

Seeing the three lite kittens framed in the children ‘s Room in the Mark Twain house I remembered my first ever book.

A lady in the tour group of my age also remembered learning this verse.

Memories!

In the basement where photography is allowed

With the Patrick the Coachman ( character actor who gave us the tour)

Another of the collections from his travels.

A self sticking scrap book designed by Mark Twain

His shirt