Enshrine

Published on 7th February, 2016, in Mumbai Mirror. Long ago I saw a film called Lal Patthar. It tells the story of a rich, educated and bored man, played by the dashing Raj Kumar, who marries a village girl, played by the gorgeous Hema Malini, and as part of their honeymoon takes her to Taj Mahal, that global pilgrimage of lovers and romantics. But to his surprise, she does not share his admiration of this monument of love, this 'tear drop on the cheeks of time'. She calls it a 'tomb', and runs out because she feels polluted and has to take a bath. It ..