The new Study Group has begun! And it’s on a topic that appeals to the romantic, in each one of us- the Silk Route.
There was an overwhelming response, and in the space of a mere couple of weeks we had 24 people who signed up to research on myriad aspects of the Silk Route.
M did an overview of the topic, discussing why and when it started, the rigours and dangers of the journey, the rewards and accolades on successful completion. She talked of the goods and treasures that were bartered along the way. The religions and traditions that travelled along the winding routes.
Our next speaker talked about Rumi and his poetry!
And in the last talk M brought to life the journey to Xanadu. Marco Polo’s long, harrowing and hazardous odyssey to Yuan China–and William Dalrymple’s present day retracing of Marco Polo’s trek 700 years later.
A great start to a fascinating topic!
R
Beautiful images, Radhika! In 2010 we visited Xian, China, where the Silk Road has started. Large population of Chinese Muslims living in harmony with the Chinese of other Faiths. Pencil-in the city in your bucket-list. When you see the city and its commercial stores and imagining how merchants of many nations interacted, brings an interesting perspectives. Looking forward to your developing posts on your leanings…. on Rumi and all. 😀
Would love to travel along the Silk Route someday. Right now I’m travelling virtually with 24 well researched presentations on different aspects of the SR.