DOI issue:
Nr. 333 (February 1925)
DOI article:Joyce, Perrin: Ambèr-Indian fairyland
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19984#0121
mceRHACioriAL
AMBER-INDIAN FAIRYLAND
C~A Ayr even in the opium- In desolate Amber, a City two variety of patterns, with
/V colored dream of a centuriesforsaken, monkey'S which the apartments of the
great poet could there CQurt 'm fne ancient Princes were once draPed-
have been such a vision as palaces of the rajahs ^ centurie,s' thousands of
Amber, the ancient capital ^ n T A r T A"\r c mUSt 6 * °n
of Jeypore state in India. PERRIN J0YG3E these fairy palaces and on
The glories of Xanadu pale the three walls encircling
before the glories of Amber. It stands, triple- the city. And at last there came a ruler who
walled, in a crater-like valley circled with moun- decided to move the capital from Amber into a
tains; 'and the jungle that covers the sides of the new city five miles away on the plain. So the
mountains is not half so luxuriant as are the citizen and the court sloughed the ancient beauties
beauties of its palaces. It is as impossible to set of Amber as a snake sloughs its skin; and they
clown all of the glories of Amber as it would be built new homes and palaces in the city of Jeypore.
to catalog all the beasts and plants of the jungle; In the history of the world there has probably
they are so thickly interlaced, they grow in such never been so magnificent a gesture; that a whole
rich profusion that words cannot tell of them, city full of people should, at a word of command
Even the driest list of the decorations of the from their sovereign, leave their homes and their
palaces reads like a fairy book. temples and begin life over again in a new place.
In Amber there are doors inlaid with ivory The new city of Jeypore was laid out by its
and ebony, set in frames of carved marble. In founder according to the most approved laws of
Amber there are mosaics, made of agates, tur- city planning. Its streets are wider than the
quoises, ivory and ebony; and frescoes, brilliantly streets of any city in India. Today it has gas-
painted in intricate designs. There are screens of lights and tramways and other modern improve-
marble tracery and perforated windows that, from ments; and even in the days of Jey Singh II it
distance, look like muslin curtains. There are had shining new palaces and a library and a most
"ing cloths and draperies, painted in a prodigal advanced observatory, and other glories to recom-
a
cei
FEBRUARY I 9 2 5
three eigbly-one
AMBER-INDIAN FAIRYLAND
C~A Ayr even in the opium- In desolate Amber, a City two variety of patterns, with
/V colored dream of a centuriesforsaken, monkey'S which the apartments of the
great poet could there CQurt 'm fne ancient Princes were once draPed-
have been such a vision as palaces of the rajahs ^ centurie,s' thousands of
Amber, the ancient capital ^ n T A r T A"\r c mUSt 6 * °n
of Jeypore state in India. PERRIN J0YG3E these fairy palaces and on
The glories of Xanadu pale the three walls encircling
before the glories of Amber. It stands, triple- the city. And at last there came a ruler who
walled, in a crater-like valley circled with moun- decided to move the capital from Amber into a
tains; 'and the jungle that covers the sides of the new city five miles away on the plain. So the
mountains is not half so luxuriant as are the citizen and the court sloughed the ancient beauties
beauties of its palaces. It is as impossible to set of Amber as a snake sloughs its skin; and they
clown all of the glories of Amber as it would be built new homes and palaces in the city of Jeypore.
to catalog all the beasts and plants of the jungle; In the history of the world there has probably
they are so thickly interlaced, they grow in such never been so magnificent a gesture; that a whole
rich profusion that words cannot tell of them, city full of people should, at a word of command
Even the driest list of the decorations of the from their sovereign, leave their homes and their
palaces reads like a fairy book. temples and begin life over again in a new place.
In Amber there are doors inlaid with ivory The new city of Jeypore was laid out by its
and ebony, set in frames of carved marble. In founder according to the most approved laws of
Amber there are mosaics, made of agates, tur- city planning. Its streets are wider than the
quoises, ivory and ebony; and frescoes, brilliantly streets of any city in India. Today it has gas-
painted in intricate designs. There are screens of lights and tramways and other modern improve-
marble tracery and perforated windows that, from ments; and even in the days of Jey Singh II it
distance, look like muslin curtains. There are had shining new palaces and a library and a most
"ing cloths and draperies, painted in a prodigal advanced observatory, and other glories to recom-
a
cei
FEBRUARY I 9 2 5
three eigbly-one