Basements evoke a sense of refuge. Hidden. Away from the public eye. Deeper than the proverbial six feet.
Places of worship give a sense of refuge as well, of a different kind though.
What I’m certain about is that the notion of places of worship being a refuge takes a hit while becoming more of it at the same time, when they are situated right next to the hubs of commerce and transport.
Till last year, I didn’t know that the mosque at Hauz Khas, situated adjacent to Aurobindo Market, had a basement. It’s a spacious mosque, with a large inner hall lined with rows of dark red carpets which opens up once you’ve led yourself up the marble stairs after entering the marble courtyard flanked by a marble wudukhana and overseen by marble minarets. Situated on an arterial road, it has always been the favorite of those passing by to make a quick stopover to say their prayers. Which made it natural for surprise to strike me when I reached there last year during Ramadan to break my fast. The halls were empty.
Today, there was a small group of young guys, not native to Delhi but from smaller north Indian cities, possibly straight out of college and into the first couple of years of their first jobs, waiting around the stairs. They were looking around a bit cluelessly like I would have been a year back.
“Downstairs. In the basement.”
Relieved, they followed the staircase leading down. Into that roughly 40’x40′ basement hall, lit up in the stark whiteness of fluorescent light, rows upon rows of dastarkhwaan were laid out as at least 300 men sat around them waiting for the time for Iftar. Rows of heads covered white and uncovered black, on their haunches or cross legged, around plastic glasses filled with bright red Rooh Afza, pakoras, fruit chat and black chana. A few more enterprising ones, like the ones I was seated next to, had brought along bowls of chicken shorba and hot naans.
It was time for breaking the fast, announced the muezzin’s voice. The basement, a refuge within the refuge, followed protocol and the inmates had the first taste of dates after a day spent in fast.
I saw that bunch of boys after Maghreb prayers outside the mosque. Buying single cigarettes at the corner shop and exhaling peacefully after abstaining all day. Yes, straight out of college, I thought. They’ll find their refuge.