Dubai – Much More than an Epitome of Modern Architecture

 

Though not much of a traveller but with the little I have explored, the one thing I have learnt for sure is that every place has a story to tell. A story with a novel revelation, a lesson to teach, and a realisation for a new beginning. This is something that came home to me when I made a short visit to Dubai, a city well known around the world for its marvellous modern architecture.

 

Let me make it known right at the outset that this blog is not going to take you to the streets, restaurants or malls of Dubai, but will get you acquainted with the feeling that the city inspired in me. Dubai does boast of being an excellent tourist spot as it has it all - amazing hotels, panoramic views of well-constructed buildings, eateries to enjoy any cuisine known to mankind, and of course, malls that instantly bring out the urge to go on wild shopping sprees. It encourages binging of all kinds! However, not given to indulging in extravagances, I went for discovering the essence that the conveyed to me. Celebrated around the world for its tallest building ‘Burj Khalifa’, Dubai has a hidden meaning, only if you can locate it; it conveys a message that is different for everyone.

 

Well, for me that message was – TENACITY – a combination of determination and persistence. I believe this is a combination that is rare to find and gives rise to extraordinary achievements wherever it exists. If you have ever felt that you are a loser, have not achieved much in life, and to top it all have gone on to make excuses such as I was destined for failure – all you need is a reality check. Take a break in Dubai – you can achieve anything or everything that you desire for, is the message that gets to you from every nook and corner of Dubai. We humans are capable of achieving the impossible!

 

Growing up, we all learn about the spatial achievements of man, how he reached the moon and explored space. But I tell you this city, built amidst the desert adds another feather to the numerous others in the cap of human existence. What made its construction possible? Not to undermine factors such as modern construction methods, structural engineering, and efficient equipment, but to my mind, the overriding factor has been human tenacity that went into conquering the desert – no matter what it took.

 

Of the many contemporary concrete marvels strewn all around Dubai, the ones which captivated me were the skyscrapers of different shapes and sizes. The towering ‘Burj Khalifa’ does top the list, but there are many less heard of, such as the Burj-al-Arab, Cayan Tower, and Dubai Mall, which I found equally as impressive. And as Dubai is still expanding despite all its attainment, this list became longer and never-ending. It is not a mere exhibition of architectural ideas but an amalgamation of science and art. In the concrete of this place lies an unbelievable display of aesthetics, not the usual one of bright colours, but a modest combination of grey and golden-beige. The grey comes from those huge high-rise structures and the golden beige is the sand under your feet. Again, the one thing that struck my mind was what does it take to make it? I guess I have already discussed the answer above.

 

Not being something that’s written or seen, this tenacity remained elusive. It’s something that one feels or senses – all I could do with my amateur photography was to capture the results of it. 

 

Here are some of my shots – my attempts at capturing this intangible x factor. I share them on leftrightcenter.blogspot.com in the hope that the intangible reaches out to the readers as it did to me!

So that was Eknoor on the spirit of Dubai. Do let us know if it touched a chord in the comments section below.   And as always, do not forget to read, share and follow leftrightcenter.blogspot.com and to hit the subscribe button at the top, if not already done!

About Eknoor:

Our guest author, Eknoor Sidhu, lives with her family in the rural countryside of the verdant state of Punjab. Other than being a hands-on mum for her two young children (a lovely girl and an energetic boy), she is an avid cook and a gardener, who thoroughly cherishes her rural roots, growing her own produce in her kitchen garden. 

Eknoor firmly believes “A healthy lifestyle is the best empowerment.” She leads a fulfilled life, balancing motherhood with her professional roles as writer and editor that allow her to indulge in her passion for writing.  

She switches roles at will, feeding her desire for accomplishment and meeting the demands of a busy family and home life, endeavouring to enjoy the best of both the worlds.

Image credits: Eknoor Sidhu

Disclaimer:  This is a personal blog. Any views or opinions represented in this blog are personal and belong solely to the authors. These do not represent views/ opinions of people, institutions or organizations that authors are associated with in their professional capacity.