THE ‘GOLDEN HORN’ OF br ISTANBUL br br It is an inlet arm from the Bosphoros Strait, br Which stretches inwards towards the west; br And curves up like a deer’s horn, - br Known to the world as the ‘Golden Horn’! br It separates the old Istanbul’s historic city, br From its modern counterpart in the north; br Forming the world’s longest natural harbor, br A waterway almost 7.5 km long! br The harbor was once the Naval Headquarters br of the Byzantine Empire! br When a heavy chain guarded the inlet’s br entrance; br Stretching across the mouth of the ‘Horn’ entire; br From the Old City to the Galata Tower! * br The old city stands on seven hillocks, once br known as the ‘City of Seven Hills’; br And top of every rise, a temple, or a mosque br or a monument is seen, - br With its steeples, towers and minarets, the city br stands solemnly still! br Each building here has a story to tell; br In 1453 to the Ottoman Turks the city fell! br As I stood ruminating on one such high rise, br And saw the sun going down in the west; br The inlet waters appeared bathed in gold, br Glittering in the sun’s setting rays! br And at that moment I realized, as I looked at br the inlet nice and long, br How aptly it has been named, as the inlet of br ‘The Golden Horn’! br -Raj Nandy br New Delhi br 13 May 09 br (*Galata Tower is located at the entrance of br the inlet- in the northern half of the city.