New Delhi - India
Sara Hartsfield's long journey in the quest of the secrets of the ancient document started in India. She worked for NCN and was covering a story that started in Afghanistan. Prior to arriving in New Delhi, she also spent a few days in Pakistan to cover the second part of the story. Now she was in New Delhi for the third part of her assignment. Was it a coincidence or an omen that the document was written in Gandhari, a language that has roots in the Gandhahar region of Afghanistan?
New Delhi is the capital of India, the largest democracy in the world. It became the capital of undivided India in 1911 when British rulers moved the capital of their colony from Calcutta. However, Delhi, the older part of the metropolitian area encompassing New Delhi, has served as the seat of political power and govennment in India for centuries under Muslim, and before that, under Hindu kings. It is rich in history. Historical buildings and landmarks are scattered all over the city. The picture on the left is that of Qutab Minar. The construction of this minaret started in 1193 when Qutbuddin Aibak ruled India and was completed in 1386 when Firoz Shah Tughlak ruled the country. Today, Delhi is a cosmopolitian and vibrant city of more than 12 million people.
New York
New York City, the world capital of finance, communication, and business, has the distinction of being the first in many areas. Dutch settlers came to what is now New York City and formed a trading post in the early seventeenth century. Later, when it came under English control, the name was changed to New York. New York became the first capital of the United states in 1785. For millions of immigrants, New York has served as the gateway to the new world. Today, almost 10 million people of all backgrounds call it home. It is also called the melting pot of world cultures. Sara Hartsfield also lives in New York.
It is said that New York never sleeps. It is a vibrant city full of activity. One has to live here to experience what the city has to offer. With so much activity and so many people, it is also possible for someone to get lost in the crowd.
London
For over two thousand years, London has been a very influencial global city. Home of Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and the London Eye, it has a place in world culture. London is also the home of the British Library, a repository of seemingly endless information. Every publication produced in the UK and Ireland is received and stored in the library. With so much information located within the walls of the library, one could expect to find answers to almost any question. With this hope, Sara Hartsfield travels to London to find the age and source of the document she recovered in India. But, was she able to get the answer? It can only be found if you read The Code Breaker.
Katmandu - Nepal
Katmandu or Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal, a landlocked country north of India. Mostly a mountainous country, Nepal has the distinction of having the highest mountain peak in the world-Mount Everest. For centuries, Nepal was a monarchy and was ruled by Hindu kings. In 2008, it became a democratic country. Nepal and India not only share a common border but also have many historical and cultural ties. The populations of both countries are predominantly Hindu. Nepalese people are known for their legendary bravery. A significant number of people of Nepalese descent live in India and serve in Indian armed forces.
In the nineteen sixties and early seventies, Nepal became popular among the youth from the West who got disenchanted with their culture and escaped to India and Nepal in search of peace and love and adopted the "hippie" culture.
Banaras - India
Holiest of the holy cities in India, Banaras (also known as Varanasi) is located on the bank of the Ganges river. It has great religious significance for devout Hindus. According to Hindu mythology, the city was founded by the Hindu god Shiva. It is believed that those who die in Banaras go straight to Heaven. Millions of Hindu pilgrims visit this city every year to worship in the temples in the city and to take a holy bath in the Ganges river.
Banaras is also known as a major center of culture and learning from ancient times. Great writers such as Tulsidas and Kabir from ancient times are believed to have lived in this city.
Kolkata - India
Kolkata (previously called Calcutta) is a major metropolitian city in the Eastern part of India. Its modern history goes back to the seventeenth century when the English East India Company established a base for its trading operations in India. In 1772, it became the capital of British India and retained its status as the capital until 1911.
Kolkata is known for its art, culture, education, science, and political awareness. It is also referred to as the cultural capital of India. The University of Calcutta was founded in 1857. The first President of independent India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, and the first President of independent Bangladesh, Abu Sayeed Chowdhury, both attended Presidency College in Kolkata. The city has nurtured and harbored activists and revolutionaries from the time of India's struggle for independence to modern times.