Time – the fourth dimension is something one cannot get away from. In this concept of time we find and lose, remember and forget, build and destroy; meanwhile it swiftly passes by. In all of this the self is ever-changing, ever-transforming. How then does anything or anyone achieve timelessness? Or rather, is it even possible to be able to stand out of time?
It is simple, it stands tall, it is monolithic, it is beautiful, it is mysterious and it is complete in its own way. It has stood testimony to time and will continue to belong till eternity. It is also called as ‘The Stonehenge’. The prehistoric monument has just as many theories about it as many years have gone past since its existence. Man has speculated it to be a religious place, a healing place, a concert hall, an observatory, a burial ground and so on. One reason for this being, there is no record of it in the history and another most interesting reason amongst the two being its ambiguous nature. The simple post and lintel structure is so versatile that it can have endless functions. Is it an art piece or is it a congregation space? Is it symbolic or is it purely functional? Is it a means to keep track of heavenly occurrings or does it have any other significance? The possibilities are endless.
So is ambiguity the only factor that makes it timeless?
It is impossible to ignore the spatial order and geometry the structure has. Though the exact intention isn’t clear, the fact that there is order to it is more than clear from the way it stands. In an age where the technology was supposedly not so advanced, no one really knows how they were able to stack those huge boulders in a concentric circular fashion. Though it is in ruins right now it does give a sense of the whole, the scale of which we can only imagine.
So is the commendable workmanship coupled with the choice of material and advanced knowledge of geometry and construction is what makes it timeless?
The structure is an epitome of simplicity and gives a sense of inner calm as it has stood through time and borne the ravages of nature and man, the state of which stands witness to the same. With time it has also slowly aged and become one with the nature. It will eventually weather completely and return to where it belongs. In a way it will complete the cycle of time.
So are simplicity and weathering then the reasons of it being timeless?
Along with all the above mentioned factors, what really makes it timeless is how it has been stripped off completely over time. All that remains of it now is the soul or essence of it. This is more a spiritual aspect than a physical aspect that made it what it was. This part of it will survive regardless of this fourth dimension of time. It has regained itself. It is not only timeless but now stands out of time.
In a more philosophical way, is it possible to say that ‘The Stonehenge’ has gained salvation?
