Why history weighs a burden on Jerusalem

"Jerusalem is united by its houses and divided by its inhabitants," goes the oft-quoted line from a Hebrew story by the famous 19th century Jewish writer Shai Agnon. When the tour guide said these words, it struck me as to how true this was even decades after it was written.

Walking through the Muslim quarter of the old city of Jerusalem, if the crowded narrow lanes do not overwhelm you, the feeling of being under intense scrutiny just might. Shopkeepers shouting out their wares, children playing football in the by lanes, women whose eyes you can only see and lots of Palestinian flags, t-shirts and other paraphernalia. The sound of prayer floats in the air.

A few metres ahead and you will find yourself walking through a metal detector as a stern looking guard searches through your bag. Welcome to the Jewish quarter. Connected by a wall and separated by the same wall.

Every part of the city has a tale to tell of historical or religious significance. But that is where the problem lies. This is significant not just to the Jews, but to a number of other religious sects that have claimed ownership over these lands in the past. It is for this reason that the old city was divided into four quarters - Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Armenian. Not surprisingly, the Jewish and Muslim influence is most apparent.

Move a few hours in any direction in Israel and it is very likely that you will bump into wall. A wall that demarcates the small country fighting a continuous battle for its existence, nestled precariously between hostile neighbours.

"When you go to Jerusalem, just be careful not to get carried away by the magic in the air and come to the conclusion that you are a saint," said an Israeli friend of mine. Although said in jest, I knew this was drawn from actual events.

The Jerusalem syndrome which she referred to is a phenomenon where persons who visited the city are overcome by extreme spiritual delusions. As for me, I waited there in front of one of the holiest sites - The church of the Holy Sepulchre - where it is believed that Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected. After five minutes of immense contemplation, I realised that I was probably not the messiah.

Jokes apart, the city is unique with a certain vibe, different from the many other cities around the world that I have visited. The quiet that pervades it is unlike the loud colourful neighbouring city of Tel Aviv.

In Jerusalem, I discovered a continuous exploration was underway. For a country fighting for its right to be acknowledged, searching for proof of this right and digging for the truth are not just figures of speech but literal references to what one finds here as they excavate through many layers, hunting for that one clue that will conclusively end the debate and prove to the world that this land belongs to Israel.

The status of this country has been long debated but the Jewish citizens that I had a chance to talk to have no doubt in their mind as to where they belong. I met a couple of young off-duty soldiers who were willing to share their views.

"The irony is that we might not follow the strict rules of our religion," said one of them. "However, it is our religion that defines us and binds us. We are Jews and we will fight for our rights and for our country."

It is true that a large section of the Jewish population are not overtly religious, which is apparent right from the clothes they wear. But while in other cities you might yet find ultra mini shorts and other revealing wardrobes, Jerusalem has managed to maintain a certain code of conservativeness.

This conservative attitude has however remained quite understated despite the heavy religious tones that one feels in the city which is why it came as a bit of a surprise when recently a gay pride parade taking place there came under attack by a religious fanatic leading to the death of a young teenage girl. Then again, I was surprised to know that there was even such a "colourful" event taking place there in the first place.

That said, the city is under constant alert given the obvious threats and feels just as safe as any other. As one of the most visited religious sites in the world for tourists, the local administration has spared no expense in making sure that nothing goes wrong.

Jerusalem has a population of about 8,10,000 persons of which about one-third are Muslims and the rest are mainly Jews and a small proportion of Christians. Over the past number of years however modern Jerusalem has expanded much beyond the limits of the old city, but continues to maintain a certain character, one of the reasons being that most of the buildings have been constructed with "Jerusalem stone", a special limestone drawn from the mountains there.

From monuments to museums, Jerusalem has much to offer and unravelling its various facets will take more than just a day or two. The fact that so much history can fit into the small confines of the old city almost boggled my mind. Everywhere I stepped, it was like I was stepping into another story. But unfortunately these are stories that will continue to be fought on and debated about for some time to come. As the various prayers and the occasional police siren pervade through the holy city of Jerusalem, one prayer rings out the strongest - for peace. Personally, that was mine as well.