Taj Mahal...
Trip Start
Mar 06, 2005
1
25
34
Trip End
??? ??, 2006
Agra,
India
Tuesday, June 7, 2005
Agra is about 200 Km from Delhi and has a somewhat dodgy reputation, it is synonymous with the Taj Mahal but its nickname of 'Agro' describes the city perfectly. True to form we were constantly 'hassled' by people wanting to sell us everything from water, bus tickets, and vegetables to silks and accommodation. By now we had become hardened to Indian hawkers, touts, and their sales tecniques but for anyone arriving 'fresh off the plane' it must be bewildering!
Our Hotel was one of the worst we stopped in, (just tollerable for 10GBP per night) like a lot of hotels in India from the outside they appear quite 'reasonable' but a few steps inside soon change your oppinion. The general thinking seems to be, cram a many rooms as you can into your hotel regardless of wether you can service them or organise anything properly. The standard of rooms for the money you pay varies wildly but we found that overall to get a room (that we were prepared to stay in) was more expensive than say China (or the standard of room was lower for the same money).
Our first stop in the early afternoon was to be Agras Fort, construction started in 1565 by the Mughal Emperor Akbar (who's grandson eventually built the Taj Mahal). It is a massive red sandstone construction. The original purpose was to be military but this changed and it was later 'upgraded' to become a palace. It stands down river from the Taj and offers great views of the surrounding area. Its double walls are over 2.5 Km in length and rise to 20 M in height.
Agra Fort 01
The entrance Gate over a now dry moat is truly imposing leaving little doubt as to its original purpose.Inside you can get a real sense of the wealth and power weilded by its 'owners'. Huge courtyards link to a myriad of smaller ones all with heavily carved walls some buildings made entirely from white marble with coral and semi precious stones inlayed, creating flower patterns and decorative motifs.
Ornamental gardens surround a giant 'audience hall' where the emperor would receive official visitors. How impressed they must have been, to be enclosed by all this grandeur and opulence.
The fort is well worth a visit, not least for the view from its ramparts of the Taj Mahal shimmering in the distance, sat on the banks of the Yamuna river.
After a brief rest, shower, and change of clothes we headed out again this time to see the Taj Mahal up close.It is contained within a complex of buildings which are stunning in their own right, but are overshadowed by the sheer beauty of the Taj. The huge west entrance gate which leads to the inner compound containing the Taj is made of red sandstone and is covered with inscriptions from the Quran in Arabic .
The sight that greets you as you pass through the gateway is TRULY BEAUTIFUL. The Taj stands on a white marble platform fronted by ornamental ponds and gardens. The Taj itself is constructed entirely from semi transclucent white marble carved with flowers and decorated with inlayed semi precious stones and corals formed into beautiful patterns.
Agra Fort 02
This 'Pietra Dura' work has to be seen to be beleived, the massive vaulted arches that form the sides of the Taj underneath the main dome are superb, housing further inlays and verses from the Quran.Work was started on the giant mausoleum in 1631 by Shah Jahan, and was created to house the body of his second wife Mumtaz who died in childbirth. It was completed in 1653 and it took a workforce of over 20,000 drawn from India and central asia, with some brought in from as far afield as Europe. After completion many of the artisans had their hands or thumbs amputated to ensure that the beauty of the Taj could never be repeated!( a policy that Barratt Homes are thinking of adopting, or is it that they have employed the Amputees? I cant' remember which)
The Taj is as beautiful now as it was when newly completed. It is strange to see it 'in the flesh' as you get a sense that you've seen it before due to it being such an iconic figure 'representing' India. This de'ja vous soon evapourates once you climb the platform and get up close to the main structure which is quite simply awe inspiring, and like nothing else I've ever experienced.
In an attempt to maintain its pristine condition the Indian govt have banned all motor vehicles from a 4km radius of the complex and an additional industrial exclusion zone has been created to limit the damage from 'Acid Rain' which it is feared may discolour or damage its exterior. The expensive entrance fee (for western tourists only) is also supposed to be put towards the upkeep of the entire complex.
The bonus we hadnt expected was the distinct lack of tourists, we managed to get good clear photos without too many people in the way (we expected huge crowds of people obscuring the views).
Agra Fort 03
We sat for a while under one of the vaulted arches overlooking the adjacent eastern 'mosque' (can't actually be used to worship as it is facing in the wrong direction) which was built purely to match the real mosque on the other side of the Taj. As we sat soaking up the atmosphere we were pounced upon by Indian tourists wanting to have their photo taken with us... a steady stream of children were placed on our lap one after another, it was as if we were part of the 'Taj experience' for the domestic tourists.
The interior of the Taj dosen't disappoint either. The false tomb of Mumtaz lies in its centre and is surrounded by a finely peirced marble screen. (Her 'real tomb' and that of her husband lie below this cenotaph in a secure basement room). The interior walls are marvelously decorated with more 'Peitra Dura' the craftsmanship is mind boggling. Some of the coral peices inlayed are coloured dark red, supposedly from the blood of the craftsmen who shaped each tiny peice of coral by holding it against an abrasive wheel which drew blood from their fingers, thereby staining each peice.
The Taj stands on the bank of the Yamuna river (almost dry) and from this massive marble platform great views over the outlying countryside can be had. It is an especially good vantage point in the late evening when, the acres of marble take on the changing colours of the sunset.
Poets and writers through the ages have tried to encapsulate the beauty of the Taj, and I'm here to tell you.. its an impossible task. All that I can say is you have to see it to really appreciate it and the aura which surrounds it! Unforgettable, one of the places we have visited which more than lived upto our expectations.
Agra itself, (despite its deserved reputation / nickname) is a great place to visit, if you are in the right frame of mind ie 'prepared for battle'. There are many 'interesting' sights to visit, unfortunately this time around we did't get chance to see them all....but we'll be back.
Our next destination Is Khajuraho some 12 hours away by car and on the way we plan to visit the hilltop fort and town of Gwalior.
This proved to be a great journey passing through some of the most remote countryside we had so far seen in India.
Post again soon love Aubrey and Jane
