It's a Tuesday, and we are off to see the Taj Mahal. On the drive to Agra from New Delhi, we see monkeys and a few green parrots.
In Agra, we get our first sight of the Taj Mahal from across the river. It shimmers evanescently behind the fog. About a week ago, the fog was so bad for days in Northern India that many flights into New Delhi were canceled or re-routed. Our tour guide, Raj, tells us that a few days ago you couldn't see the Taj Mahal at all until you were almost within reach of it. It's considerably more visible today, but we still won't have a bright sunset shining on its pure white marble.
First we buy our tickets - 750 Rupees for foreigners and 30 Rupees for Indians. Then it's a winding path (well, a few paths - foreign women, foreign men, Indian women, Indian men) queuing up to the security checks at the Eastern gate while the monkeys scamper overhead.
Next we walk to another gate through which the Taj Mahal is visible. It is set on a platform so that nothing is visible behind the monument. It gives it the appearance of floating in the air. Four high minarets reach up some distance from each corner, leaning slightly outwards, perhaps to avoid damaging the Taj by hitting it were an earthquake to damage the towers. Our guide tells us a story about the Shah Jahan planning to build a black marble copy of the Taj Mahal on the other side of the river. It's a fascinating tale, but Lonely Planet includes it as one of the myths about the Taj. There is no historical record of such a plan, nor is there any archaeological evidence of any work on such a building. There is a garden area that was built across the river to afford a beautiful view of the Taj Mahal. I take lots of photos, including one showing the Taj Mahal reflected in the water. The marble has carvings of quotes from the Koran, and abstract vines inset with semi-precious stones in the white marble. To the left of the Taj is a mosque still used for worship. On the right is an exact copy of the mosque to enhance the symmetry. The copy is not used for anything in particular. Entering inside the Taj Mahal requires putting little booties over our shoes, an easier thing than removing our shoes and finding them again later. Inside the Taj, it is dark and we are rather rushed and crowded to move around the crypts. As it turns out, these are actually copies of the true graves, which used to be visited in an underground room. However, that room only had one entrance/exit and little ventilation, so people often fainted for lack of air while confined in the room, unable to exit without difficulty.
We leave the Taj Mahal after dusk. It is too late to tour the fort as well, and we are a bit tired after the trip. We check into the four-star Clarks Shiraz where we enjoy a fancy Mughal style dinner. As Lonely Planet suggested, it is easy to get vegetarian food but difficult to explain the rules of a vegan diet. Andrew begins honing his skills of explanation.
In Agra, we get our first sight of the Taj Mahal from across the river. It shimmers evanescently behind the fog. About a week ago, the fog was so bad for days in Northern India that many flights into New Delhi were canceled or re-routed. Our tour guide, Raj, tells us that a few days ago you couldn't see the Taj Mahal at all until you were almost within reach of it. It's considerably more visible today, but we still won't have a bright sunset shining on its pure white marble.
Next we walk to another gate through which the Taj Mahal is visible. It is set on a platform so that nothing is visible behind the monument. It gives it the appearance of floating in the air. Four high minarets reach up some distance from each corner, leaning slightly outwards, perhaps to avoid damaging the Taj by hitting it were an earthquake to damage the towers. Our guide tells us a story about the Shah Jahan planning to build a black marble copy of the Taj Mahal on the other side of the river. It's a fascinating tale, but Lonely Planet includes it as one of the myths about the Taj. There is no historical record of such a plan, nor is there any archaeological evidence of any work on such a building. There is a garden area that was built across the river to afford a beautiful view of the Taj Mahal. I take lots of photos, including one showing the Taj Mahal reflected in the water. The marble has carvings of quotes from the Koran, and abstract vines inset with semi-precious stones in the white marble. To the left of the Taj is a mosque still used for worship. On the right is an exact copy of the mosque to enhance the symmetry. The copy is not used for anything in particular. Entering inside the Taj Mahal requires putting little booties over our shoes, an easier thing than removing our shoes and finding them again later. Inside the Taj, it is dark and we are rather rushed and crowded to move around the crypts. As it turns out, these are actually copies of the true graves, which used to be visited in an underground room. However, that room only had one entrance/exit and little ventilation, so people often fainted for lack of air while confined in the room, unable to exit without difficulty.
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