May 23 – Agra, and the Taj Mahal

First, these will be very long posts. There was so much that we saw, and so many things to talk about!

 

I tried to sleep the night before… an unexpected half day from work gave me the opportunity to sneak in a few hours, but I am too excited. I should sleep, I’m going from working a night shift directly to flying and a full day of sightseeing… but I can’t tell my brain that and I’m wide awake for all but a half-hour of it. Oh well, plenty of time to pack, re-check, check again, and ensure I have everything. It almost became compulsive. I was ready to go!

 

The driver called, and told me he would be here at the arranged time. I have to say that working with the travel agent for this trip has been great, everything is taken care of, and I just have to show up! They arrived as expected, and we headed to the airport. When I walked to the car they handed me my boarding pass, and soon I was on a flight to Delhi.

 

When I landed, I quickly spotted my next caretaker on the trip. Each city has a local representative who would meet me as I came to the first stop in their city, and Delhi Airport was no exception. The local representative introduced himself, introduced my driver, and we headed down the road to drop him off and head to Agra.

 

My driver is a stocky man, about my height and very broad-shouldered. He his from Punjab, India, I will come to know later, and he wears a turban local to that region, but without the sharp angle on his forehead. It makes him very easy to find in a crowd, which I like! He is extremely friendly, and asks me about where I am from, if I’m married or single, and we settle in for the long drive. It turns out he has two kids, both of whom he put through college for engineering, and they both work in IT in Delhi!

 

As we drive along, the driver (I’ll admit I still don’t know his name, and I’m not sure I could have spelled it if I wanted to! I feel bad about this, he was fantastic!) tells me about the different areas of Delhi. We stop at Lotus Temple briefly for a picture (well… we stopped across a lake from it because it was on our way out of the city), and it is a beautiful building!

 

 

 

 

After this, we leave what is apparently referred to as the newer part of Delhi (not New Delhi, he corrects me) and we head into “old Delhi” as my driver referred to it (I gave up understanding that distinction). The older part of Delhi is very similar to Bangalore in some areas. I mentioned to a friend that I would be driving through it, and his response was to “It’s like Mexico if it were very, very dirty.” At the time, I thought that was a harsh assessment regardless of comparison (it denigrates both places) but in driving through I can see how that type of thought had occurred to him. There are very nice parts of Delhi (old and new), and then there are parts that have not been well kept. It’s the same as what I see in Bangalore, some nice buildings, some abandoned, some piles of trash and yet some very nice wonders. As we leave Delhi proper it occurs to me that the roads and streets are actually in much better shape than their Bangalore counterparts, you might actually be able to go for a jog in Delhi, though I’m not sure I’d recommend it with the smog!

 

We head out into the country, and onto an eight-lane, divided highway that looks like it has fallen right out of a “how to build roads” manual, it is pristine! I ask my driver about this, and he tells me it is a recent road, and that it was build and owned by a company called Jaypee. Jaypee is a big producer of concrete here, and apparently built a massive toll road from Delhi to Agra to help move its product, and in an agreement with the government to provide travel for the residents here. Initially I think what a great thing this is, and of course private companies would have to make a profit for such a venture to be worthwhile… so the toll has to occur… but look at how much it helps the local residents.

 

 

Workers for the brick factory typically set up a camp nearby, many live here, some with families

 

But the more we drive, the more I notice that there aren’t on and off ramps. In addition, there is barbed-wire on the sides and center of the roadway. I ask my driver what was here before, and he said farmland was given to Jaypee to build the road. They’ve built passages underneath every once in a while to allow people to traverse, but that the barbed-wire was to ensure the safety of the locals. It occurred to me that this could absolutely disrupt access to water, and when I bring this up my driver explains that Jaypee also provides access to water through the government by making deliveries to local farms along the highway. As we keep talking, I’m not so sure about this road, or the company that has provided it… it begins to remind me of the mining towns where you were paid by the company in company currency. I hope it brings wealth, and not dependence, to the local farms, but if I’m honest I’m concerned that’s not what’s happening at all. “Oh well”, I think, as I’ve thought a few times while traveling, “not my country, very little I can do”. I would like to think that altruism and making a profit can live together cohesively, I hope to find a good example as I travel.

 

 

The road, even if not as altruistic as I thought, is still very smooth… and I begin to doze off about the time my driver tells me we’re going to be stopping for lunch. We pull off the road at the first exit I’ve seen after about an hour, and he tells me it’s the only stop for two more hours. “Highway Malsala” is essentially  the closest thing you’ll come by in India to a truck stop. There are restrooms, a restaurant, and a shop for essentials and gifts. I was ready for some coffee!

 

 

I ordered coffee, and naan (I have an unhealthy obsession with naan in all forms) and was told it was breakfast time (at 11:15 AM) and that he couldn’t make me naan. I opted for the malsala omelet instead, which was extremely spicy but delicious! Interestingly, when not had at a hotel, they roll an omelet when it comes out of a pan here, rather than just folding it in half. That’s okay, though, it was perfect and we were on the road again!

 

I could feel that I was getting tired again as Agra came into view, and my driver told me that even though it has the Taj Mahal, and some nice hotels, Agra is a very poor city with many poor people, especially in the older parts of Agra where we came in.

 

As we drove in the highway broke into smaller roads and eventually we made a U-turn to head the correct direction, and the road to Agra became one lane in each direction. With no sidewalks, pedestrians were forced to compete with traffic on both sides of the road, and we began to crawl through the city to ensure were didn’t hit anyone, or get hit by anyone. About the time we almost hit a small boy who darted out in front of the car, I noticed his younger brother was toddling along behind him with nothing but a very small shirt on!

 

I almost asked my driver, but as we continued on our way it became evident that bathing in public, and being naked or nearly naked in public is somewhat normal in the poorer or more rural parts of India. He wasn’t the only naked child we would see (younger boys, ones we would typically see in diapers in the US, don’t seem to wear pants in this part of India at all, actually), especially when driving by local water sources where people gathered to bathe, however that statement exclusively applies to men here for what I can assume are religious reasons. The men here, though… aren’t shy!

 

As we turned to head to the hotel, I saw what is referred to as “Baby Taj”, which is a smaller version of the Taj Mahal. I wouldn’t visit it on my tour, but it might be something to keep in mind for a future trip, I’d never heard of it before

 

“Baby Taj”

 

We turned another corner, though, and I could see it! The Taj Mahal in the distance, the real one! Agra also has smog problems, which you will see in this picture, but the driver stopped for me to take a picture through the window. That day a record was set for the hottest that particular day had ever been in Delhi, at 45-46 degrees Celsius, about 115 degrees Fahrenheit. I wasn’t about to roll my window down and let the air conditioned cool air out if I didn’t have to! I didn’t want to wait to see it, but I also knew we were headed to the hotel first, and Agra’s “Red Fort” (or Agra Fort, depending) where we would spend the evening until almost sunset in hopes of catching the Taj Mahal glowing. We continued on to the hotel, visions of the great marble wonder already in my head.

 

 

On the way in, we stopped for a quick picture!

 

I stayed at the Trident hotel, which is one of the nicest hotels in Agra from what I can tell. The floors were marble! The room fit me perfectly and the garden view was very nice. While I couldn’t see the Taj Mahal like I thought I was going to be able to, I had no complaints at all, I knew I was about to! After check in, I had about two hours to kill before we met our guide for the Red Fort and the Taj Mahal, and I laid down for a quick nap, and I actually slept! I woke up in time, still extremely excited, and met my guide.

 

I worked with the travel agent on this trip to ensure I’d have a guide at every location for each tour, so that I wouldn’t have to find one on-site. I don’t remember where, but I had heard this was the best approach and it holds true. At every location we visited in Bangalore, there were various individuals offering to be a guide… many who were hoping to scam you out of money or into purchases, and the same can be said at the sites worth seeing in Agra. My guide was a little on the short site, but this would later work out for me when I took pictures over his head (I think this confused him). He had a knack for standing exactly where I was about to take a picture… so I just started taking them over him anyway!

 

The guide said we were headed to the Taj Mahal first, and I objected. I had heard we were waiting for sunset and had my mind set on going when the Taj Mahal was said to shimmer, and the guide aquiesced while waring me that with the clouds… we weren’t going to see that tonight anyway. He would end up being mostly right, but I’d already laid my cards on the table so we headed to Red Fort first.

 

Red Fort, or Agra Fort, was once a seat of power for India when the capitol was moved there quite some time ago. It dates back originally to around 1080 AD, and has since been built onto, expanded through different kings and emperors, the primary one being Akbar. Later his grandson Shah Jahan, the same one who would build the Taj Mahal, would add white marble structures to the Red Fort as well.

 

 

 

My tour guide took me up the long ramp leading into the Red Fort, and I was quick to notice that I was turning heads. I am easily a foot, if not a foot and a half, taller than most people here. While touring, we were asked again and again for pictures with the local people. I was such an oddity to be asked to be in pictures, and I was having fun with it! My guide didn’t like it as much… but he helped me take a picture with one group that asked. The girl on the left approached me, her friends were too intimidated to so! I told her we could take a picture, as long as I could have one of them, too!

 

 

 

I look goofy, as always, but it started becoming more natural the more groups that came to ask. Between Red Fort and the Taj Mahal, I think I was asked for six or seven photographs with different guys about my age, and many times more with groups of children or families. I enjoyed it! There’s even a picture of me and one guy (and then his friend in a separate picture) hanging out in front of the Taj Mahal! As part of this, it wasn’t abnormal for them to ask to touch you, and encircle your wrist with their thumb and pointer-fingers. I don’t know the significance of this, but both the girl in this picture and the groups of guys all completed the same gesture. I’ll have to do some research!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We left Red Fort, and headed to the Taj Mahal. The entrance, at least the initial one, is as unassuming as you can possibly imagine. It is enclosed in city walls and there is no monument visible. After a quick security check, metal detector, and pat down, you are let into the outer garden area and head up a long passageway that leads you to the outer gate.

 

 

 

As we started to walk in, I was struck by the majesty of the Taj Mahal sitting behind it. I can’t think of a better phrase, it is majestic. Walking through the gate is something I will never forget, the size is massive and the view of the Taj Mahal is striking, it was absolutely incredible.

 

 

As we walked closer and I began taking pictures, the rain became heavier. Many went running for cover, but my guide and I continued to walk in, take pictures, and head towards “the bench” where many visiting dignitaries, Presidents, and famous people have their picture taken. In looking at the picture now, I can see why. There were people crowding in both sides, and I have another picture of me without them, but I like this one better. This picture was taken at one of the best moments in my life so far, even if I am a little wet!

 

 

 

I took more pictures, had even more taken of me and with me (by my guide, and by random people), and after donning shoe covers to ensure we did not damage or disrespect the tombs, we went inside. I had been expecting to have to leave my shoes, however apparently you can get shoe covers as an alternative if you have bought a special ticket. In this instance, they had trouble fitting my shoe and said my feet were just too big. Eventually they found an extra large pair, and then laughed about it being the only one they’d ever used in that size. They asked me if I have big feet in America, and I said yes, but insisted that size thirteen wasn’t too far from normal. I’m apparently the only one they’ve had!

 

 

We walked through the upper tombs, and no photography is allowed inside although the locals mostly ignored this rule. It almost seemed like there was a mentality that if everyone took pictures, nobody could get in trouble. The guards hauled more than one person out, however, so I wasn’t about to chance it! The thing that struck me the most was the symmetry of everything in Taj Mahal. it was build to look identical on all sides (except the side facing the river, it was reserved for another temple to be built on the far side that was never completed). Even in the tomb, symmetry could be seen, and the false sarcophagi on display in the upper chambers mirrored each other as you walked around them. While the king’s was larger, everything was perfectly aligned and centered, from every angle.

 

After going through, my guide told me I wasn’t officially supposed to be inside, but didn’t elaborate. I thought it might be religious, but didn’t find anything about this online, so it may have been an attempt to make the occasion special. He didn’t need to worry about that at all, it’s been a few days, and I’m still smiling.

 

 

We ended the day early, the sun was sneaking below the cloud and we weren’t going to get to see the Taj Mahal shine the way I had hoped, though we saw a few glimpses here and there and some great light pictures.

 

 

The sun begins to head down below clouds and smog, with more clouds coming

 

 

 

I can’t think of the right words to describe it, really… if you every have the opportunity I encourage every single one of you to see the Taj Mahal. There are reports that one day it may collapse due to the wooden foundation, there are also discussions of closing the Taj Mahal to tourists, and every year there are more calls for the same. I got to see it, got to touch it, it was fantastic.

 

From the Taj Mahal, it’s back to the hotel for a quick bite to eat and then to bed. My stomach still hadn’t quite calmed down after the malsala omelet (it was hotter than I’d given it credit for) so I opted for a “chicken schnitzel”, which came breaded and wasn’t quite what I expected… but after a taste I was fine with it. I can honestly say this was the best food I’d had in India so far. While waiting for the chicken the waiter gave me hot and sour chicken soup to try for free, which was delicious, and following my delicious chicken, he stopped by again with free dessert! What a great way to end a day!

 

I headed to bed, opting out of purchasing wifi connectivity from the hotel and I fell asleep extremely quickly. It has been quite a day!

 

 

A few more bonus pictures:

 

After taking this picture, I asked my guide if families came here to have picnics and the like, or just to tour… these guys seemed like they were on a family outing! He replied with “No food! No picnics!”

 

 

 

 

 

These huts are used to store hay, and allow it to dry. They are all over the agricultural portions of India.