Agra
Our tour guide says:
“Agra is the city of the Taj Mahal, perhaps the most photographed monument in the world. However, there is a degree of enigma about the Taj. Once you hear about a building so much and once you see so many pictures of a building your expectations are real high; and this is the enigma about the Taj Mahal. No matter how many pictures you have seen or no matter how high your expectations are the Taj never lets you down – the unparalleled glory and beauty of the building surpasses beyond all human imaginations. At sunrise we visit one of the greatest sights of one’s lifetime – Taj Mahal. Before departure for the monument we shall be served tea/coffee and cookies so that our eyes open real wide to behold this breathtaking sight. A dawn visit to the fabled Taj Mahal to witness the magical effects caused by the reflections of the changing colours of the rising Sun on this brilliant white marble building. Later we return back to our hotel for breakfast.
After breakfast, we ride to the massive Agra Fort. The elegant buildings inside reflect an interesting synthesis of Hindu and Central Asian architectural styles. Built by Emperor Akbar, the maze of the courtyards, mosques & private chambers of the fort echo the story of the Mughal Empire. The Moti Masjid & other magnificent buildings reflect the skill of the ancient Indian architects.“
Lonely Planet says:
“Agra’s magnificent white marble Taj Mahal stands like a bulbous beacon, drawing tourists like moths to a wondrous flame. Despite the hype, it’s every bit as good as you’ve heard. While Agra itself is a sprawling , bloated and polluted industrial city that few travelers seem to have a good word for, the Taj is not a stand-alone attraction. The legacy of the Mughal empire has left a magnificent fort and a sprinkling of fascinating tombs and mausoleums, while the Uamuna River provides a suitably sacred backdrop. The Mughal emperor Babur established his capital here in 1526, and for the next century Agra witnessed a remarkable spate of architectural activity as each emperor tried to outdo the grandiose monuments built by his predecessors. The city has a lively but chaotic chowk (marketplace) and plenty of places to stay and eat, but the hordes of rickshaw-wallahs, touts, unofficial guides an souvenir vendors can be as persistent as the monsoon rain.
Many tourists choose to visit Agra on a whistle-stop day trip – made possible by the excellent train services from Dehhi. However, Agra’s attractions are much more than can be seen in day, and if you have the time you can enjoy several days’ sightseeing with side trips to Fatehpur Sikri and Mathura.
History:
In 1501, Sultan Sikander Lodi established his capital here, but the city fell into Mughal hands in 1526, when Emperor Babur defeated the last Lodi sultan at Panipat, 80km north of Delhi. Agra reached the peak of its magnificence between the mid-16th and mid-17th centuries during the reigns of Akbar, Jehangir and Shah Jahan. During this
period the fort, the Taj Mahal and other major mausoleums were built. In 1638 Shah Jahan built a new city in Delhi, and his son Aurangzeb moved the capital there 10 years later.
In 1761 Agra fell to the Jats, a warrior class who looted its monuments, including the Taj Mahal. The Marathas took over in 1770, but were replaced by the British in 1803. Following the Uprising o f 1857, the British shifted the administration of the province to Allahabad. Deprived of its administrative role, Agra developed as a centre for heavy industry, quickly becoming famous for its chemicals industry and atmospheric pollution, before the Taj and tourism became a major source of income.”
We say:
We arrived in Agra sometime in the afternoon. Usually we would take that free-time to explore the city but we were so tired from travelling that we collapsed on the bed instead.
Tried to walk around the city in the evening but we barely left the gates of the hotel when we were accosted by rickshaw-wallahs. We made it around the corner, got tired of being harassed and headed back to the hotel.
This was the only other area in India, besides our hotel in Goa, where we experienced so many power outages. Thankfully this hotel had a back-up generator that would kick on every time the power went out (every hour).
 One of the gates to the Taj Mahal. Check out those 11 little domes in the center of the gate, there are 11 more on the other side of this huge gate. Each little dome stands for a year that it took to create the Taj Mahal, 22 years altogether. |
 This is a view of the Taj as you walk through the gate. The gateitself provides a natural frame for what’s to come. Here’s where your jaw starts to drop open. |
 A view of the Taj after you walk through the gate. |
 The classic shot of the Taj you’ll see on all the postcards with its reflection in the pond. |
 A little closer |
 Lina in front of the Taj. Chris promises to build something similar if she dies first. Of course, no promise of the same from Lina. |
 This is a view of the Taj from the side. It was constructed to look identical from all sides and is perfectly symmetrical. |
 A view as we were leaving |
 There was supposed to be a black Taj on the opposite side of this river but the Emperor Shah Jahan’s third son imprisoned him so he could take control of the empire. |
 A mosque was built on one side so the workers could pray without losing valuable construction time. An identical guest house was built on the other side to keep the symmetry. |
 Panorama camera = cool pictures |
 We ate at the “Only” restaurant in Agra. |
 These musicians were funny. They only played when tourists where wandering up to the restaurant entrance. They stopped abruptly as soon as the doors closed. We’ve got a funny story about the washroom attendant too. Hint: don’t ever sit down on a Indian public toilet. |