All aboard for Agra and the Taj Mahal

Today we left Jaipur.  It was a a rainy start with a huge rain storm starting just as we were gathering with our luggage on the portico of the hotel.  I have to say it was not looking great for Agra later in the day and I wondered how we would cope with that.  

We boarded our bus and headed east moving from Rajasthan (Land of the King) to Uttar Praddesh (northern province) which is where Agra is located.   On the way we stopped for a TnT break and had tea and then our guide Avidhesh Ji organised for us to have lunch at his brother’s guest house in Bharatpur.  

At the guesthouse we were greeted with flower petals and marigold garlands and made to feel very special.  The meal was Thalli - a round platter filled with individual bowls of various contents and chapati.  Although….my stomach is still not the best so I opted to stick with boiled rice and yoghurt and just had little bits of other things.  

After lunch we proceeded to Agra….it seems much cleaner than many of the other cities - the streets certainly seemed to have been swept as there are no piles of rubbish that can be spotted on the main streets that we drove down.  There is still endless traffic, road side stalls selling fresh local produce and the hole in the wall shops continuously.  

After checking into our hotel we bused it to Agra Fort. The seat of the Mughal Empire and and UNESCO World Heritage site, it is a large red sandstone fort with lots of walls, two motes and a series of impressive feature to deter invaders such as rolling alleys for pouring hot oil and rolling large stones towards invaders, optical illusions to given invaders a false sense of direction.  

This fort had the similar features as the Amber Fort - a public space, and vip space and a private space.  At some point (I can’t remember where) it moved from red standstone to white marble and as we moved higher we got glimpses of the Taj Mahal. The white marble was part of the renovation by Shah Jahan - the king who built the Taj Mahal for his third wife.  

Later that evening the crew had a dinner at the hotel…unfortunately I have succumbed to Delhi Belly so it was dry biscuits and hydra lites for dinner!

The next morning we rose early to get to the Taj Mahal for sunrise…scheduled at 6.17 am.  It really was the perfect time to be there - the weather was cool, the crowds were low (still many people) and we had the chance to stop and look in awe without being pushed forward.    

Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal as a mausoleum for his third wife.  She was a Muslim and gave him a number of children and she apparently was his favourite.  She died due to haemorrhage in childbirth of her 14th child (in 17 years!!!).  It took him some time find the perfect place for the monument - he located it on the river bank and as it was in ‘watery’ ground it necessitate hydraulic pylons to reach bed rock to save sinking.  Apparently the pylons are made of ebony wood and surrounded by bricks and cement to stabilise.  The minarets on lean 2degrees outward as a safeguard so they wont fall onto the main building.   

It is absolutely stunning….there is something about the light on the marble that gives it the most serene feeling - photos just dont seem to do it justice.  The grave inside is a little bit of a let down perhaps because it is smaller and the crowds and noise don’t induce a respectful feeling.  I felt much better outside wandering.  

The gardens are green, the water reflects the sky and there are very naughty monkeys that steal things from tourists for food, and also will attack if you are eye contact.   I saw one tour guide get attacked and bitten on the back!

There are other building in the complex…beautiful gates, a guest house and a mosque.  I was surprised at the scale.  I also felt sorry for the other three wife’s #1, #2 and #4…they didn’t get a mausoleum- they are just buried at the other gates! 

Journey to Jaipur & Up and Away

 We left New Delhi and travelled to the capital of Rajasthan - Jaipur!  As we left Delhi, there was low cloud and fog so there wasn’t much to see in the distance.  However, it was the day that the Muslims in India had decided to celebrate Eid and there were thousands in the street heading to Mosque and celebrating….all in new clothes to celebrate a new beginning.  

The motorway was the main one connecting Delhi to Mumbai - multiple lanes each way but really not much to see, and particularly worse with the low fog.  The median strip was planted with bougainvilleas which were pretty - pinks, reds, whites and the odd orange added some colour to an otherwise bland view.  The further we got from Delhi, the more agricultural the land and fields of wheat were being harvested - it appeared by hand as we saw no machinery.  

 We had a quick bite at a restaurant stop where there were plenty of cars and finally there was an explanation.  It was a celebration of Eid at the same time as a major Hindu celebration - the nine days of goddess celebration “Navratri” which is a vibrant nine-night Hindu festival dedicated to worshipping Goddess Durga’s nine forms—the Navdurga—representing power, purity, and wisdom Many people had a long long weekend and were heading to towns out of the city.  It explains why the flights to Delhi had been so full, and all the traffic on the roads.  

Our accommodation in Jaipur is the Hotel Narain Niwas Palace - a heritage building that has been converted into accommodation and in the style of Mughal architecture - I’m seeing the similarities to Islamic design - arches etc.  The room is lovely and in style that reminds me of Morroco. 

Jaipur is considered the pedestrian friendly city in India however we caught buses into the centre to visit the City Palace and I now know why it is the Pink City.  Apparently, Albert, Prince of Wales, visited in the late 19th century and the town was painted for his visit (amongst some major building works as well).  He commented that it looked like a Pink City and the name stuck.  It is not so much pink as more a terracotta colour.  

The Palace is spectacular and still houses a Raj - a 24 year old with his family.  He is apparently an excellent polo player - playing for India - and is considered a ‘good catch’.  

 

There was a visit to a gem store where precious and semi precious gems are cut and fashioned into jewellery.  The gems come from all countries and Jaipur is known as one of the best places to have gems cut and polished.  Nothing took my fancy, although a couple in the group bought some things.   The high pressure salesman were annoying and it was a little unexpected as it was sold as more of a visit than a shopping expedition.  

We then returned to the palace to watch a procession celebrating the third Goddess Gangaur Puja.   Unfortunately we didn’t see much of the process of camels, horses, elephants but we did see the crowd watching it and it was so crowded we turned around and left as we couldn’t see anything.   

 

That night was a dinner with a local family hosted by Gitangeli.  She, her husband and two children live with his parents in a house next door to here FILs brother where there are 10 more in the house!    She was wonderfully open about her life and encouraged us to ask questions.  We were served a vegetarian meal and drinks.  Her family is part of the ‘warrior’ class and apparently this means they can serve and drink alcohol in moderation!  

Day 2 in Jaipur was a blast….I rose at 4 am to be in a car at 4.45 and driven out into what felt like the middle of nowhere - it looked as if we were in the wheat fields we had passed on the freeway.   It was dark on arrival and I was careful to look at the ground closely.  Suddenly turning to my right I spotted a hot air balloon that rose rapidly with the work of large fans.   

Unfortunately I was suffering a little Indian Belly, so it necessitate a quick trip into the fields before being loaded into the baskets (of all days!).   I found out I was not the only one with an upset belly so it must have been the food the night before!

Anyway, I was not to be held down so to speak…..managing with the help of Imodium to feel confident enough to board the balloon basket.   We watched the sunrise and floated over houses and then a ridge to be in the middle of  natural bush and saw wildlife scattering from the ballon below!   It was the most serene experience I have had in India so far…everywhere else has been crowded, noisy and so visually overstimulating that the hour in the balloon with just the sound of the jets occasionally was a beautiful place to reflect….how lucky am I to be able to have such an adventure.  I couldn’t help but wonder what V1 would have made of it all!

Returning to our hotel it was a breakfast of toast for me before we boarded our trusty bus again and took off for the Amber Fort.  Built from red sandstone and white marble, it served as the capital and residence of Rajput rulers until 1728. It is known for its Hindu-Mughal architecture, including the intricate Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace).  Because of the long weekend and the religious celebrations the place was teaming with people!  We could not get close in the bus so we walked about 30 minutes along crowded busy roads and then up steep steps to meet our guide Sanjay in the courtyard.   We visited three section - the public courtyard, the VIP courtyard and the Womens courtyard.  The scale of the place is astounding but some of the decoration is just awe inspiring.   White carved marble; mirror palace, carved privacy screens and decorations to keep women ‘secreted’. 

We walked back and met our bus and then headed back to the hotel for a free afternoon.  After such an early start, I opted for a massage, shower and rest before meeting my fellow travellers for drinks and dinner in the hotel where there is some local dancing tonight!