Amazing Agra

A visit to see the Taj Mahal had been on our dream list for several years, and I’m not really sure that either of us thought we’d make it. Certainly when went off on our holiday to Goa it was only tentatively spoken of as a “remote possibility. But we made it, and aren’t we glad that we did! It’s hard to pick out the main highlights of this phenomenal visit, but one of the interesting features is how the opulence of this shrine and the nearby Red Fort contrast with the general housing conditions of the locals.

This is a remarkably spiritual or uplifting experience, and you don’t need to have a religious bone in your body to appreciate the strength of feeling that Emperor Shah Jahan had for Mumtaz Mahal, his second and most loved wife. Our guide said the Taj Mahal was truly a temple of love, and it’s as if the emperor has been able to preserve all of those emotions in the very fabric of the building. The other truly remarkable and unexplainable feature of this mausoleum is that you can sense privacy and tranquillity despite the fact that it’s positively awash with tourists. The favoured spot for photographs is, of course, the Diana seat, and although we had to queue to get a shot of this historic view, it was possible to feel “at one” with the world when we plonked our rear on this concrete bench.

We were just swamped with information about the building and its architect. Our guide made it real and we were appalled as we heard how the powerful emperor had rewarded the architect, who had lovingly ensured that his vision was transformed into reality. Apparently he congratulated him for his workmanship and then had both of the architect’s hands amputated. There was no way that he wanted the man to have any involvement in any similar masterpiece in the future. What gratitude!

All the guidebooks suggest that the Taj Mahal is a stupendous place that defies description, and I will not try to compete with the greats in summarising this vision of perfection. But it was a truly wonderful experience, and I am sure I have a lasting memory of this magnificent building. I shall never regret making the effort to visit Agra.

Quick Tips:

Any trip needs to be well organised, and based upon our experience, we would strongly suggest that a guided tour through a recognised agency is the way to go. We’d checked out prices of trips before we left the UK, and so had a firm base on which to judge value for money. A further discussion with the holiday rep of our tour company gave us another clue as to the likely cost, and then came the all-important “interrogation” of other holidaymakers. India is a place that people tend to return to year on year, and so it wasn’t hard to find people willing to share their best, and worst, experiences. Soon we’d got a couple of strong recommendations and a cautionary tale from a couple who’d organised their own trip.

The strongest recommendation was made for a company called Day Tripper, and armed with directions, we decided to check out this company. As we walked past other agencies, we got details from them about a Golden Triangle trip, and it’s worth noting that many of these were not all-inclusive. Although the add-ons were not likely to be huge, we would be expected to pay admission charges and all meals. But most apparent was the fact that these companies were only providing A/C cars for an additional charge. Although we walked to Day Tripper, it is a fair way from Calangute football pitch to the far end of the Candolim Road. However, we were assured that all taxi drivers would recognise the name, and we could have made the journey for an 80-rupee taxi ride. However, that’s not quite as much fun in my book.

Day Tripper (see their website at www.daytrippergoa.com) has been on the go for several years and is owned by Eddie and Enid Forster. Eddie has had connections with India for almost 30 years, but still proudly hangs on to his Yorkshire accent. He’s thorough and boasts an eye for detail and a guarantee that you’ll be looked after for the whole of your journey. The great thing about our first contact with Eddie was that he had a reassuringly competent presentation, and whilst we were there, he devoted his time and energy into listening to our needs and then transforming those into a potential reality. We instantly felt trust in the organisation, and, together with personal recommendations, we confirmed the arrangements with confidence.

Best Way To Get Around:

There are a couple of ways to travel when setting off on a golden triangle tour, and I reckon Day Tripper got the balance exactly right. We had considered taking a train from Goa to Delhi, but this would have meant a 36-hour train journey and a real erosion of our holiday. Although we both fancied experiencing an Indian train journey, neither of us are such fanatics that it was a must-do experience. The plane journey sounded far more pleasant and a lot shorter. Day Tripper uses budget carriers, and we found the airline to be efficient and comfortable. This plane journey reduced our travel time by well over 30 hours, and we arrived in Delhi fresh and rearing to go.

Going from Delhi to Agra is a journey best made by the fast-speed early morning train. This modern train fair eats up the journey, and we sat in a comfortable coach (fully air-conditioned) enjoying the Indian countryside, munching on the waiter-served breakfast, and flicking through the concessionary newspaper (The Pioneer, published in English).

We journeyed from train station to various venues by air-conditioned taxi, and I strongly recommend that you ensure that it is air-conditioned. Certainly in the height of summer the journey would be horrendous if you were relying on the breeze created by an open window. Although we travelled by taxi from Agra to Jaipur, I would not strongly recommend this. It was a long and tedious journey along some shocking roads, and although we saw some great sights, it was a tiring journey. A train journey would be most preferable, although not all trains are as efficient as the Delhi-to-Agra, and we spent what felt like an inordinate length of time on a slow journey from Jaipur to Delhi. The distance was the same as Delhi-to-Agra, but the train was much older, stopped more frequently, and was a bit of a boneshaker. The air-conditioned coach became quite chilly as the sun went down, so we were pleased to have sweaters with us.

At Agra you need to use the electric cars to get you to the Taj Mahal. I’m not sure of the cost (as it was all part of our tour), but you can be sure it wasn’t expensive. The alternative is a rickshaw or a passing elephant or camel!

A short car journey away from the mighty Taj Mahal is the splendid Red Fort. We were told that the Emperor Shah Jahan was imprisoned here by his son. Apparently the Emperor had plans to build a second mausoleum in black marble to the rear of the Taj Mahal. This was to be his final resting place and the vision was that it would seem to be the perfect shadow of the magnificent Taj Mahal. The son was not happy with this proposed extravagance and built an elaborate room in which to accommodate his father, the emperor. From here Shah Jahan had a perfect view of the mausoleum and it is rumoured, happily saw out his days reflecting on the love of his life.

The fort was originally constructed in 1565 by Emperor Akbar (Shah Jahan’s grandfather) as a military fortification, but Shah Jahan changed its use to that of a Royal Palace (I guess he felt more secure than his granddad). Inevitably he introduced white marble into the construct and nowadays the contrast between the red sandstone, Jahan’s marble and the weathered copper roofing makes for a stunning sight.

The entrance to the fort is quite awe inspiring and its steep climb would have been most off-putting for any unwanted visitors. When in the fort there are some terrific views over the Yamuna River across to the magnificent Taj Mahal, that looes non of its splendour even from this distance. It’s difficult to understand why Emperor Jahan picked the spot to build his shrine to his beloved.

The Hall of Public Audiences (Diwan-I-Am) is an impressive feature with its multi-columned roofed building for the emperor (who sat in the "peacock room") and his high officials whilst invited members of the public sat in the main open-air auditorium. Apparently the acoustics were so poor that the speeches had to be relayed by a series of "interpreters"—it’s anyone’s guess how many of these speeches were distorted as they passed from one messenger to another. It certainly would slow down the process of government. In front of the building is the lone grave of John Calvin (an influential British Governor who died in 1857 and had always asked to be buried in his favourite town of Agra. He must have had some respect to be granted his final request.

The small Mirror Palace (Shish Mahal) was closed to the public but it is possible to get an impact of this room, with the walls and ceilings covered in mirrors, by peering through the heavy doors. It would have been an incredible sight as the candle lights were reflected to infinity.

There’s a magnificent garden, overlooked by the harem, and real attempts have been made to restore this to its former glory. In truth it is not too difficult to imagine life in this palace under the autocratic leadership of the mighty Indian Emperors. Control and power positively exude from the very fabric of the building.

We made the journey to the Taj Mahal by electric vehicle and we could feel the emotional excitement of all of us on that bus. After a relatively short journey we stood in line, whilst our guide purchased our entrance tickets. You're not allowed to take anything electronic into the grounds so mobile phones, electronic diaries and calculators must either be left on your coach or deposited in the locally provided boxes. Be prepared for an intimate frisking before you can start your walk into the Taj Mahal.The Taj Mahal was a twenty-year labour of love, and involved over 20,000 workers and the use of a number of highly specialised workers from Europe. There’s a very short walk from the ticket office to the main red sandstone gateway of the mausoleum and on route we passed a number of low level buildings that started off life as accommodation for the constructors. The highly regarded workers were given private quarters whilst others shared dormitories open to the elements. There’s a few impressive glimpses of the Taj Mahal’s dome as we make our excited way to the gateway and the view from the entrance platform is just gob-smackingly awesome.On purchase of a video camera permit (still cameras are free) you are allowed to take shots from the edge of the platform, but once this has been taken the camera must be taken back to the gateway for free storage. Our guide sorted all of this for us and as he left us on our own for the last hour of our tour he was waiting for us on our return. He’d spotted us before we saw him and he was taking video shots of us wandering back through the Taj Mahal’s gardens. A nice touch we thought.

We were surprised to spot a group of bright green parrots resting peacefully in the trees and as we took in the view from the rear of the Taj Mahal, overlooking the River Yamuna and across to the Red Fort, we saw a group of camels ambling their way across the far bank of the river. The view was remarkably unsullied and from here there was no sense that modern civilisation had arrived.

The grounds of the Mausoleum are immaculately kept and the water, running the length of the gardens, provides some beautiful reflections. Although there are operable fountains the flow of these are often interrupted to allow visitors to enjoy an unspoilt view of their mirror effect. Although there were loads of visitors there were also plenty of places where you could be undisturbed. As we strolled around the grounds we had the weird feeling that the Taj Mahal was part of nature’s landscape. The formal landscaped gardens and the magnificent shimmering mass of marble seem to be at one with nature as well as being an inextricable part of it. But that I guess, is the Emperor’s vision fully realised. A vision that’s beyond words, but exudes emotions.

Fatehpur Sikri, the abandoned city, is around ¾-hour car journey from Agra and is a magnificent city in a superb setting. Its only downfall was that when it was built no real consideration was given to where the water supply would come from. So for 2 years, bullock drawn carts carried gallons of water to the city and deposited the contents in a giant water tank. The winter rains topped up the supply but generally the only source of water was by road.

Occupancy started in 1571 and for a decade and a half Fatehpur Sikri was the capital of the Mughal empire. However, shortly after Emperor Akbar’s death, in 1585, it was decided that the royal palace and the surrounding settlement was not sustainable and the city of Fatehpur Sikri was abandoned. It’s extremely well preserved and has been deemed a World Heritage Site. Certainly if you’re visiting Agra make sure you pull in a visit to this place.

As we entered the site we were told about the Hall of Public Audiences and particular attention was brought to the remains of a concrete pillar set into a large expenses of open ground, slightly away from the "public area." We were told that a malignant elephant was tethered here and criminal, sentenced to death, would be secured within reach of the beast, which would in turn batter the condemned individual. Due to the unpredictable nature of the "execution" this was a major attraction for the righteous! I’m not sure about the veracity of this but it made for a good story.

As we entered the main the main city there was an incredibly ornate tower (Hall of Private Audiences), the second floor of which is supported by an incredible beautifully carved central stone column with elaborate stone bridges fanning out to the upper mezzanine. Here, private matters of state were discussed with the emperor by selected courtiers.

Outside in a large court area are the original markings of the Pachisi "game board". We didn’t really get to understand the rules but apparently the "pieces" were female servants of the emperor who would stand out in the centre, in the heat of summer, being moved, at the will of the royal players not unlike an "Alice in Wonderland" scenario.

The heavily columned Panch Mahal is an unusual building as it reduces in size after each level until the top floor, which is a single room. There’s an interesting central island that is accessed by two narrow bridges where the emperor, alongside his friends in court, spent time fishing. The whole site is incredibly well preserved and when we stood near to the man-made reservoir (now empty of all water) we could look over the hunting land of the emperor. A elaborate hunting tower stands near to the palace walls and it was not hard to understand why the Emperor chose this site to build his ideal capital city. It’s a great view.

Although the perfect symmetry of the Taj Mahal is magnificent from a distance, it becomes more bewilderingly beautiful as you approach it close up. Unfortunately internal photography is not allowed but there are enough wonderful visions to keep the lens snapping. The inside you'll just need to commit to memory.

It stands proudly aloof from the grounds, so as we looked towards it the pristine white seemed more amazing against the bright blue sky. As we climbed up onto the plinth wearing our shoe protectors - more recently the authorities don’t expect you to go barefooted (sandals were being lost or stolen), but provide disposable covers that you must wear when approaching the Taj Mahal. From this vantage point we got a tremendous view of the grounds, the red sandstone mosque, the reflection of the jawah (believed to be visitors accommodation and probably only built to ensure the perfect symmetry of the construction) and the meandering river. The minarets appear to lean in slightly away the Taj Mahal. I suspect a design feature, as they all seem to do it (our guide said something about a precaution against damage in the event of an earthquake!)

The arches above the entrance are carved with quotations for the Koran (the same inscriptions can be found on the arches of the grand sandstone entrance to the grounds. Walking into the Taj Mahal there is an open staircase, barred to the general public and it is down here that the tombs of the emperor and his great love are interred. Only royal visitors can visit the vault but in the single room of the mausoleum are replica tombs. An incredibly elaborately carved marble screen surrounds the cenotaph of Mumtaz Mahal and that of Shah Jahan and the sunlight mystically shines through the thousands of carefully crafted perforated designs. But the stunning design feature is the thousands of stones inlaid into the marble. There are over 40 different semi-precious stones used in the design, imported from all over the world and worked by the best craftsmen of the day. The most stunning of the stones used is carnelian a red translucent gemstone that reflects the light.

Wherever you stand in the mausoleum everything is in perfect symmetry and it was interesting to note that we all spoke in hushed voices of wonderment as we shuffled our way around the mausoleum. There’s a real magical feeling to this impressive monument and I tried to imagine the impact it must have had on everyone who was connected with it during its conception and final birth. It would have changed the landscape dramatically and would have given a bizarre message out to the emperor's other wives whose memorial buildings are built in sandstone as "add-ons" outside of the grounds of the Taj Mahal.