I arrived in Agra mid afternoon, checked into my hotel, and immediately went to the Taj Mahal; a sight I've wanted to see ever since my dear friend Anita Dawson told me years ago how spectacular it was.
Emperor Shah Jahan, who reigned from 1627 to 1658 took 20 years to build the Taj, starting construction in 1631. He built the Taj in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal (Chosen One of the Palace or Jewel of the Palace). She was a Persian princess who died in 1631 while giving birth to their 14th child. The Taj is considered the 'Jewel of Muslim art' in India and one of the most admired masterpieces in the world. It is recognized as the finest example of Mughal architecture. More than 1000 elephants were used to transport the building materials from all over India. Five different types of marbles were brought from many different regions and countries; Rajasthan, Punjab, China, Tibet, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Arabia. The translucent white marble was brought from Makrana, west of Agra. It took 20,000 workers to construct the Taj. Soon after the completion of the Jaj Shah Jahan was declared incompetent by his son Aurangzeb, deposed and put under house arrest at nearby Agra Fort, where he could view the Taj Mahal while imprisoned. I later visited the fort, only a few miles away. Upon his death in 1666 Shah Jahan was buried in the underground tomb next to his wife, the central focus of the complex. There are more than 2 million visitors a year.
My guide, "Officer" and I rode a camel drawn carriage to the Great Gateway before entering the Taj. I entered from the west gate where I got my first sight of the Taj Mahal, and was awestruck at its symmetry and beauty- more beautiful than I imagined.
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| Taj Mahal |
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| My camel drawn carriage |
Cameron & Carmen
I met a nice young couple from New Zealand, Cameron and Carmen, who had been to the Dali Lama's temple when I was there a couple of weeks before.
I met a nice young couple from New Zealand, Cameron and Carmen, who had been to the Dali Lama's temple when I was there a couple of weeks before.
I gazed at the Taj for several minutes thinking how beautiful it is, and did not to want leave. I had a similar feeling when Kathy and I visited the Grand Canyon.
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| View from the west |
Last look at the Taj Mahal
On leaving Agra early the next day for Delhi, I made one more stop to get another look at the Taj from across the sacred Yumuna River, where I met children playing in the park. The view from across the river was spectacular.
Many people were drying their washed clothes along the river bank; no electricity needed.
I wrote in my journal "I'm grateful for this experience of a lifetime, for years I imagined seeing the Taj Mahal and now I have."
About forty-miles south of Delhi I passed by the Buddh International Circuit home of the Formula One Indian Grand Prix. It includes 2500 acres,100,000 seating capacity, a golf course, ice hockey, and cricket stadium. It was unfortunately closed, otherwise I would loved to have seen the track. Drivers from all over the world race here.
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