November 10, 2004 --- continued
Arriving in Agra, we were so happy to see Naresh and Ajit again. They would be with us for now until we arrived at Udaipur, with several long drives and much countryside to see along the way. They met us at the train station and took us to check in at the Hotel Clarks Shiraz. (At this hotel we discovered particularly good values on silk, cashmere, rugs and paper mache products.)
November 11, 2004
Our only day in Agra was spent at the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort.The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum built by Shah Jahan for his favorite wife who died giving birth to their 14th (or so) child.
When we entered the grounds of the Taj Mahal, all of us experienced goose bumps. There is no way to capture the grandeur of this "Wonder of the World" in photographs. We urge you to go see it for yourself. That is the only way you can appreciate it. To just get an idea of the size of the main building, look at the brass portion at the peak of the center dome. It is approximately 30 feet high. (In the picture below it is on the right.)
The intricate carvings, inlaid work, and detail are unimaginable.
Below is a small segment of the outer wall of the main building.
No pictures were allowed inside.
Preparing to enter the Taj, we were primarily surrounded by domestic tourists, as in most of our travels through the country. In fact, we saw very few Americans and we were glad that most of the foreign travelers we encountered kept a low profile. This was a delicate time to be traveling. Nonetheless we were treated well everywhere we went and this little one gratified us with allowing us to take her picture.
After visiting the Taj Mahal we went across the river to the Red (Agra) Fort. It is an impressive fort overlooking the Taj Mahal, where Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son and spent his final years gazing at the tomb of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Here is the view he had of his beloved wife's memorial from his confinement.
Although we didn't have nearly as much time as we would have like to linger and breathe in the atmosphere at Agra, it was time to move on. We will carry the mental images and savor the memories and feel of the place....
November 12, 2004
After breakfast we began the 200 km drive to Jaipur en route visiting Fathepur Sikri., as well as seeing many interesting sights along the way, including wild monkeys and trained bears.
Fathepur ("pur" means "city") Sikri was the16th century capital city built by one of India's best known rulers, Akbar. The city was totally abandoned after only 14 years.
Here there was a huge open market with rabid hawkers and our guide was particularly protective of us. Since we were visiting during Ramadan we wondered if that is why he appeared a little nervous and frustrated. Also, he told us that if we bought things from some hawkers, others might beat him up. We visited the mosque, had a tour of the area and then were on our way.
We passed through many small towns and larger villages,
Everywhere, people were preparing for Diwali.
The streets were loaded with mounds of marigolds for sale.
Frequently we saw people selling sugar cane.
This ride was a great way to see the countryside.
Upon arrival in Jaipur, we checked in at Hotel Clarks Amer, and discovered that it was gaily decorated for the holiday of Diwali. The design you see is made up of individual grains of rice that are dyed.
The hotel had several restaurants and a bar on the top floor that allowed us to have a view of city, brightly lit for the holiday, and watch the fireworks being put off in every direction. Except for the fireworks, it looked just like Christmas in the US. (We had been informed by one of our guides that the lights used for decorating are manufactured in China!)
November 13, 2004
In the morning we began our sightseeing tour of Jaipur beginning with the Amber Fort.
The Amber Fort (reached by riding an elephant) contains beautiful and delicate marble carvings. The fort overlooks Jaipur and gives a spectacular view of the valley and the surrounding mountains. It is clear to see why the people of Rajasthan were so difficult to conquer.
The elephants were brightly painted and were wearing ornate coverings. There was a very long line of people waiting for the ride to the top. We decided to take a jeep up to the fort, have a tour of the grounds and inside, and then ride an elephant down in order to save time.
The inlaid work of the Amber Fort was breathtaking.
After our tour of the fort we rode, four to an animal, feeling a little precarious as the elephant slowly......wound its way down the steep curved pathway, all the way being accompanied by a hawker doing his best to sell us puppets and other souvenirs. We were a captive audience.
The "pink city" of Jaipur is an exciting mix of markets, the Palace of the Winds (a harem);
the sprawling, huge palace of the prince, with its separate winter and summer quarters for his different wives and courtyards and gardens,
and its beautiful mosaics;
and the intriguing outdoor astronomical site of Jantar Mantar.
Jantar Mantar is best appreciated by someone with a scientific background. It was built by the ruler Jai Singh between 1729 and 1734. The various instruments were built based on the mathematical calculations of Vai Singh himself. The instruments determine the positions of the stars, the activities of the sun and other observations we didn't have time to take in. There are a lot of immense sun dials that show the time accurately. We were not able to find out if they are accurate to within twenty seconds as claimed. The structures also included all the astrological signs.The really neat feature of Jantar Mantar was that visitors could climb up and around almost all of these instruments.
Next we headed for Jodhpur
