I wish my camera had a 'Pollution' setting

Leg Three: The Road to Agra and the Glory of the Taj Mahal

 

We did a lot of driving on this trip. Sometimes it felt like forever, but, at the same time, we were able to see more of the countryside. Honestly, even though it was winter, I wasn’t expecting the arid climate that greeted us. I guess I’ve seen and read too many romanticized accounts of India (I’m looking at you, live action Jungle Book) and was under the impression that the entire continent, with the exception of the base of the Himalayas, was steamy jungle.

We made several stops along the road to Agra. The first was to Chand Baori. This was a random sidetrack, but it was nice to stretch our legs.

In the tiny town, we meandered around the ruins of a Hindu temple called Harshat Mata. It had been built around the 9^th century, but after Muslim leaders came to power in that area of India, the temple was sacked and the faces of most of the animals and humans were destroyed (per Muslim doctrine which prohibits their depiction).

Across a courtyard and a metal swing gate was the abandoned home of the old royals (supposedly). It wasn’t a palace, and it wasn’t a castle. In fact, it kind of reminded me of The Treasure of Petra in Jordan. Oh yeah, except for the enormous step-well located right in front of it.



Our next stop was Fatehpur Sikir, the city of King Akbar the Great (Not General Akbar of Star Wars fame). The complex is built of stunning red sandstone, but sadly, it was abandoned 14 years after completion due to water shortages. Our guide for this area was phenomenal, and impressed us all by being able to name the last 10 Prime Ministers of Japan. Hooray for higher learning!

As night fell, I started having trouble breathing and was constantly coughing. The closer we got to Agra, the more irritated my throat and chest became. Eventually, I ended up wrapping my bandana around my face and doing my best thug/old west bandit impression.

Meagan protecting me from the 'fog' would make a great apocalypse poster

When we got to Agra, our hearts sank. The place was filthy. Everything was shrouded in ‘fog’- the nice term Indians give to the combination of smog, smoke and dust filling the air. Even the inside of our hotel was hazy and faintly smelled like a forest fire. Luckily, one girl had an inhaler, so I didn’t die. Which was especially a good thing because I would have been very angry and definitely would have come back to haunt everyone in Agra had I died before seeing this:

I don’t need to describe the Taj, it’s been done. Suffice to say, it was breathtaking. The design, the craftsmanship, the semi-precious stones hand carved and glued into the surface- I loved every bit of it. Well, except the visibility, which we were told is the worst in the winter. I hear the summer is gorgeous, but you go right on ahead and enjoy those 122 degree days. Thanks.

From the Taj Mahal we passed the next few hours visiting a workshop run by the same families whose ancestors completed the work on the monument. I swear, my wallet opened and spent the money inside of it of its own accord!

Semi-precious stone inlay at the Taj Mahal. Not what I bought.

The next stop on our trip: Bandhavgarh National Park, AKA Tigerland!