My trip to Agra

I visited Agra over the weekend. We drove from Delhi to Agra, the Delhi – Agra highway is a simply super(b) 3.5 hours stretch and you land in Agra. An old city with a lot of history behind, ruled by the Mughals, starting from Babur > Humayun > Akbar > Jehangir > Shahjahan > Augrangzeb, once the capital of India during Akbar’s reign, now famous for Taj Mahal, is an interesting city today.

Buzzing with cyclists, cycle-rickshaws, tongas, autos, tones of two-wheelers on dusty dry roads, with old forts and buildings on one side, and chauffer driven camry, Honda city, safari, endeavour, Mercedes on the other hand with firangs inside sitting stylish, dying to get to Taj Mahal, was an interesting sight! Right from the beginning, you get to see street-side shops selling the ever-famous Pethas (pumkin burfis soaked in sugar syrup, yummy!) – kesar petha, coconut petha, gulab, khas, angoori petha, wow wide range of sweets and lots of hotels, including pizza hut, mc donald’s, udupi hotel and dasprakash on the stretch that leads to Taj Mahal. Seemed like tourism is a main business in Agra. The streets are filled with handicraft bazaars, esp the Sanjay Palace, Maal Road areas.

On day 1, we headed to see the world famous Taj Mahal, with mixed reviews ringing in my head, from tones of people, saying its dirty, turned yellow now due to pollution, Yamuna is so polluted, Taj has lost its charm, blah blah…we reached the Taj entrance. They have battery operated buses that takes us to the gate which is about 1.5kms away from the parking. These buses charge only Rs.4 per head accommodating around 15 people per trip. At the entrance, we pay around Rs.15 to enter and foreigners pay 5$. Having bought the ticket, we went inside, the entrance is dark like you enter a cave and as you walk out towards light, you see a magnificent white building almost like the full moon in the night sky, taking you from real to tranquil state and making you speechless…I shot pictures non-stop, took around 10-15 pictures at the entrance itself. You are hounded by tourists, photographers who bug you to let them shoot your picture and that’s very tempting. So we did that as well, posing in some ridiculous postures, although I refused to hold the head of Taj and take snap! God! That’s embarrassing or what!!!

Walking among loads of tourists, I withdrew myself into my shell and so did my thoughts. I started walking and stepped on the marble stairs went up stood in front of the Taj Mahal and it was breath taking. The flooring, designs, the optical-illusions the walls, the roof cutting, the calmness, silence, white purity, is so peaceful in its own way. Just go there to sit calm for a few minutes, forget Mumtaz forget Shahjehan, just enjoy the place in your thoughts and dreams, what you love to be, what you love to do, and even probably hum your favourite song!

Kaatradithu adaivadhille kaadhal adhu dhaan
Saatchi ennu nirkiradhu tajmahal dhaan…

Day 2 we went to Agra Fort, the fort of Akbar the great, from where Shahjehan used to see Taj Mahal from his prison. It’s beautiful. You feel like you have gone back to history. I felt like a queen walking in my own palace and I kept describing which part was my bedroom, my sitting room, my music practice room, my evening walk area, my playing area, etc etc. I felt so good! Reading little notes on the marble blocks right from Memoirs (oops! My blog name carved on Marble in Agra Fort!!!) of Akbar to Aurangzeb’s cruel regime was interesting.

On the way back, we bought some foot wear, since Agra is famous for leather, saw some superbly woven hand made carpets that were highly expensive ranging from 7K to 8K for a 6x4 feet carpet. Not to forget the tongue tickling chaat – aloo tikki, gol gappa, gulab jamuns, pav bhaji on sadha(r) bazaar.

Stay in Holiday Inn was pleasant.

Was a good and pleasant experience. Masala Tea on the way back in the road-side dhaba added more masala to the trip! Hail Taj Mahal!!! Hail Agra!!!