(title courtesy of C.A. Marchand)
I am pretty sure that no one would ever come to Agra except for the Taj Mahal. But I did not photograph the endless poverty and trash and dirt and yes, squalor. Nothing but nice things in this post.
A very long day. Eight hours in the car coming and going. Our schedule just never worked for an overnight in Agra to see the Taj at dawn. But the morning fog did lift for us to enjoy a bit of blue sky.
Agra was the stronghold of the Mughals who ruled India from here for 200 or so years.
They built a number of palaces and forts around Agra, but their home base and strongest was Fort Agra, here in the city. Some pictures. It is a pretty enlightened place with fountains, markets, mosques, audience halls, a courtyard to grow grapes to make wine and a harem.
The third Emperor, Shah Jahan, built the Taj Mahal as a tomb for and memorial to his beloved third wife. She died in her 14th childbirth.
And although this is certainly an ego driven construction it is also a monument to love.
Reportedly a learned man, he believed that all religions should be respected equally and as an example married three wives, a Muslim, a Christian and a Hindu. He hired three Architects for the construction of the Taj Mahal. A Turkish one, expert in symmetry. A local one expert in Italian pietra dura (stone inlay). And a Persian one expert in the construction of gardens. The Taj is within a symmetrical garden and the building is perfectly symmetrical from four sides.
Some gates to the garden area. Two were used as a Mosque and a guest house respectively.
I try not to think that in many ways this place has become yet another tourist “been there seen that” check off site, because this is one of the greatest works of art ever constructed. Of course it is a World Heritage site. The particular translucent marble changes colors with the ambient light, brilliant white in the sun but shades of yellow and gold in low light. Originally the extensive inlays of semi and precious stones would reflect colors and light. The entire interior is covered with carvings and inlay. Sorry, no pictures allowed inside – but you do see some of the inlay work here. Just imagine it on every surface.
One thing I would especially have liked to photograph were the large screens carved out of single pieces of marble.
Vandals and invaders have removed the gold inlays (used fires to melt it out). And the precious stones (chisels). But the building is still stunning.
An interesting sidelight. Shah Jahan was deposed by his son, the last Mughal Emperor, and imprisoned in this apartment in the Agra Fort for the last 8 years of his life. He could look out the window and down the river at the Taj. After his death one of his daughters arranged for him to be entombed with his wife in the Taj Mahal.
