Agra | October 2015
Images of the Taj Mahal are what most people immediately think of when they think of India, and although it is an adventure to get to the Taj does not disappoint. My trip to Agra began with a 3am taxi ride to catch a 6am flight from Bangalore to Delhi. After landing in Delhi our car hire picked us up from the airport and we began the four-hour drive south through Uttar Pradesh to Agra. An arid landscape unfolded as we traveled further and further from the outskirts of Delhi and into the dry farmland beyond, eventually bringing us to our destination on the banks of the Yamuna River.
When driving through Agra the city seemed like an infinite small town with endless casual congregations of people gathered near roadside stalls. A calm feel for a tourist-laden city of 1.5 million people. I watched through the window as monkeys howled and attempted covert operations in an effort to steal a few chips from bystanders as our driver twisted and turned through the streets until we arrived at our first destination: Agra Fort.
The city of Agra boasts two main attractions - Agra Fort and the Taj Mahal - both of which are UNESCO world heritage sites. Unbeknownst to us until our arrival, our car hire happened to come with a tour guide for both of those sites (yay for surprises!). After meeting up with our guide, the driver left us to explore the fort before we made our way across town to the Taj Mahal.
After leaving the fort we parked and made our way to the Taj which is more like a campus than anything. The gates that you walk through and the surrounding buildings are a marvel in their own right, only overshadowed by the stunning onion dome of the mausoleum. We slipped on our shoe coverings and eagerly made our way through the entrance.
The level of detail of the Taj Mahal is breathtaking and makes you think about who the people were that built it, and whose hands carved those stones.
Looking towards the East gate from the shadow of the Taj Mahal.
