Next stop Agra. Agra is famous for little more than the Taj Mahal, but that is enough. Similarly, there is not a lot to see in the Taj complex other than some beautiful gardens and the building itself, but that is also enough.
We made an early start with the dual purpose of seeing the monument lit by the early sunrise and beating the hoards. The Taj Mahal is reputedly the most beautiful building ever created. That is quite a boast, but sitting on the steps at the entrance to the monument watching the play of light on the white marble as the sun takes its first tentative steps into the morning sky, it is easy to see how that boast came about. We have been very lucky on this trip to see in their physical form some of the most iconic images the world of men has to offer. This is one of them and its beauty, simplicity and the sentiment for which it exists defies description. If you come to India visit the Taj Mahal.
A little less popular but no less rewarding than visiting the main complex or the Taj is a journey around to its rear side. Here, if you are lucky you see a sunset view of the monument reflected in the river that passes close by its back wall. The idea was nice, and the monument was no less sunning from this aspect, but when you get close to the river you soon realise than it is little more than an open sewer and picking your way down to the edge of the water to appreciate the view is akin to traversing a mine-field. As if to underline this on my arrival at the water's edge I was greeted by the sight of a guy in full squat adding his personal mark to the general ambiance of the area. Nice! In the end I was unlucky. Although the view was impressive, the sunset was mediocre and it was too windy to get a decent reflection. However, just to view the monument without the crowds made the trip worth it - just don't look down.
Perhaps because of the Taj Mahal, Agra has developed an industry for luxury Marble. It is possible to buy just about anything here that can be created from in this medium. Along with a plethora Taj replicas, some of which are quite beautiful if perhaps a little tacky, many exquisite examples of ornaments, inlaid table tops, jewelry boxes and chess sets can be obtained here. I had intended to buy myself a marble chess set, but asking the price of these items is not a task for the faint of heart. Considering that these artifacts are painstakingly carved and etched by hand and can take many months to create, the prices are understandable. There is no doubt that they are luxury commodities even by western standards, however. On discovering that said chess set was going to cost me close to 200 pounds, I politely declined. Maybe one day when I am rich and famous I will return, but certainly not before.
We made an early start with the dual purpose of seeing the monument lit by the early sunrise and beating the hoards. The Taj Mahal is reputedly the most beautiful building ever created. That is quite a boast, but sitting on the steps at the entrance to the monument watching the play of light on the white marble as the sun takes its first tentative steps into the morning sky, it is easy to see how that boast came about. We have been very lucky on this trip to see in their physical form some of the most iconic images the world of men has to offer. This is one of them and its beauty, simplicity and the sentiment for which it exists defies description. If you come to India visit the Taj Mahal.
A little less popular but no less rewarding than visiting the main complex or the Taj is a journey around to its rear side. Here, if you are lucky you see a sunset view of the monument reflected in the river that passes close by its back wall. The idea was nice, and the monument was no less sunning from this aspect, but when you get close to the river you soon realise than it is little more than an open sewer and picking your way down to the edge of the water to appreciate the view is akin to traversing a mine-field. As if to underline this on my arrival at the water's edge I was greeted by the sight of a guy in full squat adding his personal mark to the general ambiance of the area. Nice! In the end I was unlucky. Although the view was impressive, the sunset was mediocre and it was too windy to get a decent reflection. However, just to view the monument without the crowds made the trip worth it - just don't look down.
Perhaps because of the Taj Mahal, Agra has developed an industry for luxury Marble. It is possible to buy just about anything here that can be created from in this medium. Along with a plethora Taj replicas, some of which are quite beautiful if perhaps a little tacky, many exquisite examples of ornaments, inlaid table tops, jewelry boxes and chess sets can be obtained here. I had intended to buy myself a marble chess set, but asking the price of these items is not a task for the faint of heart. Considering that these artifacts are painstakingly carved and etched by hand and can take many months to create, the prices are understandable. There is no doubt that they are luxury commodities even by western standards, however. On discovering that said chess set was going to cost me close to 200 pounds, I politely declined. Maybe one day when I am rich and famous I will return, but certainly not before.
posted by Al at 11:54 pm
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