Day 177- Train from Delhi to Jaipur – 745a

When I researched Agra during the early summer months of 2015, a few points of interest drew my attention, most notably the Taj Mahal.  With these attractions in mind, I boarded a morning train from Khajuraho scheduled to arrive in Agra that evening.  The seven-hour journey was shaping up to be an uneventful ride until we pulled into the Jhansi Rail Depot.  A four-member family boarded and was assigned to the remaining seats in my cabin.

I suspected they spoke little English, so I welcomed them with a smile and a “hello” in English and Hindi.  They smiled, returned my greeting and sat down.  The mother and father sat on one bench seat.  Their son and daughter sat next to me facing their parents.  The car lurched forward and we proceeded onward.  As I sat looking out the window at the passing landscape, the son, approximately ten years old, turned and inquired about my home country.  I told him that I was from America; smiles appeared on their faces.  We had a brief discussion about America and India and we exchanged our plans for the near future.  They were headed to a wedding in Gwalior, an hour or so northwest of Jhansi, their hometown.

The conversation grew quiet after a few minutes and I returned to looking out the window.  I placed the buds to my headphones in my ears and fired up the tunes.  The son and daughter did the same. A short time later I felt something tapping my leg.  I turned to my left and the son asked if I heard Hindi music since arriving in India.  I nodded yes and he asked if I wanted to hear some more.  Sure, why not, I responded.  I asked if they wanted to listen to American music and they nodded with wide smiles.  We exchanged devices; the daughter and son each took one ear bud attached to my phone.

I placed the buds to their music device in my ears and sat back.  I did not understand a word that was sung but the beats were catchy and I tapped my foot with the rhythm.  Outside my window, arid landscape passed by in a blur.  India is such an immense country that each type of landscape is represented.  Lush forests, deserts, beaches, and congested cities can be found at any number of locations.

We reached Gwalior and returned each other’s devices.  I thanked them for letting me listen to a bit of the local flavor and they flashed appreciative smiles.  I wished them an unforgettable evening and they followed their parents towards the exit.  The curtain to our cabin fell shut behind them. I sat back and smiled thinking about the previous two hours.  Seconds later I was stunned to see a hand reach inside the curtain and pull it back open.  In walked the son and daughter.  They asked for a selfie with me to show their friends.  I obliged and sat in the middle.  After the photo I asked if they routinely see Americans.  They shook their heads and smiled.  I was only the third they had met.  With that they left and instructed me to visit their hometown of Jhansi when I return to India in the future.

Two gentlemen appeared minutes later and took their seats inside my cabin.  It also became the pseudo-home for the two conductors when they finished collecting tickets.  For the final two hours of my journey, we discussed the differences and similarities between America and India.  They were curious about the customs in America, most importantly marriage and the makeup of the American family.

They explained that families in India live under the same roof even as children grow older and marry their spouses.  It is not uncommon to find multiple generations living in a single house.  I revealed that the same practice is occasionally found in America, but is far from the norm.  Some children choose to remain at home while others move out when they turn eighteen or in the years that follow.  Others, like myself, wake up one day and realize they are still living at home in their late-20’s.  A quarter life crises ensues and they decide to quit their job and journey around the globe!

Shortly after 6pm my train arrived at the Agra rail station.  The conductors gave me a few hotel recommendations and bid me farewell.  I thanked them and descended to the platform.  Hoards of people flowed in all directions; I struggled to not bump anyone with my bags.  I exited the station and proceeded to the lineup of waiting rickshaws.  A gentleman in grey pants and red polo shirt approached.  He offered to transport me to my accommodation for $1.95 USD.  The local government sets the fare so I knew I was not being fleeced.

I stepped aboard his rickshaw and explained I did not have an accommodation booked.  I pointed to the Taj Ganj neighborhood on a map and rattled off the names of two hotels I wanted to look at.  He fired up the engine and we proceeded out of the parking lot.  By this time, the sun had dipped in the sky but the same cannot be said about the activity in the streets.  Cars emblazoned with small “tourist” stickers shuttled foreigners to and fro.  Auto rickshaws buzzed in and around traffic while avoiding the slowly lumbering cows that plodded along.

As we proceeded through the late afternoon traffic, my driver offered his services for the next day.  There were four attractions I wanted to visit during my stay.  The Taj Mahal was the only site within walking distance of my intended accommodation.  For $7.50 USD, he offered to provide the transport I needed.  I accepted his proposal and he suggested a schedule for the following day.  He recommended I walk to the Taj Mahal around 530a and watch the sunrise.  He told me to take my time and enjoy the quiet serenity of the Taj before the stream of tour buses arrive.  From there he instructed me to return to my accommodation and have a bit of breakfast. He would arrive at 10am and drive me wherever I wished.  Our day would finish at Mehtabh Bagh, a park across the Yamuna River from the Taj Mahal. I hoped to watch a brilliant sunset from that location.

We pulled up to Saniya Palace Hotel, my first candidate for lodging, and I walked inside.  The manager stood behind the reception desk and he offered a slight smile as I entered.  I asked if rooms were available and he nodded; both AC and non-AC were vacant.  I spent more than intended on my air-conditioned room in Varanasi and hoped to save accordingly in Agra.  I looked at the non-AC option and it fit the bill.  Saniya Palace Hotel also featured a rooftop restaurant with unobstructed views of the Taj Mahal.  I descended back to the lobby and finalized the check-in details.  I shook hands with my tuk tuk driver and looked forward to seeing him the following morning.

I proceeded back to my room and pulled out a few items I needed during my stay.  It was now evening and I had not eaten anything of substance since breakfast.  I locked my room door behind me and walked up two flights of stairs to the rooftop.  I grabbed a seat at an empty table and flipped through the menu.  I ordered a red curry with chicken and an ice-cold Kingfisher beer.  This beer was considerably easier to acquire then the beers B and his friends wanted to procure in Khajuraho.  I sat back and waited for my meal to appear.  I gazed off in the distance and the black silhouette of the Taj Mahal was shrouded by the night sky.  I was surprised it was not lit up in all its majestic glory.

My meal arrived and I worked my way through it.  During my time in India, I have become accustomed to the spiciness of their dishes.  I have also learned that all dishes are served spicy.  Therefore, if a waiter asks if you want it spicy, he is really asking if you want it spicier.  My response is always no.  It will arrive on my table spicy enough and not require me to drink a gallon of water to quench the fire.  My chicken curry was no different.  Just the right amount of heat.  Luckily, the Kingfisher dampened the flames.

I returned to my room after dinner and prepared for the following morning.  With my camera batteries charging, I set my alarm for 5am and drifted off to sleep hoping overcast skies would not cloud the sunrise.  The fan hanging above my head tried its hardest but temperatures inside my room remained high.  I decided air-conditioned rooms were a must from then on.

The buzz from my alarm rattled me awake and I jumped out of bed.  Another early morning; these have become the norm in recent weeks.  I vowed prior to traveling that after working overnights for five years I would limit the number of sunrises I viewed while journeying around the globe.  Here I was again, awake and waiting for the approaching sun.  I threw on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and stepped into my shoes.  I grabbed my camera and descended to the lobby.

I traversed quiet city streets working towards the west gate, one of three entrances into the Taj Mahal grounds. My rickshaw driver gave me a piece of advice before departing the night before.  “Once you get inside, don’t hang back with the crowds taking shots of the Taj on the long reflecting pool. Go immediately to the marble base of the structure and get crowd-less photos up close!” That repeated in my head as I increased my pace.

I arrived at the ticket counter and handed over the $15 USD entry fee.  Others had already lined up, tickets in hand, as I joined the queue.  At 6am, security barriers were moved aside and the line moved forward.  I walked along the patterned walkway and through The Great Gate.  Ahead I saw the long reflecting pool with the Taj standing prominently in the distance.  I was a bit disappointed at the scaffolding that surrounded three of the four minarets.  Sure enough, all I heard were shutter releases firing as the small crowd snapped photos of the Taj’s reflection.  I took two and then worked forward.  Others gathered at the bench made famous by Princess Diana and more recently by Prince William and Kate.  I glanced at the replica poses and continued forward.

I took a few photographs just off the base and proceeded to the shoe station.  Shoes are not allowed on the structure.  They must be removed or encased in shoe covers.  I took mine off and left them under the watchful eye of an attendant. We exchanged smiles and I proceeded up to the marble base.  First one!!  I slowly walked around the large marble structure taking in its beauty.  My cameras memory card quickly filled.  To my right the sun was ascending in the sky and burning off the early morning haze. Blue skies followed soon after. The noise of rickshaws, cars and buses were non-existent.  The peaceful quiet felt refreshing. The air smelled fresh and clean.

I made one complete loop around the base, taking in the size and beauty of the Taj and the two red, sandstone structures that abut it to the east and west.  The structure to the west is a Mosque built in 1643. The building to the east was constructed for symmetry purposes. Its design and building material matches that of the Mosque. Crowds on the base increased and I had to become much more patient to get crowd-less photographs.  After my loop, I walked up a flight of marble stairs to the second level.  I proceeded around the exterior of the structure taking in its sheer size and detail.

The large, ivory-marble structure was commissioned as a mausoleum for Mumtaz Mahal, the prized wife of Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan. Construction began in 1632 and completed eleven years later. The structure incorporates both Persian and Mughal architectural principles made popular during that time. However, Shah Jahan avoided the normal, red sandstone and instead chose white marble, inlaid with precious stones found throughout India and the surrounding region.

The detail viewed on the Taj Mahal’s exterior is not lost upon entry into the mausoleum. Two marble sarcophagi sit inside the southern entrance; the lone entrance still in use. They hold the bodies of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan.  Or so I thought.  I learned through later research that these tombs are in fact empty. The real tombs are found in a lower level of the mausoleum and access is restricted. I, along with a dozen or so others, walked around the main hall in a circular pattern. After a complete loop, I followed the natural flow of visitors into various side rooms that led to our exit. Each room was adorned with flowers chiseled into the marble structure. Precisely cut gemstones are situated together and provide a colorful touch to the white marble. It is estimated that the Taj Majal would cost over $800 million dollars if erected today.

After exiting, I took another lap around the upper level exterior. I did not want to miss anything before I descended to the base.  During this global journey, I have reminded myself to truly live in the moment.  It isn’t everyday I’ll find myself on the summit of a mountain in New Zealand, snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef or walking in awe around the Taj Mahal.  I may never get these moments again.  It is easy to get distracted by schedules or stress about the unknown of future life decisions.  There is a time to worry about those things.  That time is not when you’re walking quietly around the Taj Mahal.  I made my way to the base and made an additional loop around it, once again ensuring I missed nothing.

After my final pass, I retrieved my shoes and slowly walked along the tree-lined paths that form a grid around the property.  I worked my way back towards The Great Gate as temperatures and crowds steadily increased.  Before I exited, I turned around for one final look. The Taj Mahal…I just walked around the Taj Mahal! I exited with a sense of pride and accomplishment; not only for having visited the Taj Mahal but also for everything I have accomplished since leaving the States six months ago. My moment of reflection was quickly interrupted by the buzz of rickshaws and the horns of motorbikes. The clean air I smelled during my stroll around the Taj Mahal was replaced by dust from the street kicked up by the morning breeze. I weaved my way around traffic and pedestrians. Uniformed-clad school children walked with over-sized backpacks as their elders unlocked metal gates outside their storefronts and ushered in another day of business.

I arrived back at Saniya Palace Hotel and walked up to the roof-top restaurant.  I ordered two large bowls of cornflakes and sliced banana. I picked up a nearby glass and filled the bowls with cold, white milk.  Was it a traditional Indian breakfast? Nope.  But, it was exactly what I needed.  Another traveler sat at a nearby table and we began chatting.  He turned out to be an Israeli who was nearly through a six-month trip around India.  He was a descendant of Indian heritage and thus had made four such trips in recent years.  I ran my tentative itinerary by him and he admitted that no matter how you cut it, five weeks is not enough time to cover India.  I could not argue with him.

After my two bowls of cereal, I retreated to my room to escape the increasing temperatures.  While not perfect, the fan that spun on my ceiling cooled the room enough. I sat on my bed and pondered the remaining sights I hoped to see over the following day and a half.  I crossed the Taj Mahal off my mental checklist…one down, three to go.  I ended up falling asleep and luckily woke up at 10:10am.  I was ten minutes late!  I jumped up, threw on socks and shoes and grabbed my camera.  I locked the door to my room and ran to the nearby stairwell.  I raced down the stairs and my driver greeted me with a smile.  He stood up, gave me a quick handshake and we stepped from the lobby into the busy street. The mid-morning sun beat down on us as we proceeded to his rickshaw.  My short rest was over; I had forts and tombs to visit!

 

* Photographs from Khajuraho and Agra are accessible within the India portfolio section found on the Perpetual Footsteps homepage.  I’m slowly getting caught up!