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Published: January 9th 2010
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Marble carving
Itimad-Ud-Daulah At a trot, with the trots.
We arrived at dawn; ignoring the ominous stomach rumblings I climbed the numerous flights of stairs to the rooftop to see the fabled Taj. Where was it? At sunrise it should rise mystical out of the morning mist. Blanketed in a heavy fog a vague outline emerged. Familiar contours, spindly minarets and forbidding gateways loomed out of the gloom. We chanced our arm and my stomach and headed out to see the mini Taj, a blended concoction of white marble and red sandstone predating the style of the Taj. Following the recommendation of Around the World in 80 gardens we meandered our way through Mehtab Bagh, viewing the building across the Yamuna, unfortunately a mere polluted trickle at this time of year. But was it the Taj? In smog, fog and pollution it sat shrouded, its famed sparkling surface yet to be revealed. We attempted a view from Agra fort. Same difference. I couldn't yet purchase an 'I've seen the Taj Mahal,' tshirt!
Loperamide became my friend, although still unable to eat other than plain boiled rice I hoped for a sunny day. Strolling through the Taj nature walk we marvelled at
the stillness and quiet, the surrounding 500m of peace around the monument. This would be the visiting day. We queued up with the rest of India at the Eastern gate reputedly the easiest for entry. Forty minutes later I was in, minus my recently purchased bindi powder which of course could have been mistaken for a terrorist bomb. Rewarding reflections in the lotus pool made us ignore the extremely long queue forming to actually enter the mausoleum. German tourists behind us reprimanded whole families as they surreptitiously joined the line wherever some unsuspecting person had turned around to talk to their husband, brother or sister. We watched in awe as a whole Lebanese family, who had suddenly manifested themselves in front of us, made their way across two whole kinks in the queue and were exhorted by a well-dressed man in a red turban to "Join the queue one by one, do not look at me, just join." We were sorely tempted! our reward will be in heaven or in the wonderful sunset shot I took across the plaza as we waited our turn.
Another hour later and we were inside. I'm not sure what we saw. It was
dar; flashes showed jewelled pietra dura, I tried hard not to trip over and then we were outside again.
A bit like my experience of Agra. As Graeme says, you can't dress up a Delhi belly-not exactly his phraseology but I think my overriding impression is one of fog. Little jewels of experiences piercing their way through the pollution which is Agra. Our hotel Shanti Lodge, aptly named, didn't do much to dispel the gloom and I longed for cleanliness and order more than enjoying the well-intentioned New Year's Eve party on the roof. I had been elated to think we would see the Taj by moonlight, but of course it was once more hidden. We met a man on yet another rooftop restaurant as we voyeuristically experienced the sumptuous glamour of Oberoi Amar Vilas. At rooms priced from $600 - $3500 US "It all looks the same once you turn out the light and you are asleep,' he confided. I experimented that night - it was true our $10 a night special looked just the same in the dark!
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simon
non-member comment
Wow
Truely amazing reading about your travels and adventures