Taking on the Indian Subcontinent

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Darjeeling or Bust

I couldn't make this up if I tried. . .

I am travelling up to the Himalayan hill station of Darjeeling today. Darjeeling is at the top end of the Indian state of West Bengal. I have a 6:40am flight from Bangalore to Delhi. The flight is due to arrive in Delhi at 9:55am. My connecting flight leaves Delhi at 10:30am stopping first in Guwahati before heading on to Bagdogra. This flight is scheduled to arrive in Bagdogra at 2:20pm. I have arranged through the hotel for a car to pick me up at the Bagdogra airport and drive me the final 85km (50mi) to Darjeeling. The plan certainly looks good on paper. . .but the Subcontinent always gets a say. . .so. . .

4:10am
My alarm goes off. My first thought of the day: Why must they schedule flights so early?. . .

4:15am
The driver calls and tells me he's downstairs. He is scheduled to pick me up at 4:45am. He's early, but at least he's here. . .I thank him for letting me know and tell him I'll be down in 20 or 30 minutes.

4:45am
We leave for the airport.

5:40am
We arrive at the airport. The first leg of the journey is complete and without incident.

5:44am
Per standard operating procedure I present my passport and a copy of my flight itinerary to the soldier at the airport entrance. My papers appear to be in order and I am allowed inside.

5:47am
The check-in line is very short this morning so I choose that option over the self-check-in computer kiosk-thingy option.

5:50am
My turn. I present my passport and flight itinerary to the airline representative.

5:51am
I am told that my flight to Delhi has been cancelled. They choose not to give me a reason. I choose not to ask, as it really sort of doesn't matter, at least not this early in the morning. OK. . .don't panic. . .there are lots of flights from Bangalore to Delhi. . .

5:52am
I am told that the next available flight to Delhi is on another airline and it leaves at 7:25am. I ask if that flight will get me into Delhi in time to make my connecting flight to Guwahati/Bagdogra. I am told that I will still make that connecting flight. Furthermore, the airline rep tells me that my flight from Delhi to Guwahati/Bagdogra will leave from terminal 1B. She even writes it on my itinerary so I won't forget. I think both of us are hoping this saves me a few minutes at the Delhi airport. I am handed over to another airline rep and I am asked to wait while he goes somewhere else to make the new flight arrangements. Why does he need to go somewhere else. . .Why can't they just do that right here?. . .

6:00am
The airline rep returns with a copy of an itinerary for the other airline's flight to Delhi. That's nice, but I guess I was really expecting an actual boarding pass instead. He tells me if this flight is acceptable then he will take me over to the other airline's reservation counter and finalize the arrangements. I look at the Delhi arrival time of 10:15am and ask again if I will still make my connecting flight. "Yes, of course, sir". OK. . .I don't have a lot of other options here. . . I say "OK". He walks me over to the other airline counter.

6:10am
The other airline agent finally finishes doing whatever it was she was doing and has a chat with my chaperon. Most of it is in Kannadu (the local language) or maybe Hindi. The only words I think I understand are "FEM number", which are repeated a couple of times. FEM must be an acronym of some sort. It's probably some kind of purchase order number. . .a way that one airline can buy a ticket on a flight of another airline. . .surely this is not the first time this has happened. . .why is this conversation taking so long. . .

6:13am
My chaperon says to me "I'll be right back sir. Please stay here." Where else am I going to go?. . .

6:20am
My chaperon is back. Turns out he does not have a FEM number with him. Instead he has a big wad of cash with him. OK. . .He counts out Rs 8600 (roughly $175). The other airline rep takes the cash and hands him a piece of paper. That doesn't look like a boarding pass either. . .now what?. . .

6:22am
My chaperon assures me that everything is fine and this new piece of paper is an updated flight itinerary with a reservation code on it. OK. . .at least that's progress. . .He guides me back to one of the computer kiosks and asks me to check in while he makes a copy of my original flight itinerary.

6:24am
The reservation code seems to be valid. Check-in complete.

6:30am
Still no sign of my chaperon. Where did he have to go to make a copy of that itinerary?. . .

6:35am
He's back. He wishes me a safe journey. I thank him for his help. Crisis averted.

6:45am
I'm through the security check without any trouble. I plunk myself down in a chair by the gate and try to relax. If this flight is even 5 minutes late I'm not going to make that connecting flight. . .please be on time today. . .please. . .please. . .please. . .

7:00am
The boarding process begins. At least I got lucky with my seat assignment. . .3F. . .right up front. . .I'll be one of the first people off the airplane in Delhi. . .

7:30am
The airplane doors are shut, but we're still sitting on the tarmac. It's OK. . .they always pad their flight times a bit. . .don't they?. . .

7:36am
The captain makes the following announcement: "Ladies and gentlemen. Sorry for the delay. There are currently about 10 aircraft awaiting departure. We think we're #2 or #3 on that list." He thinks we're #2 or #3?. . .how can he not know exactly where he is in the take-off order?. . .seriously. . .how can he not know?. . .

7:45am
Wheels up. Finally on the way to Delhi.

10:15am
Still in the air. I thought we were supposed to be on the ground already. . .this is not good. . .the Captain announces an estimated landing time of 10:30am. . .not good. . .

10:28am
Touchdown! What are the chances that my connecting flight is delayed for some reason?. . .I think that's my only hope right now. . .

10:31am
Still taxiing.

10:35am
We have finally stopped; just not at an actual gate attached to the actual terminal. We're parked on the tarmac. Oh. . .it's one of these Indian airport deals. . .we're all going to pile out of the plane and into a shuttle bus which will takes us to the terminal. . .my advantageous right-up-front seat has lost it's advantage. . .

10:40am
Onto the bus. . .to the arrivals terminal. . .off the bus. . .through the terminal. . .quickly. . .out the exit. . .

10:41am
I ask two separate people where terminal 1B is, just to double check. Both point me in the same direction. I half walk, half run. . .

10:47am
I arrive at the terminal. There's a check-in window outside the terminal. I hand the airline rep my paperwork. . .only to have her tell me "this is terminal 1A, not 1B". . .terminal 1B is actually on the opposite side. . .from whence I came. . .(my thoughts are not suitable for all audiences at this point in time). . .I ask her the status of my connecting flight. She cannot tell me, but she says that most flights have been delayed this morning. . .I allow a glimmer of hope to enter my mind as I set off back to the correct terminal. . .

10:53am
Terminal 1B. The check-in desk. "I'm sorry sir, but your flight has already left". I ask if they have another flight to Bagdogra today. "No, sir". Of course they don't. . .I ask if any other airlines have a flight to Bagdogra today. "I don't know sir. You'll need to check with them". She directs me to the other airline. . .again. . .why don't they have access to important information like this?. . .

10:54am
"I'm sorry sir, our flight to Bagdogra has just left. . ." Aaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!. . .I politely ask if there are any other airlines with flights to Bagdogra today. "I don't know sir, you might check with that airline over there". . ."you might check". . .yea, I just might at that. . .since you are being absolutely no help whatsoever. . . I think this other airline is going to be my last option. . .as I don't see any other airlines nearby. . .

10:55am
"Our flight to Bagdogra is just leaving, sir". . .Aaaaahh. . .wait. . .she said "leaving", not "left". . .didn't she?. . ."Is there anyway you can get me on that flight?" "I don't know sir". "Please". "You'll have to purchase a ticket, sir". "Yes, whatever!" "OK, sir. May I have your passport and your credit card?" I have absolutely no idea how much they charge me for this ticket. They don't tell me and I don't ask, because at this point in time its really really not very important. I just need to get on an airplane, any airplane, that's going to get me to Bagdogra today. . .

11:39am
I am on an airplane, albeit with another airline, flying to Bagdogra via Guwahati. "Relief" doesn't begin to describe my feelings right now. . .Crap. . .I'll need to contact the hotel and let them know that I'll be late arriving in Bagdogra. . .I ask one of the flight attendants what time we will reach Bagdogra. She tells me "We land in Guhawati at 2pm and then we have a 45 minute layover". OK. . .that's not exactly what I asked her, let me try this again. "But what time will be land in Bagdogra?" "Sir, we land in Guhawati at 2pm and then we have a 45 minute layover". Are you kidding me here? I do not ask my question a third time. I pull out my original flight itinerary to figure out the flying time from Guwahati to Bagdogra: 45 minutes. OK. . .that means I should now be landing in Bagdogra at about 3:30pm. Now to call the hotel. . .do I have their number with me? I must. Wait. . .they sent me a text message a week or two ago with my reservation confirmation. . .

11:40am
I scroll through my text messages and find the one from the hotel. . .That's weird. . .there doesn't seem to be an actual phone number attached to this message, just the hotel name, which doesn't do me a whole lot of good right now. . .but I do have a printout of the confirmation with me. . .that should have a phone number on it for sure. I dig out this piece of paper and sure enough there's a phone number: 0091-354-2258721-3. Hmmmm. . .that's a weird looking phone number, even for India. . .I recognize 91 as the Indian country code. . .but that leading 00 doesn't make sense to me, and that trailing 3 makes even less sense. . .I dial the number as printed. It does not go through. Not a huge surprise. Extremely aggravating. . ."yes". . .surprising. . ."no". . .OK. . .I should be able to figure this out. Let me try and take the numbers that do make sense and turn it into a phone number. I'll replace the 00 with the magic + sign (interpreted as the international access code) and ignore that last -3 altogether. . .

11:41am
Not only does the call go through, but it actually goes through to the actual hotel. I let them know I'll be arriving a little later than expected, 3:30pm, but that I am still arriving today. They say "Thank you, sir. No problem". OK. . .I feel a little better now. . .but. . .

11:42am
I am pretty physically and mentally exhausted. My travels these past couple of months has started to really wear on me. I'm not sure if I can take much more of this. . .I desperately just want to be get to Darjeeling without any more unnecessary drama. . .Is that asking too much?. . .is it?. . .

2:07pm
Touchdown in Guwahati. OK. . .one step closer to Bagdogra. . .one step closer to Darjeeling. . .

2:50pm
Take-off from Guwahati. Headed to Bagdogra. Maybe the hard part of this trip is over. . .please let it be over. . .

3:36pm
Touchdown in Bagdogra. Just one more leg of the journey to go. Almost there. . .please let there be someone standing out side holding some kind of sign with my name on it. . .puh. . .leeeeeaaaase. . .

3:38pm
As I get off the airplane I notice that the control tower has the tarmac/apron elevation printed on it, as most do in this country. It reads: 126m/414ft. Darjeeling is located at 7000ft. Wait a minute. . .you mean I still need to climb some 6500 feet to get up to Darjeeling. . .6500ft. . .wow. . .that's going to take awhile, isn't it?. . .wow. . .6500 feet. . .

3:41pm
I exit the terminal and scan the handful of people standing around holding placards (most of which seem to be plain 8.5x11 pieces of paper with hand-written names on them). . .and nothing. . .absolutely nothing. . .OK. . .we'll give it a few minutes. . .I can call the hotel again if necessary. . .I am still extremely tired, but not too worried. . .

3:43pm
This little old guy comes up, stands in front of me, stares at me for a few seconds, and then whips out a little sign from behind his back. . .and. . .the little sign has my name on it! Yes!. . .

3:45pm
The little old guy hands me over to my driver and we get underway. The car is a pretty heavy duty 4x4; a jeep-like vehicle.

We drive through the town of Bagdogra, take a left at the town of Siguluri, and then at. . .

4:00pm
We take a right onto NH55 (National Highway 55). The road immediately begins to climb. . .

4:15pm
Wait. . .did I say road? Allow me to rephrase: this is not a road. . .this is crater-sized potholes with the occasional patch of chewed-up asphalt thrown in. . .this is unbelievable. . .

5:00pm
It's now pretty dark. The road conditions have actually deteriorated, which I didn't think was possible half an hour ago. "Bone-rattling", "bone-jarring", "unrelenting" are words that come to mind. I'm going to be sore tomorrow. . .maybe before tomorrow. . .no seat belts. . .who needs seat belts?. . .I have an incredible headache from repeatedly smacking it on the car ceiling as we negotiate the gigantic holes in the so-called National Highway 55. . .it's maybe a lane and a half wide most of the way. . .narrow enough that as we approach a car coming down the mountain both of us need to slow, or even stop, to make sure there's enough room to pass safely. . .or what passes for "safely" around here. . .

5:10pm
The headlights illuminate a small sign: Darjeeling 40km. Still 25 miles to go. . .only about half way there. . .I don't know how much more of this I can take. . .is anything worth this?. . .

5:15pm
We pass through the small town of Kurseong. The road does get a little better from here. . .or maybe it doesn't. . .I don't know. . .maybe my entire body is just numb at this point. It's also now pitch black outside. . .

6:15pm
We arrive at the hotel. Finally. It's a beautiful sight, although I'm so stiff and sore I can barely get out of the car.

6:20pm

Check-in complete. I am now sitting in my room. It is cold enough in my room to see my breath with every exhalation. . .

From my door in Bangalore to the hotel door in Darjeeling: 13 and a half hours.

What a brutal day. . .absolutely brutal. . .I think the travel gods are saying "OK, that's about all the traveling we're going to let you do in India". Believe me when I say "I am listening. . ."

. . .and believe me when I say I'm trying really really hard not to think about what travails might await me on the journey back to Bangalore in a couple of days. . .if this is my last India jaunt I might as well make the most of it. . .so let's get a good night's sleep and then see what Darjeeling is all about. . .shall we?. . .

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Delhi: The 3 Hour Tour

Not originally on the planned itinerary. . .

Location: 28.61 degrees north latitude; 77.23 degrees east longitude
Elevation: 784 feet
Weather: Foggy, mid 70s.

Delhi has been an important center of commerce for literally thousands of years as it sits on a n ancient, major west-east trade route. In 1911 the British announced that they would move their capital from Calcutta to Delhi and proceeded to build the new Delhi (appropriately named New Delhi). Construction was finally completed in 1931. However, only 16 years later India would win independence from British rule and Delhi became it's new capital.

My flight from Agra back to Delhi is cancelled due to poor visibility. What to do? There is only a single flight from Agra back to Delhi every evening, and the weather could be just as bad, if not worse, tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that. Delhi is only about 200km (120 miles) from Agra. When the airline cancels the flight I turn to the gentleman standing next to me and ask "Would you like to split a cab up Delhi with me? It's probably better to be stuck there than here". He says "I absolutely agree". At this point in time I still naively think there's a chance that I'm going to make my Delhi to Bangalore flight as it's only 6pm and that flight doesn't leave Delhi until 8:45pm. 120 miles in 2.5 hours? Why not? I'll tell you why not: this is India. What should be open highway between Agra and Delhi is the usual chaotic mess. It takes 3.5 hours. So I spend the night in a hotel near the airport and arrange for an almost-half-day tour of Delhi before my next-day flight departs at 3pm. The other casualty of the trip is my camera battery, which is totally drained from the past two days in Agra. I then discover that I have forgotten to pack the recharger. I have also failed to pack clean clothes for this unexpected extra day. I do manage to find a little shop near the first tourist spot (the Red Fort) that sells those little disposable cameras. It's better than nothing. I should have bought two, as I discover, after I'm already inside the Red Fort, that there are only 28 exposures on the little thing. I immediately put myself on a photo diet; taking a picture only when I really feel the need.

I see a lot in the 3 hours, my camera does not.

I return to Bangalore and get the camera film developed and the images put onto a CD in order to transfer them to my laptop (and then to this blog). I pop the CD into the drive and copy the images. I open one of the images just to see what I have. . .and what I see is this. . .

. . .and the other 27 images look just as bad. Crap. I try various image manipulation tools to see if they are in any way salvageable. I finally hit on something that is less than horrible. . .and upon reflection (probably more like rationalization) maybe even appropriate for a city as old as Delhi. . .

Here is the record of my brief, 3 hour, photo-limited, color-challenged, whirlwind tour of Delhi. . .

The Red Fort

The Red Fort was built during the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan (of Taj Mahal fame and Ackbar the Great's grandson) and completed in 1648. Emperor Jahan never completed his move from Agra to Delhi; he was deposed and imprisoned by his son in 1658. Every year on Indian Independence Day (August 15) the Red Fort hosts the prime minister's address to the nation. It really is red (sandstone). . .

Jama Masjid

This mosque is the largest in all of India. It was built by Shah Jahan and closely resembles the mosque built at Fatehpur Sikri.

India Gate Memorial

The India Gate Memorial is dedicated to all the Indian soldiers who fought and died in foreign wars. . .

The Central Secretariat

and the President's estate. . .way back there in the haze. . .this is as close as one is allowed. . .

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

The Taj Mahal

I am here for nearly four hours. . .it seems like only four minutes. . .

My first glimpse of the Taj Mahal through the early morning fog from across the Yamuna River. . .I hope and hope and hope some more that the fog lifts as the day progresses. . .

"The Taj Mahal is not a piece of architecture as other buildings are, but a proud passion of an emperor’s love in living stone." - English poet Sir Edwin Arnold

"It appears like a perfect pearl on an azure ground. The effect is such I have never experienced from any work of art." - British painter Hodges

"I cannot tell what I think. I do not know how to criticize such a building but I can tell what I feel. I would die tomorrow to have such another over me." - Wife of British officer Colonel Sleeman

"Did you ever build a castle in the air? Here is one, brought down to earth and fixed for the wonder of ages." - American novelist Bayard Taylor

"You know Shah Jahan, life and youth, wealth and glory, they all drift away in the current of time. You strove therefore, to perpetuate only the sorrow of your heart? Let the splendor of diamond, pearl and ruby vanish? Only let this one teardrop, this Taj Mahal, glisten spotlessly bright on the cheek of time, forever and ever." - Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore

My Taj Mahal expectations are quite high. . .but how could they not be? It's one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. . .it's considered architecturally perfect. . .it's supposed to be one of the greatest pieces of art ever created. . .it's the embodiment of love. . .

. . .but at the same time I wonder if it can possibly live up to the hype?. . .how can it?

The Story of the Taj Mahal

Mumtaz Mahal and Emperor Shah Jahan

The year is 1631. The Emperor Shah Jahan has ruled over the Mughal empire for the past four years. Emperor Jahan's second wife Arjumand Bano, on whom he bestowed the title Mumtaz Mahal (Exalted one of the Palace or Pearl of the Palace), dies giving birth to their 14th child. It is believed that during her last moments, Mumtaz Mahal obtained a promise from Shah Jahan that he would build the world's most beautiful monument in her memory. But the promise would have to wait; the emperor is so grief stricken that he goes into mourning and seclusion. An entire year (possibly two) passes before he emerges from his isolation. His jet black hair has turned snow white. He immediately begins design and construction of the promised monument. The mausoleum will be known as the Taj Mahal (Crown Palace).

Ustad Ahmad Lahauri is generally considered to be the principal designer of the Taj Mahal. Designers and workers toil for some 22 years. The Taj Mahal is constructed using materials from all over India and Asia. Over 1,000 elephants are used to transport building materials during construction. The translucent white marble is brought from Rajasthan, the jasper from Punjab, jade and crystal from China, the turquoise from Tibet, the lapis lazulis from Afghanistan, the sapphire from Sri Lanka, and the carnelian from Arabia. In all, twenty eight types of precious and semi-precious stones are inlaid into the white marble. Principle construction is completed in 1654.

I wonder what the citizens of that era thought of the Taj Mahal upon it's completion. Would they appreciate it? Could they appreciate it?

The History of the Taj Mahal

(I'm stalling for time, still waiting for the fog to lift. Some good news: it does seem to be getting brighter and brighter out here.)

Soon after the Taj Mahal's completion, Shah Jahan is overthrown by his son Aurangzeb and imprisoned in nearby Agra Fort. Shah Jahan can only gaze out at the distant memorial to his beloved through a window until his death in 1666, when Aurangzeb buries him next to his wife in the Taj Mahal.

By the late 19th century, parts of the Taj Mahal have fallen badly into disrepair. During the time of the Indian rebellion of 1857, the Taj Mahal is defaced by British soldiers and government officials, who chisel out precious stones and lapis lazulis from its walls. At the end of the 19th century British viceroy Lord Curzon orders a massive restoration project, which is completed in 1908.

In 1942, the Indian government erects scaffolding in the hopes of fooling German and the Japanese bomber pilots. During the India-Pakistan wars of 1965 and 1971, scaffolding was again erected. The Taj Mahal survives and endures.

In 1983, the Taj Mahal becomes a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was cited as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage."

(The fog looks like it's continuing to thin out with each passing moment.)

The Layout and Design of the Taj Mahal

Satellite view of the Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is laid out in classic Mughal style: a square quartered by watercourses, with an ornamental marble plinth at the center. It's aligned with the cardinal points of the compass. The long axis of the compound is the north-south axis. The inner compound is entered through the impressive 100-ft tall red sandstone north gate, or Dawaza. The mosque is to the west of the main mausoleum structure. The identical building to the east (the Jawab) is there purely to maintain the symmetry of the grounds (it was probably used as guest quarters).

The white marble mausoleum centerpiece is set atop a raised marble platform, a seemingly simple decision as precursor tombs share a similar design feature but quite possibly one of the most important decisions in all of architectural history. The raised platform means that the visual backdrop to the central mausoleum is only sky. Nothing else. There's nothing to interfere or compete with the mausoleum. Whether by design or by decree it's a simply stunning effect.

The 120-ft high minarets that grace the corners of the mausoleum are purely decorative. They are tall but so tall as to detract from the central dome. The minarets are no longer perpendicular, but it is also thought that they were built tilted slightly away from the mausoleum, so they would not fall on the mausoleum in the event of an earthquake. The mausoleum is topped off by four small onion-shaped domes surrounding the impressive central dome, which is 58 feet in diameter and 213 feet in height.

(the skies have cleared quite a bit, so I think it's time. . .)

The Auxiliary Buildings of the Taj Mahal

Looking back at the west entrance gate from inside the Taj Mahal compound. . .

the south entry gate. . .

the east entry gate (remarkably similar to the west gate, isn't it?!). . .

the north entry gate, the Darwaza, which leads to the inner compound. . .

and the first little peek of the white marble mausoleum through the Darwaza archway. . .

the Mosque on the west flank of the mausoleum. . .

and the Jawab on the east flank. . .

The grounds of the Taj Mahal are generous, calming, soothing, peaceful. The auxiliary buildings are impressive all by themselves. . .but still one more structure awaits. . .

The Mausoleum of the Taj Mahal

It is more impressive, more perfect than I thought it would be. . .

If Nature could fashion marble, I think this is what Nature would create. . .

It just feels like the Taj Mahal belongs to this place and to this time. . .I suspect this has always been true. . .I suspect this will always be true. . .

I now want to see the Taj Mahal revealed by the rising sun. . .I now want to see the Taj Mahal revealed by the setting sun. . .I now want to see the Taj Mahal revealed beneath a full moon. . .

I sit and wish for a moment of silence. . .a moment of reverence this masterpiece so rightly and so richly deserves. . .just one moment. . .but alas that moment does not come. . .the din and chatter of the masses are incongruous within sight of the Taj Mahal. . .but I still just sit and wish and wish some more. . .it just seems like the thing to do. . .

and Finally. . .

Emperor Shah Jahan described the Taj Mahal with the following words:

Should guilty seek asylum here,
Like one pardoned, he becomes free from sin.
Should a sinner make his way to this mansion,
All his past sins are to be washed away.
The sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sighs;
And the sun and the moon shed tears from their eyes.
In this world this edifice has been made;
To display thereby the creator's glory.

Emperor Shah Jahan and Ustad Ahmad Lahauri have created an architectural marvel. . .

They have created something wonderful. . .something timeless. . .something magical. . .something absolutely unbelievably perfect. . .

Emperor Shah Jahan has created the Taj Mahal simply because His Love asked him to. . .

I am so very privileged for this opportunity to glimpse the incredibly rare manifestation of genius which lies within the human race. . .

Within these grounds time seems to both stand still and speed up. . .all at once. . .I am here for almost four hours. . .it feels like a mere four minutes. . .I would like to return one day. . .for even just four more minutes. . .

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Agra and Surrounds

Agra: Home to the Majestic Architecture of the Mughals. . .

Location: 27.18 degrees north latitude; 78.02 degrees east longitude
Elevation: 561 feet
Weather: temps in the upper 70s, with very foggy/hazy skies

The Mughals were an Islamic imperial power of the Indian subcontinent. Mughal rule began in the early 16th century, spread to most of the subcontinent by the late 17th and early 18th centuries, and ended in the mid-19th century with the rise of British colonialism. The classic period of the Mughal Empire starts with the accession of Akbar the Great in 1556, continues with his son Jehangir (1605-1627), his son Shah Jahan of Taj Mahal fame (1627-1658) and ends with the death of Emperor Aurangzeb in 1707. In those relatively short 150 years the Mughals bestowed upon the world an incredible collection of architectural wonders. Fortunately some of those marvels still survive intact today and there may be no better place that bears witness to the majesty of the Mughals than the city of Agra in northern India. . .

Chini-Ka-Rauza

Chini-Ka-rauza is fairly well hidden down along the bank of the Yamuna River. We can't get there along the usual road because there's a wedding ceremony blocking that particular street this morning, which is not an uncommon occurrence in this country. One is just expected to find another way to get where one needs to go. The driver stops about three times to ask for directions and/or confirmation that "this" street will get us to our desired destination. It feels like we're getting close, as I think I see the river, but what do I know?!. A minute or two later I do see the river, but now the last turn we want to take is blocked by a truck. The owner/driver is either nowhere to be found or simply doesn't feel like moving his truck at the moment. We walk the rest of the way, but we arrive nonetheless.

The Chini-Ka-Rauza is a Persian-style tomb of Afzal Khan, a poet and high official in the court of Shah Jahan. It was built between 1628 and 1639. It was covered with bright blue tiles back in the day; only a few remain. It must have been a stunning sight when it was new. . .

A couple of the auxiliary structures. . .

Itimad-ud-Daulah

The Itimad-ud-Daulah is the tomb of Mizra Ghiyas Beg, a Persian nobleman who was Emperor Jehangir's chief minister. His daughter, Nur Jahan, built the tomb between 1622 and 1628.

a lot of the following is borrowed from Wikipedia:
The mausoleum itself is set on a base about 50 meters square and about 1 meter high. The mausoleum is about 23 meters square. 13 meter high hexagonal towers adorn each corner. Small in comparison to many other Mughal-era tombs, it is sometimes described as a jewel box. Its garden layout and use of white marble (the first Mughal structure built with this stone instead of red sandstone), pietra dura, inlay designs, and intricate latticework foreshadow many elements found in it's more famous neighbor that sits across the Yamuna River.

The walls are white marble from Rajasthan encrusted with semi-precious stone decorations - cornelian, jasper, lapis lazuli, onyx, and topaz in images of cypress trees and wine bottles, or more elaborate decorations like cut fruit or vases containing bouquets. Light to the interior passes through delicate jali screens of intricately carved white marble.

Many of Nur Jahan's relatives are interred in the mausoleum. The only asymmetrical element of the entire complex is that the cenotaphs (tombs) of her father and mother have been set side-by-side, offset from center, a formation replicated in the Taj Mahal.

The actual tomb is flanked by four red sandstone gates. The east gate is the primary entrance gate. . .

The north gate. . .

The south gate. . .

and the east gate (plus east gate detail). . .

One of the riverside lookout posts on the western side of the complex. . .

The marble tomb of Mizra Ghiyas Beg (with the fog-obscured southern gate on the left and the western gate on the right). . .

Some of the intricate wall details. . .

and precious stone inlay work. . .

A chance to just sit and contemplate one's surroundings is a truly precious commodity, especially in the early morning quiet. . .

Fatehpur Sikri: Dargah Mosque

The Fatehpur Sikri mosque (Jama Masjid) is still in use today. It was constructed along with the rest of Fatehpur Sikri in 1571. It is surrounded by huge walls. . .

The main entrance is through the 54m-high (130ft) Buland Darwaza (Victory Gate) built to commemorate Emperor Ackbar's military victory in Gujarat. This gate is thought to be the largest in all of Asia. It's size alone is stunning. . .the design details and proportions even more so. . .it's an entry gate truly fit for an emperor. . .

The grand central courtyard. . .you could easily play a game (or even two!) of cricket in this huge space. . .the white marble structure is the tomb of the aforementioned Shaikh Salim Chishti. It was completed in 1581. . .

The stone slabs mark the graves of the royal family members. . .

A couple more closer-up views of the tomb of Shaikh Salim Chishti. . .

A few of the interior spaces with their elaborate colonnades and archways and all the intricate sandsone carvings and paintwork that typify Mughal architecture. . .

This family wants a picture of me, so I think it's only fair that I get a picture of them. After a few (obviously understandable) hand signals, they oblige. . .

Fatehpur Sikri

Mughal Emperor Ackbar visited Fatehpur Sikri to consult the Sufi Saint Shaikh Salim Christi who predicted the birth of an heir to the Mughal throne. When the prophecy came true, Ackbar built the palace and city and moved his new capital here in 1571. However Sikri suffered from a lack of a sustainable water supply and the city was abandoned shortly after Ackbar's death in 1605. Nevertheless, Fatehpur Sikri remains a reminder of the Mughals at their architectural best. Fatehpur Sikri is about 40km (25mi) west of Agra. Fatehpur Sikri is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

(Please add the following to my descriptions of all these photos: "I think this is ". Very few buildings are marked with any kind of sign, the palace complex itself is a bit of a maze, and I can't always match up guide book descriptions with actual structures.)

The Diwan-i-Am, or Hall of Public Audience, where the emperor meets the general public. . .

A handful of views of the Palace of Jodh Bai, a collection of structures built around a central stone courtyard. . .

The Birbal Bhavan, the structure in the far background of the below photo and in the following three photos, was probably used by two of Akbar's senior wives. . .

A random little structure on the edge of the palace grounds. . .

The Palace of the Christian Wife, Mariam (who was the mother of Ackbar's successor Jehangir). . .

The Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audiences). . .

The ornately carved central column in the Diwan-i-Khas. This photo is not mine. I pull it off the web, as it's quite dark inside this building this morning and my photos do not come out. . .

It is believed that Ackbar sat/stood on top and debated his scholars who stood at the ends of the stone bridges emanating from this central column. Remember, everything you're seeing here is made out of sandstone. . .the skill of the craftsmen is truly awe-inspiring. . .

Maybe the treasury building (on the extreme left), maybe the Astrologer's Kiosk in the middle of frame, but for sure the 5-story structure towering over everything in the background is the Panch Mahal. The Panch Mahal was used exclusively by the ladies of the court as their observation point for all the public goings-on in the courtyard below. . .

The small reflecting pool in the courtyard is the Char Chaman tank. . .

One of the palace complex's entry gates. . .this would be the front door. . .

and this the back door. . .

It is unusual for a young Indian woman to agree to have her photo taken (not that I make a habit of approaching young Indian women!), so when one actually asks I do not hesitate. . .

Ackbar's Mausoleum

Sikandra, about 12 km (7mi) northwest of Agra, is the site of the last resting place of Mughal Emperor Ackbar the Great. The vast, red-ochre sandstone tomb was planned by Akbar himself, a custom which the Mughals followed religiously. Akbar's son Jehangir completed the construction of this pyramidal tomb in 1613.

The mausoleum is laid out in typical Mughal style: the tomb in the center surrounded by gardens and four flanking gates. Again, as with Itimad-ud-Daulah, the east gate shown below is the main entry gate to the mausoleum complex and is complete with three-story minarets. It is red sandstone with complementary white-marble inlay designs. . .

The view of the north gate through a small decorative arch. . .

and a few more views of the north gate. . .

The west gate. . .obviously not in very good shape. . .but then again it's 400 years old and may have been used for artillery practice by a certain colonial power in the mid-19th century. . .

The south gate. . .

The tomb itself. . .again red sandstone with marble accents and inlays. . .

This archway's intricate lattice work is made entirely of white marble. . .I know!. . .I suppose I wouldn't believe it either unless I saw it in person. . .oh wait. . .I do see it in person. . .right this moment in fact. . .and. . .it is marble. . .

Agra Fort

most of the following is borrowed from Wikipedia:
Agra Fort was originally a brick fort held by the Rajputs. It was mentioned for the first time in 1080 AD when a Ghaznavide force captured it. Sikandar Lodi (1487-1517) was the first Sultan of Delhi who shifted his court to Agra and lived in the fort. He governed the country from here and Agra assumed the importance of a 2nd capital. The Mughals defeated the Afghans and seized control of the fort in 1556. Realizing the importance of its central situation, Akbar decided to make it his capital and arrived in Agra in 1558. His historian, Abdul Fazal, recorded that this was a brick fort known as 'Badalgarh' . It was in a ruined condition and Akbar had it rebuilt with red sandstone. Architects laid the foundation and it was built with bricks in the inner core with sandstone on external surfaces. Some 1,444,000 builders worked on it for eight years, completing it in 1573. The fort is crescent shaped, flattened on the east with a long, nearly straight wall facing the Yamuna River, and has a total perimeter of 2.4 km (1.4 mi). Agra Fort is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

OK. . .so it's the mid-16th century and you want to design a fort. Where do you start?

Well. . .you'd start with massive walls, some as high as 70 feet, and ring the entire fort with them. Of course the walls would certainly have to be double castellated ramparts of red sandstone punctuated at regular intervals by round bastions. . .we have an emperor to protect you know. . .

. . .and a moat!. . .you'd have to have a moat. . .wide and deep. . .and just for good measure you'd fill it with crocodiles. . .

. . .and lookout towers. . .you'd have to have lookout towers. . .spaced around the fort. . .really tall lookput towers. . .from which you could see any and all potential invading forces long before they reached any of your entry gates. . .

. . .and speaking of entry gates. . .you'd only have a couple of them. . .with relatively small openings so any invading forces couldn't storm through in anything other than small groups. . .say maybe a dozen soldiers at a time. . .

. . .an even better thought. . .you'd have mutiple layers of entry gates. . .and each gate would lead into a small courtyard. . .and the next gate would be at a right angle to the last so the courtyard would initially look like a deadend. . .just to confuse and infuriate the invaders. . . who would have to slow way down in order to figure out what to do next. . .does the term "sitting ducks" mean anything?. . .

. . .and now for the icing on the proverbial fort cake. . .each subsequent entry gate is going to be uphill from the previous one. . .so not only have you thinned out and strung out the number of invaders, slowed them down considerably if not outright stopped them in their track, confused and infuriated them, you are actually making them run (or at least trying to run) uphill in whatever heavy gear they happen to be wearing into battle. . .

. . .brilliant. . .absolutely brilliant. . .job well done. . .

I suspect your fort design will be copied over and over again, throughout the world, for the next couple of centuries. . .

Let's take a peek inside Agra Fort. . .well. . .everywhere except behind that wall. That area back there contains the mosque and it's closed to us persons of the unwashed masses persuasion. . .which is disappointing because the domed building(s) back there look pretty cool. . .

But here is what we can explore. We begin with the Jehangiri Mahal, a palace built by Ackbar for his son Jehangir. It blends Indian and Central Asian architectural styles, a reminder of the Mughals' Afghani roots. . .

The Diwan-i-Am, or Hall of Public Audiences, where the emperor greeted and listened to the common folk. . .

The Diwan-i-Khas, or Hall of Private Audiences, was reserved for important dignitaries or foreign representatives. . .today that would be me. . .

The Khas Mahal and Musamman Burj are the white-marble palace and octagonal tower where Shah Jahan, husband of Mumtaj Mahal and builder of the Taj Mahal (but more on that whole story later on), was imprisoned for eight years until his death in 1666. . .but at least he could see his wife's tomb from his prison tower (at least on a clear day). . .

I think these next three are of the back and back courtyard of the Jehangiri Palace. . .

Some of the beautiful detail work within the various rooms and structures around Agra Fort. This first is from the Shish Mahal (Mirror Palace). . .

marble. . .

marble. . .

sandstone. . .

The late afternoon sun makes a brief appearance just as I step into this room. The glow of the sun on the red sandstone is mesmerizing (probably more so in person but the photo actually comes out better than I expected). . .

and that's the end of the day at Agra Fort. . .

Local Fauna Update

Please add water buffalo and gazelle to the "Indigenous Critters Seen While in India" list. Thank you.

The water buffaloes are literally everywhere in this city and there are gazelles grazing on the garden lawns of Ackbar's Mausoleum.

and Finally. . .

Winter seems to have come a little early this year. December and January are notorious for bringing heavy fog to this part of India. There is heavy fog this morning and the skies never fully clear this afternoon. The hazy fog helps to keep the temperatures down a bit (welcome), but it also tends to shroud everything in a bit of shapeless gloom (unwelcome). Architecture and monuments such as these deserve bright sunshine and clear blue skies to bring forth all of their incredible design and details. I'm here for another day. I visit most of the above on Day 1. My fingers are crossed that tomorrow 's weather is better (or at the very least not any worse) because. . .

There is one more Mughal monument here in Agra. . .I think it's called the Taj Mahal. . .some "monument to love" or something. . .supposedly one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. . .probably worth at least a quick look. . .you know. . .since I'm already here. . .

But I think I'll save that visit for the next installment of "Taking on the Indian Subcontinent". . .