Golden Triangle: Agra's Taj Mahal & Red Fort

Monday July 12, 2010:

We rode in our tour bus from Jaipur to Agra today, for the next stop on our tour of India's Golden Triangle of cities (Jaipur, Agra, Delhi). We arrived late in the afternoon and went directly to our hotel, the Trident (Hilton) Agra. Dr. Alvey decided that we would delay our visit to the Taj Mahal until the following morning, so that we could see it at sunrise. Our hotel, unfortunately, was a disappointment after such a nice stay at the Taj property in Jaipur. The Agra Trident looked nice on their website and in photos, but the rooms were not up to par with the common areas. There was a lot of construction going on, and the smelll of paint and wood varnish was so overwhelming (in the rooms and the hallways) that it was hard for me to breathe since I was also battling a respiratory infection.

However, Agra itself was not impressive, so I'm not sure that a better hotel would have been available to us. I was surprised actually at the city of Agra. I had expected that a location of a modern Wonder of the World would be in better repair. Not that it ought to be an urban city necessarily, but that whether rural or modern it would be maintained in a good condition by the Indian government and people. Instead, there was a shocking amount of trash and standing water on the roadways, a lack of infrastructure like lighting and paving, an overwhelming amount of the poor and beggars in all public spaces, etc. It seemed to me that a lot of restoration and change is needed in Agra, to return it to more of its former renown. Luckily, we were only staying one night in Agra before continuing on to Delhi. A day trip (or short overnight) is all that is needed in Agra. That gave just enough time to see the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort.

In high contrast to its Agra surroundings, seeing the Taj Mahal at sunrise was extraordinary. The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum that was commissioned in 1632 by the Moghul emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal (who died in childbirth with their 14th child). It's considered by many to be the finest example of Moghul architecture in the world; combining building elements of India, Persia, and Islam. It took over 20,000 skilled workers over 20 years to complete the Taj Mahal. It is absolutely beautiful, especially up close in the early sunlight. It's made of white marble that is highly detailed with engraving, filigree work, and inlays of precious stones and metals that glimmer in the sunlight even to this day.

Immediately after touring the Taj Mahal, we drove several kilometers away to the Agra Fort (aka Red Fort).The Fort is a 94 acre walled collection of buildings, some of which pre-date the Taj Mahal. The earliest buildings of the Agra Fort were mentioned in writing from the late 1000s. Many of India's most important Mugal rulers reigned from Agra Fort, the most famous being Akbar beginning in 1558. Akbar's son was Shah Jahan, who built the nearby Taj Mahal. Sadly, at the end of his life, Shah Jahan's son imprisoned Shah Jahan in the Agra Fort for eight years until his death. He reportedly died in a tower of the Fort with a marble balcony which has a view of the Taj Mahal. Portions of the Agra Fort are currently being used as an Indian army headquarters, so they are not accessible to the public. The buildings are primarily made of red sandstone, although Shah Jahan was responsible for the construction of several marble structures with precious stone inlays. The grounds are so extensive, touring the Fort can take quite some time. I found the history and architecture to be very compelling, although the day was so hot and humid that we did not stay very long.

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