AGRA
We left Amritsar for Delhi by train. Our fifth and (as it turned out) our final train of this trip. A day time journey of sixish hours (which became eight) the train started in Amritsar but ended in Calcutta so was again set up as a sleeper. This time it had a first class section so we experienced life in 1AC. It transpired at the station that our e-ticket had all the details except our actual coach and berth numbers – we were assisted by a volunteer scoutmaster (he seemed to be at the station as a volunteer for such a purpose) and a man from the railway who managed to locate our booking in his records. It also transpired that although the first class carriages – modern, clean, spacious, highly air conditioned – are a self contained unit of four berths we were spilt into two different ones and the other seats in both were booked from the next major station two down the line. The anticipated long game of rummy, and more importantly planning our next adventure as a four (Alison M and Roberto’s India trip is drawing to a close) was frustrated
Arrival at Old Delhi station was chaotic but we managed to locate the exit, find a cab and head for a brief overnight stay at Ravleen and Amo’s with a dinner of shepherd’s pie, cooked specially by Ravleen who felt sure we would need edible home comforts after nearly five weeks on the road and rail. It was delicious
Our decision to visit Agra had only crystallised a few days earlier. After Amritsar, Alison M & Roberto have three nights and were undecided about exploring Delhi or hitting Agra. I was ambivalent about Agra – Alison M and I were there 33 years ago and remember the town as hassle filled, the Taj Mahal in poor condition and stinky (inside – of piss). But how could we be in India and Roberto and Andy not see it? Plus with age and cash we have a car and driver and a very civilised hotel for our overnight stop (thanks Mehma for that tip)
We set off early the next morning fortified by Ravleen and Amo’s hospitality and relieved of all our luggage except an overnight bag. Our programme: Day 1: Fatehpur Sikri and Itimad-Ud-Daulah tomb (the “Baby Taj”). Day 2: the Taj Mahal and the Fort
Fatehpur Sikri, an ancient Mughal capital west of Agra, a fort with a mosque and three palaces. What’s not to like? Well we didn’t like it much to begin with. Choosing to walk the kilometre or so from the car park rather than use the shuttle tourist bus we ran the gamut of their stall holders, pony and trap and rickshaw drivers, random guides – all hassling severely to buy/ride/use (maybe we should have got the bus!). Because of the Mosque the entire complex, from the top of the steps to the main gate, is shoes off but when we chose to carry ours (to exit by a different gate/route), as many others were doing, the guy drumming up business for a really young kid who would “guard” the shoes for a few rupees took offence and when we insisted and walked in accused Roberto and Andy of not respecting his religion. Particularly irritating to Roberto who with Alison M had been in Iran for eight days before they joined us. Anyway, shaking off the irritation, and the guy, the fort complex slowly worked its charms. There was not much internal decoration left but the complex is vast, the mosque architecturally beautiful and different from the Rajasthani ones, the sandstone glorious, the gardens restored and there were parakeets
Lunch (a restaurant we were dropped at by our driver which was full of tourists but to our relief served excellent veg curries and tandoor chicken) and then a slow trawl through traffic choked Agra to the Baby Taj. At one point we thought we might not make it before it closed for the evening but we made it and it was pretty empty and absolutely beautiful. Our guidebook describes it as exquisite and it is, built as a tomb for Mumtaz Mahal’s grandfather by his daughter, first Mughal building completely of marble. It was serene, glorious and we saw it at sunset
Our penultimate evening together saw us dining – and drinking champagne (thanks A & R!) – on the rooftop bar of the Radisson Blu, with a view of the Taj Mahal – which we could not really make out because of the haze and the fact it is not floodlit. It still felt like a special place
We decided against the 4 am start for the Taj visit, partly because of the forecast smog, partly because none of us none of us could face it. We arrived there at 8.30 a.m. as the sun was up and in fact the queue to enter was very short and apart from the walk from the road to the gate (boys selling snow domes mostly) we were completely unhandled. It is glorious. Ethereal, beautiful. So very different from my 1985 memories: gardens restored, building cleaned and robbed semiprecious stones replaced. Built as a tomb and memorial for his third (and favourite) wife Mumtaz Mahal by Shah Jahan it seems to us serene and rather wonderful. We are all very happy we came
We walk up to the tomb enjoying the famous views (and a selfie on the “Diana” bench)
We visit the marble tomb, then the sandstone mosque and jawab (identically constructed), we admire the minarets and the views and ignore the polluted, dirty Yamuna river. We watch monkeys frolicking in the tank – jumping, diving, swimming. And we walk through the gardens and spot Barbet and Indian grey hornbills
We decide to abandon the proposed visit to Agra Fort and instead visit a sloth bear sanctuary about a mile out of Agra on the old road to Delhi. It is located inside a bird sanctuary and was set up by a charity, wildlifeSoS, to house rescued (“emacipated”) dancing bears. We are shown round by one of the permanent staff, and the fascinating, and cruel, history of dancing bears is explained to us together with the work which has been undertaken of re-education of the bear keepers and finding them alternative livelihoods. Apparently the last two known dancing bears had been acquired by the organisation very recently in Nepal, one remaining in a sanctuary there and one had arrived in Agra the previous night. Photographs are discouraged but we were invited to take a few of a couple of the residents
The bears will live out their days at the sanctuary and WildlifeSoS are adapting for other creatures including elephants (on another site), big cats and snakes. Again the previous night they had been called to a leopard hit by a car outside Agra Fort, we were amazed any wild cat would venture into such a heavily urban and traffic ridden area
We return to Delhi very satisfied with our Agra trip and had another evening of great hospitality at Ravleen’s
Alison M and Roberto’s last day – what to do – shopping and lunch! A chilled last day for them, and we waved a sad farewell as they left for the airport.
We now have our next four weeks to plan. But that is for another time
Until then, Namaste
ALISON