Agra and the Taj

Agra

Taj Mahal

On Thursday (Nov11) we visited Agra. Since we had a late start (9 am instead of 7 am) as well as bad traffic, we visited the Taj Mahal first before checking in at our hotel. Because the day was foggy, we didn't see the sparkle in the marble described in the guidebooks but it was still beautiful. Our guide seemed knowledgable about the history and construction of the Taj. The Taj took 2,000 workers 22 years to build and has a 144 foot dome topped with a brass finale. The original gold finale was plundered (along with any other treasure they could pry loose) by the British when they were in India.

Precious Stone Inlaid in Marble

Since the Taj is double domed, the interior space is smaller than would be expected from outside. However, the elaborate marble carving with brilliant stonework was still impressive. As a building, Haga Sophia in Istanbul is more impressive but the craftsmanship of the Taj is without parallel.
After the tour, our guide was extremely anxious to convince us to "visit" high-end souvenir sellers. Even before we left the grounds of the Taj, he was trying to interest us in carpets, stone inlay work, and embroidery all under the guise of a cultural experience. When we declined, our relationship quickly cooled. He did not mention the other sites we had paid to visit on our itinerary. After leaving the Taj, he directed our driver down a dusty road toward a stone inlay "handcrafts" display. Realizing his intention to turn our afternoon into a high pressure sales pitch, we plead fatigue and illness and asked to be taken to the hotel.

View through Marble Screen

After checking in at the Mansingh Palace Hotel, we napped until dinner which was an international buffet in the same hotel.