Agra & the Taj Mahal, India 5/26-27/06

Up at 5, going to the Taj Mahal at 5:30. Goalson is our guide. He is a registered tour guide through the Indian government and is expected to be used by Chooti's company. There are about 6 people in line to get tickets before 6 a.m. when it opens. It was good we were there first thing as it is not crowded at all and it is hot again. The Taj is very beautiful. Shah Johan's extravagant monument built for love, a mausoleum for his second wife, Mumtag Mahal, who died in childbirth in 1631. The death of Mumtag left the emperor so heart broken that his hair is said to have turned grey overnite. The temple is magnificent of white marble and inlaid precious stones. Cars are no longer let into the 4k area surrounding the monument because of pollution damage to the Taj. Acid rain from car emissions is discoloring the famous white marble and eroding the fine carving and inlays. The Taj was started in 1631 after she died and not completed till 1653. 20,000 people from India and Central Asia worked on the building. Some later had their hands or thumbs amputated to assure that the perfection of the Taj could never be repeated. It is one of the world's top tourist attractions. The Taj is ethereal at dawn, surreal at sunset. Many have tried to sum up its beauty, but even the poets of the time were unable to do this magnificent building justice. The Taj accessed through an outer courtyard which has gates facing west, south and east, where we entered off the bus drop off. Entry to the inner compound is thru a vast red sandstone gateway on the south side of the forecourt, inscribed with verses from the Quran in Arabic anround the entire arch of the entrance front facade. All prohibited items such as food, mobile phone, tobacco, betel nut and leaves for chewing must be left at the first entry where you are checked for security, women by woman and men by men. We have our pictures taken in the spot that Diana famously was photographed, with the Taj Mahal in the background. The grounds are very lovely and the workmanship of this temple is unbelievable. We go to breakfast about 9 a.m. after touring the Taj. Then on to the Agra Fort of massive red sandstone on the banks of the Yunnan River, primarily built as a military structure in 1565. Shah Johan was imprisoned here after Aurangzeb seized power in 1589. We see the Baby Taj from across the river from the Taj, constructed by an empress in memory of her father, the first Mughal structure built entirely of marble. The guide now takes us to a factory where they do the same work as on the Taj, all inlaid precious stones in marble. They have tables and many other smaller piece for sale. I see a table that I think is absolutely magnificent. My daughter Amy and her husband Bob had told me before I left that if I saw anything they should buy, I should buy for them on my credit card and they would pay the bill when it came in. This table is $1,400 shipped to the US, and I am not going to make such a big decision involving this much money without their ok. I think it is an absolute bargain and would sell in the States for at least $5,000. It is a 36" or wider circular table with a solid marble pedestal. The top is all inlaid with precious stones in a design of flowers, birds and branches around the outside about 1" from the edge and approximately 3" wide, with a medalion of the same design in the center. I call them at 2:35 a.m. They are sleeping and I explain the purpose of my call. They hash it over for about 18 minutes while I suggest that I call them back, but Amy wants to make the decision on the phone. They say yes, so I buy the table and have it shipped to Tampa's port. When the table reaches New York, she has to pay some sort of fee and when it reaches Tampa she is forced to hire a broker as the port authorities are refusing to let the crate enter their port. Something to do with the crate and the wood it is made with. The company shipping it to the States has had the crate fumigated as required by the US Government to enter the States. At the last hour, before the table is shipped back to India, the company that shipped it was able to correct the problem and Amy and Bob receive their table. Funny story about Bob going to the port to pick up their table and friends joking with him that most people go to Pier I for their furniture. They did end up paying some extra money for all these entry fees, but the table still costs them under $2,000, which is still a hell of a deal. Amy is interested in a rug also. The next stop with the guide is at a rug factory. We see guys sitting outside at looms creating beautiful patterns, 2 men at a loom. You can send this company a pattern of your own or to match something you have in your home, and they will make a hand made rug to match. We see a master designer doing exactly this in preparation for the men on the looms to follow. I buy a matrimonial runner for Bob and Amy and a Persian style Taj runner for me and have that shipped to Amy's home. The table will arrive in about 3 months, the rugs should arrive within 2 weeks. These rugs are absolutely gorgeous, all wool and $450 each, including shipment to the US. They are about 10' long x 3' wide. After see these 2 factories, we tip the guide as seems to be required. We are leaving Agra and heading for Jaipur. En route, I had wanted to see Fatehpur Sikri, a Moghal "Ghost City" built by Emperor Akbar out of the local red stone but Chooti is not liked here because he doesn't support the guides at this place. A guy pounds on his window traveling thru the town while we are in the back seat. Makes a bit of an impression on us! It's a 16th century city with it's deserted palaces, courtyards and pools, tombs and grand mosque doomed by lack of water or the strategic move to Agra. We drive in but because of the tension we are feeling, we drive out and only take pics from outside at a distance. Drive on and stop at the Keslades Ghota National Park bird sanctuary at Chooti's recommendation. It's about 5 p.m. We hire a rickshaw to peddle both our our fat asses and a bird guide on his own bicycle riding beside us, who does help the rickshaw driver a few times. It is a very pretty ride and surprisingly cool. We see a Kingfisher, some large cranes and many other birds along with a couple jackals The trip was very nice and a welcomed quiet time in the country. Like every where else in India, there is confusion on what we should pay them. It is always more on the return for one reason or another. "Ye Hai, India darling" We stop for dinner en route to Jaipur...........arriving late......next, the city of Jaipur......