Conky Tonkin' with The Pfeifers: Touring Agra and the Famed Taj Mahal

For our next stop and attraction we would be visiting the Taj Mahal in the Indian city of Agra.

The multi-talented Aabdar

Our itinerary originally called for us to fly to Agra, but a last minute visit by Indian Prime Minister Modi to the Varanasi area necessitated a change of plans. Due to the timing and disruption of traffic patterns caused by the prime minister’s visit, our tour director felt it to be more timely to fly back to New Delhi and take a 3-hour bus ride down to Agra. This required an early departure and a long day on the road.

The Taj in early morning mist

The upside was that we would get to see much more of rural India than a flight to Agra would provide.

Arriving in Agra 20 minutes ahead of schedule, we made very good time with the alternative route and enjoyed rural farm scenes along the way.

Here comes the sun(do-do-doo-do)!

The farmers in India basically raise two plantings per year, and we passed through just as one of those plantings was getting underway. Wheat, rice, millets, potatoes, and mustard (at least in the area we passed through) were in the process of being planted.

Morning view from mosque entrance

It was a refreshing change of pace from the faster-paced city life we had been experiencing.

Perched on the banks of the Yamuna River in the Uttar Predesh state, Agra is a major tourist destination because of its many Mughal-era buildings, and is included on the Golden Triangle tourist circuit, along with Delhi and Jaipur.

Morning is here

We were deposited at our hotel, the Oberoi Armavilas Agra which is about as sumptuous as it gets, and were checked in. Our room had a direct view of the Taj Mahal and the grounds were absolutely stunning. But we had little time to explore the grounds, because by the time we got our luggage situated, it was time for dinner.

The Tauck "A" Team

A muezzin was reciting the adhan, or muslim call to prayer, as we were heading down to the restaurant for dinner. Full and exhausted, we headed straight to bed after dinner. We knew we would have to rise early the next morning, since we had signed up for a sunrise tour of the Taj Mahal.

Fantastic stone work

The next morning we were up before sunrise (no, we didn’t make it to the wake-up alarm), and ready to see the Taj. We took golf carts from the hotel to the attraction and were surprised at the line of people waiting to get in at this early hour. Going through security (an early morning frisking that awakes you from your stupor!); we proceeded to meet our Taj guide, Aabdar, who would take us to various locations for the best sunrise shots. Aabdar was good and fast, and we had trouble keeping up with him, but his intent was to see that we were in certain positions as the sun rose. In other words, he knew the grounds and the limited amount of time we would have for our photos.

Inlaid gemstones glistening in sunlight

What really amazed us was at certain locations he would take our phones and cameras and take pictures of us and even offered tips on some of our camera settings to help us get better shots. He knew what he was doing and earned generous tips from everyone.

Marble relief with inlaid gemstones

The Taj Mahal is actually an ivory-white marble mausoleum that was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, to house the tomb of his favorite wife, Mumatz Mahal who died during childbirth. The tomb is the centerpiece of a 42-acre complex, which includes a mosque and a guest house symmetrically opposite the tomb. The buildings are set in formal gardens.

Jane on "Diana's Bench"

Construction of the mausoleum which employed some 20,000 artisans was essentially completed in 1643. The Taj Mahal was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. It is an excellent example of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces. In 2014, the attraction drew over 7 million visitors.

We re-boarded our golf carts and returned to the hotel for breakfast. Another Taj tour was scheduled later in the morning; this one with a guide who knew the nitty-gritty of the monument.

Agra Fort

We got to go inside the mausoleum and view the tombs; Mumatz’s in the center and the Shah, who died later, with a larger tomb offset from the center next to hers. The artistry and workmanship of the marble were really magnificent. Outside, we viewed the river, minarets, and strolled through the gardens, before heading back to the hotel to catch a bus that would take us to Agra Fort.

Fort gate

Agra Fort is a historical fort, serving as the main residence of the emperors of the Mughal Dynasty until 1638, when the capital was shifted from Agra to Delhi. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the fort was started in 1565 and completed in 1573. The walls were built with bricks in the inner core and red sandstone on external surfaces. Serving as a strategic military installation as well as the royal residence, it is a fine example of Mughal architectural.

Fort grounds and Justice Hall

Gardens inside the palace

Shah Jahan was detained at the fort after he was deposed, and he chose a room that provided him a view of the Taj Mahal, about one mile away, until he died.