Sunday, November 6, 1983
Flew from New Dlehi, arriving in Agra about 9:30. Hired a taxi with the T family.
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| First view of the Taj Mahal |
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| Taj Mahal wall and entrance gateway building to the right |
The Taj Mahal, a white marble mausoleum, was built 1632-1648, commissioned by the Shah Jahan for his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It was designed by a board of architects including including Abd ul-Karim Ma'mur Khan, Makramat Khan, and Ustad Ahmad Lahauri; the latter considered the primary architect. The Taj Mahal is considered the finest example of Mughal architecture.
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| Darwaza-i rauza/Great Gate |
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| Darwaza-i rauza/Great Gate detail of stone inlay |
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| Taj Mahal through the gateway |
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| Taj Mahal |
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| Hansa and Jay with Jaymal |
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| Taj Mahal reflection |
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| Taj Mahal close-up |
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| People at the shoe depot |
Every time you enter a religious building, be it Buddhist, Hindu, or Muslim, you removed your shoes.
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| Marble relief carving |
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| The cenotaphs of Mumtaz Mahal in front, and Shah Jahan in back |
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| Jali/Piercework screen of marble |
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| Jali/Piercework screen of marble |
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| The actual tombs of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan are underground |
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| Boat on the Yamuna River |
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| Taj Mahal mosque and minaret |
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| Arabic calligraphy as art |
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Jaymal puts his shoes back on
(mine are the blue Nikes!) |
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| Incised painting decoration in the entrance gateway |
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| People |
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| Horse and buggy transport |
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| Agra Red Fort |
The Agra Fort was built 1565-1573 with brick faced with red sandstone by the Mughals under Akbar, to replace a brick fort.
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| Jahangiri Mahal/Palace |
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| Jahangiri Mahal/Palace tower |
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| View from the Agra Fort towards the Taj Mahal |
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| Agra Fort garden |
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| Doorway to Prisoner's Tower |
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| Agra Fort |
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| Cooling system used running water |
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| Diwan-i-Khas/Private Audience Hall (1637) |
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| Itmad-ud-daulah Tomb |
The Itmad-ud-daulah Tomb is another mausoleum in Agra, built 1622-1628 for Mirzā Ghiyās Beg, who is the grandfather of Mumtaz Mahal.
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| Itmad-ud-daulah Tomb window |
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| Itmad-ud-daulah Tomb turret |
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| Itmad-ud-daulah Tomb building |
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| Stone inlay |
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| Piercework screen |
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| Itmad-ud-daulah Tomb flooring |
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| Entrance gateway wall detail |
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| Street scene |
Our taxi for the day then took us to the city of Fatehpur Sikri.
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| Grus antigone/Sarus Crane |
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| Buland Darwaza/Triumphal Gate |
Buland Darwaza/Triumphal Gate was built in 1576 by the Mughal Emperor Akbar to commemorate his victory over Gujarat. It is the highest gateway in the world at 54 m/177' above the ground.
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| Bubalus bubalis/Water Buffalo |
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| View from gate over Fatehpur Sikri |
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| Buland Darwaza/Triumphal Gate detail |
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| Tomb of Salim Chishti |
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| Piercework screen from the outside |
I was fascinated by the lattice piercework screens of marble, where you cannot look in from the outside, but can look out from the inside.
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| Piercework screen from the inside |
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| Drain pipe |
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| Support bracket |
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| Door |
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| Fatehpur Sikri Palace detail |
Fatehpur Sikri Palace was built 1569-1584, designed by Tuhir Das and Dhruv Chawla and was constructed using Indian principles, but in Mughal style as commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar.
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| Jodha Bai Mahal, Birbal's House |
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| Elephant Gate |
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| Setting sun |
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| Hiran Minar/Tower with elephant tusks |
We returned to Agra to find a hotel.
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| Typical toilet in a decent hotel |
Hotels will have a decent bed with a private bathroom, albeit a ceramic hole-in-the-floor toilet. The bed (except in the Oberoi hotel!) always has mosquito netting. Most rooms also seemed to have a resident lizard, whom I left alone to deal with the mosquitoes!
We stayed at the Grand Hotel.
Monday, November 7, 1983
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| Marble workers |
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| A new temple under construction |
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| New temple detail |
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| Scaffolding |
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| Scaffolding |
Next: Sikandra and Matura.
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