Monday, March 19: Travel to Agra; Taj Mahal Gardens

The trip to Agra was 4 hours by bus.  We first made a brief stop at an ancient temple, which was partly destroyed during the reign of the Moghuls.  One carving was a clear depiction of infidelity- the man in the center fondling a well-endowed woman, the angry wife behind him with a club, and a distressed child on the right.

There was also a nearby system of step wells, which allow people to descend as far as they need to get water, as the level rises or falls with the rain.  

On the way to Agra, we passed a livestock market.  Many people on the way were driving a herd of goats or cattle they intended to sell.  We stopped for a look.

Our group never got this authentic with street food.

We were told that the goat in the foreground would sell for about $20.

After checking in, we went to the gardens behind the Taj Mahal, across the river.  Some people believe that Shah Jehan had planned to construct another building, identical to the Taj Mahal, in black marble on the site, for his own tomb.  It’s still a popular tourist site, and we saw one young couple, the woman in a full-length Western style dress in a vivid purple, with a professional photographer.  Our guide said they were getting pre-wedding photos.

After that we visited a market in old Agra.  Although all of the markets we visited were chaotic, had terrifying traffic and occasional bad odors, this one fell into the extreme category.  There were fewer of the aggressive peddlers; this area served the local people.  We stopped at a spice store, a restaurant where the doctor in our group shuddered as multiple flies landed on the food, and a place selling flowers and sweets to be used as offerings at the local temple (Shri Mankameshwar Mandir), which is a sacred pilgrimage site, believed to have been founded by Lord Vishnu himself.   There were marketplaces selling bolts of cloth, spools of thread and cheap plastic household goods (the toothbrushes appeared to be recycled). 

It was a relief to get back to the hotel but I found myself wondering again how I’d adjust if I had to trade places with someone who lived in the middle of one of the cities we visited.  The only thing I could adjust to easily would be the food!