June 1972: Agra and the Taj Mahal

 Taken From All About My Hat The Hippy Trail 1972 ISBN ‎ 978-0993210716

The next morning Al had a quick breakfast of eggs and toast, unlike in Kabul it was easy to order and took a rickshaw to the Taj Mahal. He picked up a pamphlet from a stall outside that was selling postcards.

 

“In 1631, Shah Jahan, emperor during the Mughal empire's period of greatest prosperity, was grief-stricken when his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, a Persian princess, died during the birth of their 14th child, Gauhara Begum. Construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632. The court chronicles of Shah Jahan's grief illustrate the love story traditionally held as an inspiration for Taj Mahal.. The principal mausoleum was completed in 1648 and the surrounding buildings and garden were finished five years later. Emperor Shah Jahan himself described the Taj in these words:

“Should guilty seek asylum here,

“Like one pardoned, he becomes free from sin.

“Should a sinner make his way to this mansion,

“All his past sins are to be washed away.

“The sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sighs;

And the sun and the moon shed tears from their eyes.

“In this world this edifice has been made;

“To display thereby the creator's glory.

“The tomb is the central focus of the entire complex of the Taj Mahal. This large, white marble structure stands on a square plinth and consists of a symmetrical building with an arch-shaped doorway topped by a large dome and finial.

“The marble dome that surmounts the tomb is the most spectacular feature. originally made of gold but replaced by a copy made of gilded bronze in the early nineteenth century.

“Elsewhere, the garden is laid out with avenues of trees and fountains.”

Al stood up and absorbed the pleasing view of this incredible white building reflecting in the pool of water that was between the two walkways leading to the marble miracle. On either side there was green grass, bushes, flowers and trees.

There were quite a few tourists about, Indian-looking as well as Japanese and Westerners, and many people taking photographs of their friends in front of the Taj. Al waited for an opportunity and took a photograph. He had just two photos left in his camera and knew that at the moment he did not have enough cash to buy another film.

Al spent about an hour walking round the building and took a look inside – it was all sparklingly clean and well decorated with various types of writing and symbols that we did not understand.

It was a peaceful place to be, unlike many places that we had visited, Al found he could sit without being approached or disturbed by anyone.

When he left, his driver insisted taking Al to some souvenir shops even though Al stressed he did not want to buy anything. He drank tea provided by merchants whilst they showed their wares. He kept telling them that he did not want to buy, and when he left without buying anything, they did not seem to mind. He saw gem stones, cut and uncut; there were stores crammed with brass ware, from ashtrays of various designs, candle-sticks, goblets and trays and pots small and large. There was a shop selling beautiful marble boxes and table-tops inlaid with slices of semi-precious stones. They also passed many shops selling small models of the Taj Mahal, others seemed to be offering lamps and shades of all types, brightly coloured clothing, beads and jewellery, bags and other leather goods, sacks full of spices and herbs, fruits and vegetables, sweets and breads and several barbers shops – and a stall selling all sorts of hats! We even passed by a beer shop.

To Al's surprise he spotted several cows just standing in the streets buzzing with bicycles and bicycle rickshaws and mopeds. Al knew that Hindu's considered the cow to be Holy, did not eat the meat and more or less left the beasts free to roam and munch on whatever they could find to eat.