Wednesday, 26 November, 2014

Agra.
At 6.30 in the morning there is dark outside. We queue outside the entrance gate and wait for sunrise, so that we can admire Taj Mahal in all its beauty. It has been described as an architectural jewel and I can see why; unlike the other Indian buildings we have seen and admired Taj Mahal is compact, so that even from a short distance it can be seen  and  admired as as a complete structure.  Each part is complete in itself and together they seem inseparable. We walk around, undisturbed, take photos, and more photos, at sunrise and after,  this view and that, the perfect geometric decorations, ....and then walk out to return to dusty, noisy India.

Tuesday, 25 November, 2014

We visit Akbar's tomb at Sikandra. Unlike the Egyptian pyramids  and Christian  mausoleums these tombs, surrounded by gardens  and housed in pink and white  lovely buildings  decorated with tiny mosaics  seem to be more suitable for  happy living rather than eternal rest. Not that they get any; the gardens are full of people, tourists, locals and school children.

My India

Monday,24 November, 2014
India was familiar to me. I have read Jungle Book, Just so Stories, Kim, as many as S. Maugham's short stories I could find, The Jewel  in the crown - and seen the TV series-, Georgette Heyer's The Far Pavilions -and seen the TV series, R.P.Javarbahla....so no wonder that on the way to the hotel from the airport, although it was night time and dark, I felt that I could recognize the views: dusty.
The next morning my first impressions were confirmed. There is a thin layer of dust covering all, even the green bushes. For along with the milling crowds and heavy traffic Delhi has many green spaces, gardens and tree lined avenues.
We were meant to see a market, but I think that our guide decided to take advantage of a Sikh festival and let us have a powerful first impression of India; noisy traffic, loud  prayers, merchants calls, colorful saris and children,  festively dressed. I even saw Kim's  skinny  holy men, wearing huge turbans and wrapped in sheets.
We were visiting a Sikh temple during a special festival. So, as instructed, we covered our hair, took off our shoes and visited the temple. It was hard to get and impression of the temple  architecture because it was so crowded but we were taken around the premises and witnessed the way Sikh worship. Apparently the main tenet of the religion is  a special style of living , stressing generosity and care care for the ill and poor. As visitors we were made welcome and offered food and drink.
Lunch was suitably a Veda feast, with many kinds of dishes  served in small cups.

 After lunch (served on a tray with lots of small cups ) we go to see the grand Jama Masjid mosque.
On the way we walk through the Kinari  bazaar which offers everything needed for Indian weddins. there is lots of gold, jewellery, braid, saris. The streets are very narrow but somehow cars and especially motorcycles manage to drive through at high seed, hand pressing the horn.  The buildings lining the passageways are dilapidated but we are told that they are historic buildings and very luxurious inside. We also notice tangled  electric cables hanging overhead; we are told that they are illegal and causing electric supply problems. 


 At Jama Masjid we climb the  120 steps, admire the view (India looks so much better from a distance), remove our shoes, put on some huge dressing gowns and walk around the courtyard; it is closed for non-Muslims at prayer time.

The place we visit later may be in a different country.This is Humayun's Tomb,  a Mughal emperor. It is an imposing structure, displaying Indo-Islamic architecture. It is impressive but in a gentle, peaceful way. The monument is surrounded by gardens, restored to their original design .We see it late afternoon just before sunset, when the graceful gazelles  who live here, lie down to rest

.