Sunday, January 22, 2012

Taj Mahal

After a very long bus ride through what are referred to as highways we arrived to Agra, home of the beautiful monument of love, the Taj Mahal. By before I discuss the amazingness of the Taj, let me elaborate on these highways. Remember India, and damn near everywhere BUT America (just like the metric system), drives on the left. That took some getting used to. Also, the fog and pollution in Delhi and along the way was so thick I don't think I saw the sky or sun during the entire eight hour bus ride. Also just as our tour guide had promised, people lived in shantytowns next to the highway. Not like in California, where a small plot of land protects the homes from the highway in the agrarian central San Joaqin Valley. I'm talkin the highway is these people's front yard. Water buffalo, white cattle, bonfires, drying laundry, shops and such skirted the highways on both sides. When traffic slows down to a complete halt the sellers of kick knacks and mommy-and-me beggars swarmed the bus, sometimes even banging the sides with their fists. India never gets boring.

Finally we arrive to the Taj, and security here is no joke. Because of cultural values, women and men often queue up separately. I kind of like that. Between you and me I think I got more action from the female security guards in all of India than I have in my last semester of grad school. As much as I could go on and on about the Taj, all I can say is how beautiful it is. My ignorant American mind failed to realize the Taj is not a religious building, an emperor form the 17th century built the Taj as a memorial of the love he had for his wife who passed away. Wow, that's a lot of love.

The grounds are gorgeous, and so are the attendees. Again and again Indian men wanted to take a picture with the blonde blue-eyed American. At one point an Indian man approached me and asked if I would pose in a photo with his wife who was dressed to the nines in a gorgeous red saree decked out in all kinds of golden jewelry. I felt so honored.


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Location:Agra, India

1 comment:

  1. do you ahave a sign for the taj? im interpreting it in Catch Me If You Can today and i'd lke to do it proplerly if i can rather than just expand on it. glad i finally found a site this am! cool blog!
    molly video text me if you want 561-758-3739 or emailit to me, mollypreato@gmail.com
    blessings! go for your dreams!

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