Taj Mahal & Environs

One of the most amazing monuments ever built for love... this incredible tomb has become one of India's most well recognized sites.

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Left: The Taj was built by Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his second wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died in childbirth in 1631. The construction of the Taj was completed in 1653, with the help of about 20,000 people from India and central Asia. It is said that some had their thumbs and fingers amputated so the prefection of the Taj could never be copied. The construction costs ran up to what would be about $60 million dollars today.

November 11, 2004 Journal continued:
Then I arrived at Agra and went to the Taj. The story is that the ruler Shah Jehan built this tomb for his wife when she died in childbirth. They say that his intention was to build an exact replica for himself in black marble on the opposite bank of the river but his son imprisoned him before he could do it.

Journal continued:
I went to the Taj with my guide and got the whole history. He showed me how when you put light up to the marble and the inlaid stones glow as many are translucent. I especially like the way the cornelian looks. It glows red when you put a flashlight up to it. Of course, these are all the tricks that the guides have. I wandered around and I have to say... it is an amazing sight. I sort of wish that they had built the black one too so that I could see them both, but then maybe there would be so many people here that it would be unbearable. Fortunately, the size of the Taj is large enough that even the number of people that arrive... just disappear in the vastness of the setting.

Above: A sample of the marble inlaid with precious stones. The orange is cornelian.

Left: The red sandstone mosque to the left of the Taj Mahal is an important gathering place for Agra's Muslim population. The identical building to the right of the Taj was built for symmetry. It can't be used as a mosque as it doesn't face the right direction.

Right: Some Indian tourists enjoying the Taj at sunset... just like me! In the background is one of the four ornamental minarets that are on each of the four corners of the Taj.

Left: A close up view of the side of the Taj, its marble work and the detail on the marble platform upon which the tomb sits. Keep in mind, this is just one corner of the whole thing.

Right: The gate from which every tourist sees their first view of the Taj. As you can see, there is a throng of people waiting in the doorway to get "THE" picture of the Taj reflecting in the water in the foreground.

Left: A view from atop the platform towards the ornamental "mosque" in the morning light.

Right: The Taj in the morning. There were far fewer tourists at 5 in the morning... surprised?

Left: The sun coming up in the outer gates of the Taj Mahal.

Right: A group of Indian tourists coming to see the sunrise at the Taj Mahal

Journal Continued:
Also today, I was walking around the village behind the Taj, where the farmers and field workers live. I was filming a woman making cow patty bricks which they dry and burn for fuel to cook with and everything. (This is a very efficient system. The cows eat the trash... almost everything but the plastic bags... and then out comes fuel.) Her daughter came up behind me and saw the image on the digital screen and got so excited. Suddenly there were 15 people each taking turns running in front of the camera so that the others could see her on the video screen.

Journal Continued:
They were so excited. The grandmother finally came over to see what all the noise was about.. after some discussion with the kids, she offered them all to me to take home with me. This caused a great deal of hilarity and the kids all were laughing and screaming and trying to out silly the others for the video.

Left: One of the fine guests at one of the luxurious hotels near the Taj.

Right: In the Kinari Bazaar, beyond the throngs of tourists you can find just about everything you would want... from multi colored fabric, to film, to shoes and a bunch of sweatpants.

Journal Continued:
Of course, I think that the most tense moment I have had was on the bicycle rickshaws in the bazaar in Delhi and again in Agra. A tiny little two-seater pulled by some 15 year old tiny boy with legs of steel dodging through and between cars and motorbikes and cows and camels and people through tiny alleys of vendors. I got my perspective on film and... trust me, it is an amazing ride. Of course, it won't be the real thing, it could never be the real thing without certain death... ;-)

Left: I wasn't the only one who chose a death defying trip on the bicycle rickshaw. These two fine ladies brave the market!

Above: One of the benefits of braving the market streets, is that you get a chance to peek inside of the Jama Masjid of Agra. These boys clearly don't seem to care about the "striking marble patterning" on the domes. They are too busy playing leapfrog.

Right: In the village, many of the women are gathering marigolds for divali, a hindu festival.

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