From the mountains we decended into the valley and onto Agra. The destination was singular, the Taj Mahal. The drive to Agra was fun. I’ve decided to think of driving in India as fun. The alternative is a paralyzing sense of fear that you’re about to die in a head-on collision since chances are 1. Your car will have no seatbelts and or 2. You will be involved in at least 2 passes that involve 3 cars and or tractors, likely some livestock, and a shoulder at some point.
I’ve been practicing what I learned in “Little Tibet” about mantras and meditation so that driving here is tolerable. But believe me, I’m not exaggerating, I feel like skydiving would be less exciting.
Our driver speaks English, which is great except he keeps trying to engage Todd in some conversation by pointing out how quiet he is which is pretty entertaining from the back seat where I meditate.
Even a glimpse of the Taj between alleyways is breathtaking. It is truly a wonder of the world.
We went across the river to view the sunset behind it. Some local boy showed us how to avoid paying the entry fee to a park and see the same view from what turns out to be where they burn bodies and put ashes in the river. A security guard kept trying to move us along but the stubborn boy just told us to ignore him. So we got enough pictures and got back to homestay.
The next day we had a tour guide meet us at Taj and show us around. The air was clear and that made it all the more beautiful. The story is that it was built by a Maharaja for the 3rd of his 4 wives who bore him 14 children and died in childbirth. He built it as a memorial to her. It’s her, not him, that is the center of the whole complex. Literally her body marks the benchmark of the entire complex. When he had plans to build a black Taj exactly the same across the River his son said he’d basically wasted enough money and said no, so he’s buried off center next to his wife...no black Taj...which would have also been epic.
It’s not the biggest thing I’ve seen, not the most ornate, but it’s a masterpiece of symmetry and perspective. It pulls you to the middle from wherever you view it.
We left there for what our driver claimed was the best city in all of India, Jaipur...his home town.
I’ve been practicing what I learned in “Little Tibet” about mantras and meditation so that driving here is tolerable. But believe me, I’m not exaggerating, I feel like skydiving would be less exciting.
Our driver speaks English, which is great except he keeps trying to engage Todd in some conversation by pointing out how quiet he is which is pretty entertaining from the back seat where I meditate.
Even a glimpse of the Taj between alleyways is breathtaking. It is truly a wonder of the world.
We went across the river to view the sunset behind it. Some local boy showed us how to avoid paying the entry fee to a park and see the same view from what turns out to be where they burn bodies and put ashes in the river. A security guard kept trying to move us along but the stubborn boy just told us to ignore him. So we got enough pictures and got back to homestay.
The next day we had a tour guide meet us at Taj and show us around. The air was clear and that made it all the more beautiful. The story is that it was built by a Maharaja for the 3rd of his 4 wives who bore him 14 children and died in childbirth. He built it as a memorial to her. It’s her, not him, that is the center of the whole complex. Literally her body marks the benchmark of the entire complex. When he had plans to build a black Taj exactly the same across the River his son said he’d basically wasted enough money and said no, so he’s buried off center next to his wife...no black Taj...which would have also been epic.
It’s not the biggest thing I’ve seen, not the most ornate, but it’s a masterpiece of symmetry and perspective. It pulls you to the middle from wherever you view it.
We left there for what our driver claimed was the best city in all of India, Jaipur...his home town.
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