Agra

I wasn't really fussed about seeing the Taj Mahal. In the past I have built myself up before seeing famous things, imagining great beauty or power, something really awe inspiring only to be let down. The Taj Mahal was just a big white marble building famous for a dead princess having sat in front of it.

I was wrong

It was worth sitting on a bus for 6 hrs for. I have never been so captivated by a building, it is incredible. Sometimes no matter how many pictures you see of a thing you can't grasp the proportions and beauty until you are there, seeing it for real. This is one of those.
It is not a lump of solid white marble, it is inlaid with with Lotus flowers in coral stone, (Hindu symbolism), green leaves of malachite, beautiful patterns in bright greens and blues, amethyst, jade and opal, and columns of Muslim scripture in black onyx. The tomb chamber itself has filigree sheets each carved out of a single marble block, like Chinese ivory carving but 5 feet tall. The building took 20,000 men 22 years to build. It is flawless, a true wonder of the world. Shah Jehan had it built to house his wife's body, he planned to build a matching building in black marble on the opposite side of the Yumuna river (Jumna), he had got as far as laying the foundations. But his younger son Araungzeb imprisoned him in his own fort during a war with the heir and favourite, Dara, over the inheritance of power. Araungzeb won and Shah Jehan lived out his days in the Agra Fort, his project abandoned..

The most amazing thing is that this masterpiece was build in the 17th Century - no machines, everything was done by hand. We went to a marble factory to see how it is done, the direct descendants of the men who built the Taj are still doing the same work, but for table tops. Their work is amazingly beautiful - if I were a squillionaire I would have one for my dining table. Until then I'll just have to dream. By the way, they are guaranteed to be the direct descendants by the caste system. Trades are passed from father to son, you can't just pick a job and do it; here roles are very clearly defined.

The hawkers in Agra are very aggressive salesmen, you can't shake them off and they won't take no for an answer. In the space of 20 yards a wooden backgammon set (which was lovely) started at Rs800 ($20) and by the time I was climbing on the bus having been bodyguarded by the guys from the bus who tried to rescue me it was Rs 120. I think I should have bought it actually, it was really nice. Instead I bought a jointed wooden cobra (but of course!) which is a very brotherish present.

Along the road to Delhi it is obvious where all the buses have to stop for road taxes etc; the road is lined with beggars, snake charmers, men with monkeys that get thrown at the bus and cling to the window, then sit on top of a stick held by the man. Then he yanks at the rope round its neck and it does a backflip. A miserable thing to see.

The Agra Fort is an imposing red sandstone building. If you must be held in a prison, this is a pretty good one to pick! The bedchambers are marble inlaid with flowers like the Taj Mahal, which is visible through the arched windows. There's also a large courtyard with flower garden surrounded by bedrooms where the hareem lived. Nuff said!