The story of the book goes like this. Jahanara, the eldest daughter, of the 17th century emperor, Shah Jahan, recounts her childhood, her parents, and the events of war, rebellion, and religious fundamentalism that occurred during the construction of the Taj Mahal.
My story is much more humble though, it is about two people who after a stay of four-five years in Delhi, between the periods of 2001 till 2006, could not find time (?) to have a weekend visit to Agra. But the similarity with the original is that the Taj Mahal is the central character in both of them. And here as well, I would give an account of the events that occurred around the visit to the city of the Taj, sans the war, rebellion, and religious fundamentalism.
Let me start from I left off the last time. After our trip to the Kasauli, we were back in Delhi, safe and sound. Only to plan the next one! With two consecutive long weekends in Mid August, we were lured to book tickets to plan a trip to Kolkata. But it got cancelled in the eleventh hour. But we had a backup plan ready with us, and that is how the trip to Agra materialised!
Let’s look back at the period of 2001 - 2006. Two young engineers, quite fresh from college, at the beginning of their professional career; and madly in love with each other started to take their first steps in life as husband and wife. The timing was perfect to visit the Taj then. But it did not materialise; “why and how” are a few difficult questions which I would like to dodge at this moment! So, now, almost a decade later, when they are the proud parent of a 6 and half year old son; and when their career is at the crossroads, when their life has become more calculative than carefree, and when their love for each other has not diminished from those initial years of madness, Taj Mahal happens in their life.
The journey begins from where so many journeys do in India; from the railway station. We reached the station at 5:55 in the morning, with sleepy eyes and a slight disgust on losing a well earned early morning weekend sleep. But when the 6:15AM Bhopal Shatabdi took just two hour to reach Agra Cantt station, it made us feel that we now have the full day with us in Agra. (For travel and train fanatics like me, an information I would proudly like to share is that the Bhopal Shatabdi is the fastest train in India, with a top speed of 162 km per hr!)
We had Akbar (!!) to take us from the station to the Hotel, but his Indica taxi was almost from the same era as the great emperor himself! Hotel Sarovar Portico, once Howard Park Plaza welcomed us with a comfortable room, which faced the main road. This was good for us, as it would give Debarghya something to look at outside to keep busy. Few aspects of the Hotel were quite up to the mark with its three star rating, but in a few situations, it seemed that the hotel was now past its prime. A rigorous revamp on a few fronts is required, and for a start, some work was also going on one of the wings of the hotel.
After a quick shower and refreshment, we were out on the streets. We got an Auto Rickshaw, and within 10 minutes we were outside the West Gate of the Taj. I don’t remember the queue and the check in formalities, as inside I could hardly wait to get the first glimpse of the Taj. And as soon as we went up the stairs of the gate there it was, in front of our eyes, beneath a blue sky, under the blazing sun. Everything else seemed inconsequential. The first impression of the Taj to me (which was strangely seconded by Sushree later) was a mixture of utmost awe and also a slight sense of disappointment. Am I having surprised readers here? Well, I am being just honest. Somewhere deep inside my head, a sigh just originated for a split second. Frankly, Taj Mahal may be most photographed historical monument in India, and along with the fact that I had a long wait of 35 years of my life to get the first look of the Taj, the sigh inside brought a sense of "Oh this is Taj after all!" with it. But, that was, may be, only 5 per cent of my overflowing sentiments at that moment! The rest was mostly an awe, a sense of bedazzlement and a feeling of speechlessness. The jaw simply drops at the moment! The size, the symmetry in design, simply the beauty of the structure creates an aura of amazement around it!
We walked up to the main structure. And the details in thedesign, the sculpturing in the white marble, the Yamuna in the back ground and the Agra Fort as the horizon made us speechless for some time. It was really a wonderful experience!
After a brief tour, the heat and the sun got to us, and we decided to travel back to the hotel. With an ethereal feeling in our minds. The only distraction was the constant heckle of the numerous guides and instant photographers we had to face during our stay in the Taj.
Lunch and siesta at the hotel followed. And early afternoon, we were out. This time, our destination was the Agra Fort. We got our auto and reached the fort at around 4:30 in the afternoon. And the tour inside the fort was for an hour or so. And the experience there was also almost as exciting as the morning one! The walk along the side of the Yamuna, over the extended terrace studded with small palaces at regular intervals was great. The view of the Taj from the fort was breathtaking as it is, but when added with the fact (or is it fiction?) that long long ago Shah Jahan also used to have the same view of his dear creation, the effect multiplies many fold.
Our Tonga ride after the fort trip turned out to be a dampener for the day, as the Tonga-walah insisted that we visit a specified souvenir shop. Upon refusing to do so, he simply left us in the middle of nowhere! We managed to travel back courtesy a cycle rickshaw ride followed by Auto-rickshaw!
Dinner was at a place called Raj Dhaba; nothing noteworthy about that. The night’s sleep was though very pleasant and refreshing.
Next Morning we had early breakfast at 7, and then Salamat drove us to Fatehpur Sikri. The couple of hours stay at Fatehpur Sikri was also a mixed experience. The Sikri portion was worth remembering for long. But due to fair on occasion of Ramadan in the Fatehpur area the crowd was overpowering the beauty of the place. The disturbance of the guides was present here as well.
Sikri was in fact wonderful (I feel I am short of words now). The brilliance in architecture, and the vision behind it all was exemplary. The walk along the Jodha bai Mahal, Pach Mahal, Dewan-i-Aam, Dewan-i-Khas almost made us time travellers! And tired as well!! So after a brief look at the Buland-Darwaja, and a quick visit inside the Tomb of Salim Chisti by Sushree, we started our travel back to Agra.
Afternoon tour included the Itmad-ud-daulah Tomb and the Mehtab Bagh. The journey included crossing the Yamuna, which seemed to be a meek reflection of the glory days of the past! Effect of progress, pollution and neglect!
Our first stop was at the Itmad-ud-daulah tomb, which is more popularly known as the ‘Baby Taj’! Just by the side of the Yamuna and much less infested with tourist, our first glimpse made us feel how aptly the nick name has been chosen! It also reminded me of a small tomb in Murshidabad in Bengal! The tomb was, I don’t know whether I am allowed to use the adjective, cute! Yes, its size when compared with the Taj, yet the compactness in design, intricate with marble engraved works all around, made it look cute! The ambience was also pretty soothing; with much less crowd and a gentle breeze across the river.
Our next stop was the Mehtab Bagh, arguably the location where the Black Taj was about to come up. Setting aside the stories (controversies?) about Shah Jahan planning to create a mirror image of the Taj Mahal across the river but in black marble, the view of the Taj from across the river was breathtaking enough. What if the stories about the black Taj were correct, and what if Shah Jahan had the time, money and zeal to build the black Taj for himself, would make you feel a shiver looking at the empty spaces in the garden, with remains of what could have been the boundary wall for the tomb. It could have been the most wondrous place on earth itself. But we stopped day dreaming about it soon, as the day itself was coming to an end, and the last rays of sun were reflecting off the white marble of the Taj. We sat through till the arrival of the dusk, and darkness. And we started our journey back to the hotel, spellbound and mesmerized. We agreed to have a relook at the Taj next morning, during sunrise.
We were out in the streets again next morning around 6; and were in time to view the first rays of the day on the Taj. The visual effect of the golden rays of the morning sun was magnificent. As the sun rose from the horizon upwards, the effect of it on the Taj was a like a rewinding the experience from last evening. It seemed that somebody is replaying the recorded tape from last evening backwards! This time around the stay in the Taj was much more pleasant, as the temperatures in the early morning made the atmosphere pretty comfortable. We came back to the hotel around 8:30 to enjoy the breakfast spread at buffet table.
After an hour or so, we went out to shopping, and were led to Sadar Bazaar, a big market place in Agra, with local stalls and big shops all together. We collected some souvenirs, had some local Kachauris and tea (which was great). And also got some Petha (local brand of Sweet) from the ‘world famous’ original Panchhi Petha! There were at least a couple of ‘Paanchi’ or ‘Pakshi’ or ‘Panchhis’ Petha available at each of the major cross roads of the City, and each one of them claiming to be the original!
Lunch was a continental affair with Fish and Chips and a Pizza with assorted toppings! We tried to get some sleep in the afternoon, as we had a late night arrival in New Delhi station. We checked out late evening and then spent some time in the Coffee shop and the Souvenir shop in the ground floor of the hotel. Salamat was there with his Indigo to drop us at the station. And the Train arrived at the Agra Cantt Station 4 minutes early, 8:21 pm instead of 8:25 pm. The travel back was comfortable, though the train got delayed by 15 minutes in reaching Delhi. The cab was pre-booked, and though we were stuck in the disorderly traffic around the station, we had a safe travel back home, and we were tucked in our bed just after mid night.
A controversy provoking thought to end with this time. Is the Taj Mahal more hyped than what it actually deserves? Along with the architectural wonder associated with the Taj (which I am handicapped to understand fully due to my minuscule knowledge of art, architecture and history), its value is multiplied many fold due to the emotions and sentiments involved with it. It is sometimes seen as the ultimate gift of love, as the limit of a man’s passion for his beloved wife! This to me is a little bit going overboard when recounting the ethos of the Taj. As much as it is a symbol of love, it is, to me, also a symbol of, simply speaking, male ego and a show-off of power; it is an icon of the careless whims of a nonchalant emperor! Because, when you look back, the Taj in effect marked the decline of the once great Mughal Empire. So, in the end of it all, was it really worth that much?
But again, beyond everything it stands for, it should only be counted by the number of goose bumps it creates on any casual visitor, it should be accounted for by the unbiased impression it creates on the mind of the nonchalant traveller. Look at me for instance, I have been showering heaps of adjectives, and in effect have been at a loss of words even! Beyond all the intricacies of art and architecture, beyond all the controversies and fables, and beyond all the sentiments and emotions involved, when we are in front of the Taj, we each get our own marble sky to set free our dreams on it.
1 comment:
exquisitely written sir!! makes me ponder that whether its the praise for the beauty of the TAJ or that for the beauty of the companion, beauty of the life itself that manifests itself as the praise for the TAJ.........
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