Agra - Delhi

The Mughals made Agra the capital of their Empire and it is not a surprise that many magnificient sites are located there. The most famous one is of course the Taj Mahal! Already the entrance gates are impressive. On top, the 22 white coupoles mean that it took 22 years to build the whole complex. Up to 30000 people were employed - or exploited - to bring it to completion by 1653. It was certainly one of the biggest "public works" project of the times. At least, the King lived long enough to see it completed.

Once through the gates, there sits the Taj Mahal. Beautiful and an architectural treasure. For example, the four minarets are slightly inclined outwards, so that in case of an earthquake, they would not fall on the main monument. There is also an elaborate water cooling system underneath the building, thanks to the river at the back. All this was build by the King Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his wife Mumtaz Mahal. It is amazing how some of the most impressive buildings were made for dead people, when an immense part of the living population did not even have solid houses to live in. 

The monument is perfectly symmetrical. Well, almost... The King wanted to build his own mausoleum (in dark marble) accross the river, but his son stopped him mostly for financial reasons. Instead, his son added his father's tomb next to his wife's, thus altering the balance of the main chamber. At least, they rest next to each other. The other difference between the sides is the inscription of various verses of the Koran.

A little bit further is the Agra Fort, with its imposing doors. What a sight it must have been to see elephants walking through the gates. Apparently, the ditch around the Fort was filled with crocodiles (in the river) and lions. No chance for assaillants to take it over.

Further still, after a little drive through the rich agricultural lands and yet poor villages, there is the city of Fatehpur Sikri, which was a capital city for only 14 years - the lack of water forced the King to move the capital back to Agra. The temple is very well preserved, with red sandstone typical of palaces in northern India. There are also the usual mosque, the Turkish bath, the houses for the wives, as well as the halls of public and private hearing, where the King would address his subjects.

The hall of private audience is special in the sense that the King would address his followers from the top of this central pillar. He was really dominating his people!

The most grandiose fort remains the Red Fort in Delhi. This is probably a symbol of the importance of Delhi, which was the capital of India several times, and experienced numerous battles and takeovers. Today, its importance is highlighted by the fact that it is the place where the Indian Prime Minister addresses the nation on Independence day. The entrance of the Fort is massive, the walls high and thick. Yet, once inside, it is spacious and somptuous with elegant pavillons and beautiful gardens. The mughal emperors certainly knew how to enjoy life.

It is the same King who designed the Taj Mahal and the inside of the Red Fort! The halls of private and public audience are superb, with elegant designs and paintings. Everything is well planned with a beautiful sequence comprising the mosque, the Turkish baths, the Hall of private audience, the emperor apartments, and the wives' house. The white marble shines in the sun, and the engravings are very delicate.

The Hall of private audience had a peacock-shaped throne. There is also an inscription which reads: "If heaven can be on the face of the earth - this is it, this is it, this is it!".

Another landmark is the Delhi Gate. It was inaccessible to us because of troops and classes rehearsing for the upcoming parade on Republic Day. It was almost invisible too, as the winter fog was dense.

The last two buildings we visited were religious ones. The Delhi mosque, which is the largest in India - guess who built it? It surprised me in the sense that there is no inside praying space. The climb to the top of one minaret was well worth it. You realise how cahotic the adjacent markets are, how imposing the red fort is, and how huge Delhi is - you cannot see the end of it.   

The lotus temple is the Baha'i house of worship. The visit here was probably the only one in India that was done in an organised way, with lines and groupings. The main praying space has a Protestant feel: it is a large space with no ornaments, no statues, no tables. It must be even more impressive on a sunny day.