More notes on the Taj

I tried to take a good picture of the Taj that wasn't the same one everyone else takes. These are the tiles in front of the entrance to the tomb at the Taj.

Our guide, Gyanesh, speaks good English and knows lots of facts about the Taj. Most of what I say about the Taj that I didn’t witness directly myself, comes from him.

We drove to a parking lot where we had to switch to an electric cart. No motor vehicles are allowed within about 3 km of the Taj to protect it from pollution. Given the thickness of the air – and clearly some of that is fog and fog residue, but the smoky smell suggests it is much more than fog – this no cars zone is probably just symbolic. Besides, some motorcycles and other vehicles did go thru. We also had a choice of horse or camel carriage. Then we got out and walked the rest of the way. 750 Rupees each for foreigners (about $7.50). Gyanesh got our tickets, then we went thru the security line. Men in one line, women in another that is screened off. No food allowed, just a water bottle, camera. This is part security, part keeping the grounds clean.

Then you walk across a long area with Taj like architecture in sandstone. Then you get to the large arch – Gyanesh stops to explain the absolute symmetry, the mathematical nature of how the Taj was built, how the Arabic script was carefully calculated for perspective so it all looks exactly the same size, etc. There was something about 16 points of something and 53 of another and that matches the year it was completed – 1653. I asked why they would be working on the Christian calendar, since this was created by Muslims, and he mumbled some answer. He insisted in taking our picture here.

Finally we got to look through the huge arch for our first glimpses of the Taj. Wah! (fourth tone) as they would say in Mandarin. Just that first glimpse already said this was far more spectacular than the pictures could hint at.



Despite the fact that we were sharing the grounds with about 25,000 other people, many of whom were taking the same cutesy pose (body arched, hand down as though it were holding the taj in pinched thumb and forefinger) it didn’t matter. The taj overwhelmed it all. Even though the sky wasn’t quite blue – though it got close by 5pm), everything else was on such a grand splendor, the grounds so magnificent... yeah, I know this sounds like hype, but this was incredible. The taj and all the spaces around it really are special. Going inside to see the tomb got a bit tight. A fair amount of – not pushing - but people behind us wanted in and we knew it. Mostly Indians but many tourists. You have to take off your shoes before going in to see the tomb. And although it clearly says no photography inside, there were many flashes.

Eventually we got back to Gyanesh who was waiting for us. “I want my clients to have time to privately explore the grounds without feeling any pressure from me.” He went on to explain more, I was watching the bird nearby – a Hoopoe –
the most interesting looking bird in our old Hong Kong bird book, which I’d always wanted to see, but never have.

Later we had to stop at the government emporium to see the rug makers and then the tile makers. The tile inlay in the Taj is unique in the world, except for the Agra fort nearby that was built 30 years earlier. The story I’d heard before was that after the Taj was completed, the artisans’ hands were chopped off so no one else could have such beautiful tile. Sort of puts a damper on the great love story the Taj is supposed to represent. So when Gyanesh is explaining that the workers here are the descendents of the tile makers and make the inlay the same way as the Taj artisans did, and use the same glue that is “not available in the market” I had to ask how they could know to do this if all the hands were cut off. “Well, that is just a story. Actually, they only had to promise not to do any work like this again.”

We resisted all the sales politely, but did manage to pay way too much for a Taj Mahal replica that Joan had promised a friend. Oh well. Then back to the hotel where Gyanesh charmingly shook us down for more money “Pay what you will, I do not get paid for this. Normally it should be so much for half day, 650 Rupees for whole day, this was more than half day....” OK, we really don’t know the rules here and thought this was covered by the car hire.... And afterward realized, watching Pawan’s eyes as we handed over the money, that we were taken again.

The hotel was a nice one, like Amritsar, and the price very reasonable (2500 Rupees - @ $60) for basically a Western high rise hotel with breakfast, but Indian decor.

Joan is getting used to things much more, but it was a little dicey when we got back from Amritsar and we couldn’t find Sanjay or Pawan waiting for us. The crush of people


OK, OK, here's the picture you all expect to see.