Day 36 Driving in India and Agra

We were met on time at the hotel for the 4+ hour drive on National Hwy 2.  We headed out of New Delhi in some traffic but not like the Monday noon stuff we arrived in.  The road is divided with a grass and shrub median and is striped with 2 lanes in each direction; it has cross roads and access from road side establishments; the speed limit appears to be about 50mph. All these vehicles are on the road:  large and light trucks, construction equipment, big and small busses, cars, tuktuks (3 wheeled scoters), motor and pedal bikes of all sizes, wagons pulled by bikes/ people/ animals and farm tractors.   

School girls on the back of a tuktuk:

Ox cart: 

Most are moving in the same direction and fighting for space, but a regular number are coming toward you on either shoulder lane.  Broken down vehicles remain where they stop until fixed and an occasional cow will be walking or laying in/on the road. 
 
The way these vehicles are loaded is also amazing, people and things jammed into spaces that make circus cars look roomy! 

I counted 19 people in this, the size of a Ford Explorer:

It is a wonder more accidents do not occur.  We saw a woman who was hit near the median lying in the road.  It looked like people were trying to get help, but it was hard to figure out what was going to happen.
 
Every time we come into a town, a road side bazaar materializes and vehicles stop to buy or chat but do not pull totally off the road. 

Instant roadside bazaar: 

Pedestrians cross randomly thru the moving traffic and they're often school kids in uniforms.  It's amazing more people aren't killed.  But the other side of the chaos is that almost all the people are neatly dressed and vibrant, moving with a purpose.  We never felt an oppressive poverty even when we could see they're poor.
 
We got to Agra in 4+ hours about 160 miles from New Delhi, checked into our hotel and after an hour went to see the Taj Mahal.  Our guide is a young man (20 something) who is very good.  We took a horse drawn cart to the entrance - Chris loved driving. 

On the way to the Taj Mahal (Shelly, what would Tina think?):

Taj Mahal was built as a monument to the Mughal's wife in 1631; it took 20 million workers 22 years at a cost of 5 million rupees, with treasures from all over the world.  All the gold and precious stones that were used make it impossible to describe the beauty.  It looks so bright and polished that it seems modern.  The white marble does not seem to stain, and since the Government began protecting against pollution by ending cars and factories in the area, it may stay looking young. 

There are never enough pictures of the Taj Mahal:

Main gate:

Built as a monument to express his love for his wife:

We are having some fun:

 
The Red Fort was built as a defensive structure and added to by the next 3 Mughals. 

  

After the draw bridge was raised there was a mote full of crocodiles, then a 40 foot wall with soldiers, next a wooded land full of lions and tigers and bears, and then a 70 foot wall with more soldiers.  

If your army got inside, you faced a steep stone walk that horses could not ride up and the Mughal's troops rolled big boulders down upon the advancing enemy.  It was never breached while occupied.
 
The Fort was also the castle, with the entire court and entourage, the seat of government, home for the army, mosque, prison and lots more.  Three quarters of the place is still in use as an army fort. The court where the people could come to discuss matters with the Mughal has 64 pillars, one for each minister and he could see each one from his raised chair.  Two wives (they took turns) sat behind screens and decisions were made by the three, and the guide said they had equal votes. 

Sitting on the steps to the Emperor’s bed room:

There was a locked area the guide showed us that was a bath for the beloved wife.  All of the ceiling is covered in facets of convex glass mirrors.  

The ceiling glitters like stars in the night sky:

When you see it in full light it is pretty, but when dark, a simple candle makes it come alive like night sky full of stars, beyond beautiful.  So the guide finds the super of these rooms and arranges a showing for a fee; it was truly the most beautiful room.  Hope the video shows some of the splendor.  Just remember the only light is from 2 small candles the guy is moving about in his hands.