Thursday, April 1, 2004....
We had applied for the Israel Visa for our official trip and was waiting for the visa to get stamped. Sudently, the company officials told that they got a call from the Israel embassy in New Delhi and I have to appear for the visa interview to be held the next day. I had to start on the same day. I didn't have enough time to go home and get ready. I called my friend Kumaran who was in Delhi at that time and made sure that I can stay with him. Right away I started from office to the airport without taking any thing. Did not take any spare dress even, went with a complete dependency on Kumaran Asked him to pick me up from the airport. The day being April 1st, I had a small doubt like, what if he mistakes me as if I am trying to fool him. Fortunately he didn't and picked me up from the airport to his room.
After attending the visa interview, I had Saturday and Sunday to spend in Delhi. We planned to visit Agra the next day. We didn't have any clue on what is the best route to reach there. We took a passenger train from New Delhi, which went on and on, stopping at every little station. There were not even any buildings for some stations., was just like people showing hands to stop an auto to get into it. We got highly disgusted in that travel and couldn't get any answer on when will it reach the Agra station. Finally we were able to find a railway authority and got the answer that it would still take long hours to reach there and better to get down at Mathura and catch any express train. Did the same as per his suggestion. That was one of the worst awkward travels I ever had.
On reaching Agra, we took an auto to visit the places in Agra. The first place to see was Mughal Gardens. This garden was Laid out by Babur, the first Mughal Emperor.
Me in front of the Mughal Gardens.
Kumaran inside the Moghul gardens
The next place to visit was the world famous Taj mahal!!! , the main purpose of our visit to Agra. The path to reach one of the world's wonders was not that good and so do is the area around it. It could have been well maintained. We could able to see many such domes like taj's in that region. When we entered the compound, it was too dark because of the shadow of the huge pavilion at the entrance. On passing through the Dark entrance, there comes the brightness from the astonishing beautiful Tajmahal standing right in front of us.
A white marble tomb built in 1631-48 in Agra, seat of the Mugal Empire, by Shah Jehan for his wife, Arjuman Banu Begum, who later became known as Mumtaz, the monument sums up many of the formal themes that have played through Islamic architecture. Its refined elegance is a conspicuous contrast both to the Hindu architecture of pre-Islamic India, with its thick walls, corbelled arches, and heavy lentils, and to the Indo-Islamic styles, in which Hindu elements are combined with an eclectic assortment of motifs from Persian and Turkish sources. Mumtaz and Shah Jehan were married in 1612 and, over the next 18 years, had 14 children together. The Empress used to accompany her husband in his military campaigns, and it was in 1630, in Burhanpur, that she gave birth to her last child, for she died in childbirth. So great was the Emperor love to his wife that he ordered the building of the most beautiful mausoleum on Earth for her.
No wonder, its one of the world's seven wonders. Picture taken by me:)
Taj's beauty ruined in this pic because of me :(
Me and Kumaran in front of a building which looked like a mosque. This is at one side of the main mahal. Photo taken by a foreign lady :)
A closure look at the same building. There is a similar one on the other side of the Taj too.
A closure look at one of four minarets that are set symmetrically about the tomb, are scaled down to heighten the effect of the dominant, slightly bulbous dome.
A view of river yamuna from Taj. It looked like our Coovum river., though nothing can beat it.
While most people visit Agra to see the Taj Mahal, Agra, once the capital of all of India, has more to offer. Less than 2 kilometers from the Taj Mahal, on the same river bank, you'll find the impressive Agra Fort. Agra's history goes back more than 2500 years, but the it wasn't until the reign of the Mughals that Agra became more than a provincial city. Humayun, son of the founder of the Mogul empire, was offered jewelry and precious stones by the family of the Raja of Gwalior, one of them the famous Koh-i-Noor. The heydays of Agra came with the reign of Humayun's son, Akbar The Great. During his reign, the main part of the Agra fort was built. Construction of the fort started in 1156 and was finished in 1605. Shah Jahan, who built the Taj Mahal, erected most of the buildings inside the fortress. The fort is built alongside the Yamuna river and stretches almost 2.5 km
Me and Kumaran in front of the fort.
me in front of one of the buildings in fort.
After going through the Amar Singh Gate you walk over a ramp and enter the Great Courtyard. On the right hand sight, there's the many pillared Diwan-i-Am (Hall of Public Audience). It was built by Shah Jahan in 1628.
me and kumaran inside the hall. you can see the marble pillars here.
A view from one of the windows in Agra fort. Can you see the Tajmahal here?
As a matter of fact, the emperor Shah Jahan, who built the Taj, was imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb in the Agra Fort where he had a view on the building erected for his deceased wife. Shah Jahan is said to have died in the Musamman Burj, a tower with a beautiful marble balcony. From there you probably have the best view on the Taj. Between the many pavilions, you find small well maintained gardens.
After covering all these places, we left Agra and fortunately we were able to take the Express train from Agra to reach Delhi in less than 3 hours and reached home on the same night.
We were so tired and on the next day, we could not go out. However, I did not want to waste my time as I had my flight at 6.00 pm. I left alone in the afternoon. Didnt have much time to roam around Delhi and decided to see atleast one place., and that is none other than my favourite Hero/National leader Mahatma Gandhiji's memorial at Rajghat.
Instant photo taken at Rajghat.
Also visited the Red fort, which is close to Rajghat. I was in a hurry to reach the airport and just spent two minutes to see the building outside. Its a huge building standing gigantic in front of us. Couldnt find any instant photographers to take pic of the Red fort.
Finally reached the airport on time and back home safely.
On seeing all these places, one question that comes to my mind is, when there were no such improvements in science and technologies., they were able to construct such monuments like Tajmahal, Agra fort, Redfort and lot many architectural marvels. Now that, there is a tremendous improvement in all the areas and you can achieve lot of things by automated process. However, we couldn't find any new buildings with such architecture., you cant even compare it. Is it because of the money involved in it? I believe yes. In my opinion, the emperors who built such wonders had a passion to do it and they also did take care of the people as they had enough money. In the recent years, you can't afford to put more money on such things, as we are running short of it to rule the country. What do you think?
with love,
Senthil
JAIHIND
PS: Some historical facts mentioned here are taken from other sites.
Kumaran inside the Moghul gardens
Me and Kumaran in front of a building which looked like a mosque. This is at one side of the main mahal. Photo taken by a foreign lady :)
A view of river yamuna from Taj. It looked like our Coovum river., though nothing can beat it.
Me and Kumaran in front of the fort.
@ Telaviv beach... 
Doron again... 
