Friday, February 13
Paula: Our drive today from Delhi to Agra was 210 km
and took us about five hours. We were looking forward to seeing some open
countryside, since we knew that this area is known for its agriculture. However,
the initial part of the road between Delhi and Agra was crowded with traffic
and people everywhere. Villages along the route were congested with open markets
and people. The major road, like the roads in downtown Delhi, were shared
by bikes carrying huge loads, carts pulled by donkeys and camels, buses, trucks
and small vehicles crammed with local residents. Even pedestrians, goats and
cows
walked along the highway. As in Delhi, everyone weaved through the road at
high speeds with no apparent lanes or rules. We saw several accidents and
couldn't believe there weren't more. Our driver, Rajan, uses the horn constantly
and drives aggressively (taking advantage of the size of our mini-bus). However,
he never losses his cool and always looks calm.
As we left Delhi, we were again struck by the number of people living on
the streets and doing small jobs. We saw washers doing laundry and hanging
the clothing out to dry on the fences of
major roadways. We saw men on their hands and knees sweeping the streets with
small hand brooms. We saw men and women doing small construction projects,
often moving gravel and stones in large baskets on their heads. As we got
further from Delhi, we saw people collecting cow dung and making pies to dry
in the sun and then sell as fire starter. We saw people collecting bundles
of sticks for firewood and herding small groups of goats. Utpal told us that
these odd jobs are often the only jobs available for the thousands of transit
people who come to Delhi from small villages looking for work. They live on
the roadsides unable to 
find
affordable housing. The government has tried to provide shelter but is finding
that this is only encouraging the migration of more people into the city.
We did see some farms along the way in the providence of Haryan. The corps
growing are mostly grains, mustard, and vegetables. Apparently, the past two
years tremendous production has lead to a surplus. We also learned that diamonds
and other precious jewels provide India with its greatest source of income.
Just before getting to Agra, we stopped to see the tomb of Akbar, the greatest of the Mughal emperors during the 16th and 17th centuries. The sandstone and marble tomb blends Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Christian motifs and styles.
We arrived in Agra around 2:30pm and immediately stopped for lunch. Utpal
helped us order another wonderful traditional meal. The kids especially e
njoy
wiping their plates clean with the delicious fresh Indian breads. Today we
tried three different kinds of bread: nan, roti and pratha. Another tradition
we enjoy is ending the meal with a handful of rock sugar and anise.
After lunch we made our way through the crowded city of Agra. Agra is also
quite large with over 1.5 million residents. The two major sites in Agra are
the famous Taj Mahal and Agra 
Fort.
These monuments were built and occupied by the great Mughal emperors of the
16th and 17th centuries including Babur, Akbar, Jehangir and Shah Jahan. This
huge red sandstone fort was protected on one side by the Yamuna River and
on the other three sides by double walls and a crocodile-filled moat. We enjoyed
touring the fort and the many buildings and palace within the walls. We were
fascinated by the beautiful stonework and surreal air surrounding the site
which included views of the Taj Mahal in the distance. Monkeys climbed along
the tops of the fort walls and parrots swooped and squawked.
Our
last stop of the day was a craft store that specializes in manufacturing inlaid
marble. Marble, especially with inlayed stone and jewels is a specialty of
the area and part of the wonder of the Taj Mahal. We learned about how the
marble was fabricated and designed. The products were beautiful and we made
a small purchase to remind us of our stay here in India.
We look forward to seeing the Taj Mahal tomorrow and after viewing this famous wonder will head to the village of Saiwar where we'll be visiting an S.O.S Children's Village.
