Taj Mahal, Agra Red Fort, & Fatehpur Sikri

As promised here are our photos from our wonderful day trip to Agra!

Taj Mahal

We arrived at the (scary) train station at about 5:30am to board our express train to Agra. We were very thankful to have a guide with us to ensure we boarded the correct train, in the proper coach, and in the appropriate seats – it was a zoo out there!

This was the beautiful entrance gate to the Taj Mahal. It was meant to represent the gate into paradise. If you look closely you can see the Taj Mahal through the opening.

This inscription is taken from the Quran and is designed to have larger font at the top of the arch than at the bottom such that it looks the same size when you look up to read it. It is all inlay onyx – not just painted on!

Our first glimpse of the Taj Mahal as we passed through the gateway.

The truly beautiful and surreal white marble mausoleum. This structure was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife. The four minarets are 100% symmetrical and are placed on an angle to give the illusion that the structure is actually blooming from the earth.

So lucky to have the opportunity to visit one of the man-made wonders of the world!

The Guest House and the Mosque are located on opposite wings of the Taj and are absolutely identical and symmetrical.

It was said that these fountains were once filled with scented water and the gardens were of lush orchards. Unfortunately, today these orchards are now quite barren and the fountains are being splashed with blue paint?

Beautiful from all angles.

There are theories suggesting that Shah Jahan planned to build a mausoleum identical to the Taj Mahal directly across the river to be used as his own tomb site except it was meant to be made entirely of black marble – imagine!!

Thank you Western Physiotherapy for this amazing opportunity!!!!!

We visited a marble shop where the employees showed us just how much work goes into marble inlay as seen in the Taj Mahal architecture. It’s incredibly tedious but the final product is incredible – and indestructible!

Agra Red Fort

The Red Fort was the last fort that the Mughals built in the 1600’s, when the fortunes of the empire were rising. The planning and aesthetics of the Red Fort represent the peak of Mughal creativity.

Public audience hall where the King would listen to concerns from the public.

Where the King sat in his throne.

Aurangzeb (sixth Mughal Emperor), and the third son of Shah Jahan, declared his dad incompetent to rule and put him under house arrest in Agra Fort until his death in 1666. Shah Jahan could see the distant Taj Mahal from his prison at Red Fort.

We sat on a window sill and enjoyed the breeze and the view of the Taj Mahal in the distance.

Fatehpur Sikri

The top section of the kitchen walls in Jodha bai’s palace are carved with over a hundred different designs of jhumkas, a kind of earring.

The central pillar of Diwan-i-khas and some talented workers.

Anup talao (pond).

A panoramic view of Fatehpur Sikri. Anup talao (pond), the platform in the middle was used for singing competitions.

On our way back to Agra from Fatehpur Sikri.

Game of chicken with other vehicles

Our dinner at Indiana in Agra.

 

Adam & Amanda