An Unforgettable Summer: A Palace and a Fort

5/18/10

Location: Delhi, India

Today we rose before dawn so we could go see India’s most famous attraction and one of the seven new wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal, before the day reached its high of 47 degrees, or about 116 degrees Fahrenheit. It still was about 80-90 degrees that early if I had to guess, but by the time we got there the sun had recently risen and it was much more bearable then the afternoon heat. When I first saw the Taj Mahal after we made it past the hawkers and the entrance gate, I thought that it looked about the same as it does in pictures I have seen. We were a couple football fields away from it at the entrance. We walked by the long reflecting pool flanked by manicured bushes, then stopped to rest on benches while our tour guide told us all about the Taj Mahal. It’s a mausoleum built in the honor of the favorite wife of the emperor Shah Jahan, Mumtaz Muhal. Taj Mahal means “crown palace” and it took over 22 years to complete and thousands of workmen contributed to the effort. One thing that I did not know was that Shah Jahan had planned to build an identical palace in black marble across from the Taj Mahal, but his son Aurangzeb had imprisoned him in Agra Fort because Aurangzeb wanted to be emperor. I think the identical black and white mausoleums facing each other would have been dazzling. Shah Jahan was obsessed with symmetry and the balance between the white/summer/feminine palace and the black/winter/masculine palace would be something I would have like to have seen.

But even without the other palace, the Taj is something special. After we ascended the platform in front of the Taj Mahal, I started to realize why it is so revered and treasured. It is perfectly symmetrical in every way imaginable, from the minarets to the umbrellas to the windows, and all of the white marble makes it shimmer in the sun and look heavenly. The white marble isn’t all white though—it varies from shades of white/cream to gray and tan and has a slight yellow tinge from pollution. The colors remind me of NY cheesecake and turtle cheesecake. I don’t even like cheesecake, but that’s what the shades of marble resemble. It does resemble a castle slightly, but more like a pretty princess castle that puts Disney’s Cinderella castle to shame. Technically, I suppose it is like a castle for Queen Mutzam. It’s incredibly majestic and regal in appearance, but it’s also soft and feminine because of the white marble and floral detail. I was awestruck by all of the flowers chiseled into the marble walls. There are tulips, lilies, roses, and you can see all of the lines in the petals. All of it was done by hand over 300 years ago. There are lotus flowers and honeysuckle gemstone inlays around the wall facades and inside on the walls surrounding the tombs of Shah Jahan and Mutzam Muhal. It really is a crown palace as it name describes.

After viewing the Taj, we came back to our hotel for breakfast. They had so many options, both Indian and continental, and we relished the cold fruit and juice since it was already 100 degrees Fahrenheit outside and it was only 10 in the morning! After breakfast, we went to Agra Fort. The first thing we saw outside Agra Fort was the monkeys. There were several monkeys just chilling outside the fort, scratching themselves and making monkey noises. Our first reaction was something like “Oh cute, Indian monkeys!” but our guide quickly told us they can be vicious and are likely to have rabies. That definitely was enough to make us stay far away from the monkeys.

Agra Fort is the most important fort in India. The Mughal emperors lived there, the country was governed from there, and it was visited by a variety of foreign ambassadors and dignitaries who played key roles in shaping the history of India. The fort covers a whopping 94 acres and is semicircular in shape. We entered the fort through the Lahore gate, and then explored the fort with our tour guide. The fort is immense, and we saw the gardens, the public audience forum, the private audience forum, the harem house, the music house, the mosques, and so much more I can’t even remember all of the buildings and rooms we visited. I took so many photos and just moved from building to building and looked in wonder at the architecture. I love history, and it was fun to imagine what the fort was like in its prime, not bare and worn, but colorfully painted with canopies, rugs, pillows, and candles. The place felt so majestic and powerful, and my eyes just filled the fountains, put the soldiers at their posts, and watched the emperor and his harem stroll in the gardens with little effort. Sometimes I forget how long human life has been on earth and how far we’ve progressed. Places like the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort remind me that our history is long and rich, and while many things change as time goes on, so many other things remain the same.

We were all so sweaty and drained after Agra Fort, since the heat not only radiated down from the sun but from the toasted red sandstone walls and floors as well. So, we were all relieved to go into an air-conditioned factory and store where artisans create marble and gemstone pieces just like the walls in the Taj Mahal. The artisans are direct descendants of the workers who did the gemstone work at the Taj Mahal, and the grandfather trains the grandson every generation. It takes about 30-40 years to become a master craftsman, and after seeing the demonstration, it’s easy to see why. We watched as the craftsmen gently carved out designs in the marble with long, specially-tipped chisels. The white marble is temporarily stained red so they can see what they are doing clearly. The marble is incredibly hard—I have no idea how it ranks on the Mohs scale, but we got to try the chisels out and it was hard to make a scratch. The craftsmen really have to push the chisel forcefully to make their designs, and hold it correctly so it doesn’t slip and make an unintentional mark. Next, they cut all of the pieces of the semi-precious gemstones—lapis, jade, jasper, turquoise, and more—to be laid in the empty spaces in the design. The master craftsmen use hundreds of tiny pieces of gemstones to create the gemstone inlay—some are smaller than a fingernail clipping. We looked at different gemstone lotus images that had pieces ranging from 30 to over 300. It’s amazing how much patience and skill it takes to create the gemstone design. The gemstones are held in place in the marble with a special glue. The recipe, they said, is as special as Coca-Cola and only the top craftsmen know it. It only melts once, then hardens like a cement and nothing can get those gemstones out once they are set. You can’t help but believe it’s true, since all of the gemstones at the Taj Mahal are still beautifully aligned and none are missing.

After learning about the techniques to create such stunning marble and gemstone art, we got to see the showroom/store. There were hundreds of things for sale—dining tables, end tables, checkerboards, vases, pictures, jewelry boxes, coasters. Most of the designs have intricate swirls and scrolls, and some kind of nature, such as flowers, vines, leaves, etc. Some just have geometric designs, but all of them were just beautifully crafted. White marble is translucent, and they showed us how the light shines through an end table. It also doesn’t scratch and is non-porous, so spills are no problem for the tables. The prices ranged dramatically, since the price is set based on the size of the piece and the intricacy of the design, or basically how long it took a craftsman to complete. Almost everything was out of my price range, but I did find a small jewelry box I could afford and loved. It’s a circular jewelry box with a single rose on the lid in lapis, turquoise, and jade, and smaller roses and vines in lapis, jade, and jasper encircling the sides. It’s absolutely gorgeous, even though it’s quite simple in comparison to some of the larger, more detailed pieces, and I can’t wait to use it on my nightstand or dresser at home.

Afterward, Scott asked if we would like to stop by a clothing store to go shopping, the girls were all for it. The boys reluctantly obliged and sat on the store’s couch while personnel threw every color and design of shirts, suits, saris, and scarves at us. Brock took a video of all the “feeding frenzy.” I believe every girl bought at least something. I got a light, long-sleeved silky shirt in a brilliant peacock blue with stunning gold and brown beading around the neckline and chest and a touch of beading on the hems of the sleeves, too. It was a more expensive shirt, but I absolutely fell in love with it and it’s definitely something I could see myself wearing at home, unlike a sari. I also got a pink cotton shirt with black embroidery on the neck and sleeves, as well as a couple of printed silk scarves.

We came back to the hotel for lunch, and we all couldn’t believe it was only lunchtime. It felt like 4 in the afternoon, but then we remembered we all got up between 4 and 5:30 A.M.! The rest of the day was ours until the group dinner at 7:00 P.M., so we decided to hit up our hotel’s pool since it was so scorching hot outside. The pool was nice and cool thanks to jets pumping in cold water, and even had a waterfall. We swam and chilled in the pool for a few hours (with sunscreen, of course) then headed back inside for a nap or journaling before dinner.

We had our group dinner at the same rooftop terrace grill we ate at on our first night in Agra, and we all dressed up in our Indian clothes we had purchased earlier that day or previously. Everyone at the dinner had Indian food and it was delicious. I’m usually not a huge fan of Indian food since it’s often too spicy for my taste, but I had the Murg Malaii Tikka chicken and butter naan and loved it. “The Murg” became a favorite Indian dish for a lot of us, and I know that Brock, Caitlyn, Kelly, and LaRissa have all ordered it during at least one meal. During the dinner, the group discussed our thoughts on India—what were our first impressions, a defining moment, how we have changed since we’ve arrived in India and how we have changed since the May seminar began. Everyone had unique things to say and it was very enjoyable for me to listen to what others though, both what was similar to my feelings and what was different. Since we are traveling to so many places in only month, a new place can be a lot to process and discussing India with the group helped me further develop my own thoughts about India. As I said in a previous entry, all of our connections and lasting memories will be different from one another’s, but meaning is created for everyone.

At the dinner, Scott quoted a poet (can’t remember the name—you can comment on this if you’re reading, Scott! I couldn’t find it via Google) who told a writer who asked for advice on how to become better at his craft. The poet said go home and start a garden. He didn’t mean to literally start a garden, but to find a place or places that is home for you and start something new. It doesn’t have to be a global project, but just something that you can cultivate and that matters deeply to you. I like that quote.