SEEING THE TAJ MAHAL

Nothing can prepare you for the vision of the Taj Mahal when you walk through the arch of the northern gate.  It shimmers like an apparition and appears to be floating over the ground. This vision has a profound effect; truly it is a Wonder of the World.

We had risen well before sun rise and with our guide, Imran, toured the lovely marble mausoleum with its precisions inlays of Jasper, Jade, Coral, Lapis Lazuli, Cornelian, Malachite, Mother of Pearl and Onyx.

Twenty two years in the making by 20,000 people and architects for Persia and Turkey it was truly a super-human achievement which resulting in a piece of ethereal architecture which is a fresh today as the day it was build.

It was the idea of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, in memory of his third wife Mumtaz. The Taj is a perfectly and integrated complex of structures. He work began around 1632 and the Taj was completed around 1653 to house the tomb of Mumtaz.

 AGRA FORT

High in a marble tower, in Agra Fort, with the finest view of the Taj, Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son.The building of the Taj had all but bankrupted the State! 

Agra Fort  is a dichotomy: Its exterior is a classic Mughal red sandstone stronghold, walls a high to crick your neck! Its interior parts are delicate marble rooms, passageways as courtyards. It has been here since the 11^th century. Mughal fort in the 16^th century and then taken by the British in 1857 until 1947.   

We walked around the fort and I made some detailed drawings and comparisons with my last visit in 2007 and discovered that some of the earlier parts of fort, albeit in red sandstone are quick delicate in their decoration

After four hours of sightseeing before 10 am it was time for breakfast, we were as hungry as hunters. 

DOWN TO AGRA

Sunday: We only stayed on night at the wonderful Taj Mahal Delhi and we rose very early to get the 07:10 train to Agra, which is 124 miles south of Delhi.

We deftly made our way to Coach C2 of the Taj Express and entered the icy air conditioning.  It was a jolly carriage and one family settled an impressive five people on just two seats. Once we were safely on the move we opened up the breakfast box the hotel had kindly provided and tucked in.

By mid morning we arrived at Agra and the heat hit us like a slammed door. 

Agra was in the 1500 and 1600’s the centre of power in the region before the Mughals moved up to Delhi. It was again a conflagration for trade, academics and religions – Jesuits from the Portuguese settlements in Goa would journey here to engage in religious debates with the Muslim counterparts.

We engaged in some relaxation and reading before heading out through the town and across the Yamuna River to the Itimad-ud-Daulah, often referred to as the ‘baby Taj’. In fact the decoration rivals that of the Taj Mahal. It is a jewel box of marble and inlaid stone in a very delicate floral style that made much of local craftsmanship, for which the region is known.

CLOSER TO GOD IN GOA

AND CTV REVEALS ALL

Saturday reporting Friday and Saturday.

As mentioned earlier, on Friday afternoon, I left the reservation and ventured a kilometre or so up the road with my driver, Raman. First off we drove and parked up close to the Aguada Lighthouse a massive fortification that offers great views of the Zuari and Mandovi estuaries that snake inland. Underneath the lighthouse was a massive goal that until very recently keep wrong-doers bang to rights. The actual lighthouse was only de-commissioned in 1976.

Super-friend Derek (Guest Services Supremo) at the Vivanta Holiday Village Goa had also recommended visiting the Church of St Lawrence a little way down the road.  Again Raman parked up and I wandered up to the church.

It closed and a forced my way through a sort of turnstile. All the gates (delightful Art-Deco wrought-ironwork) were chained and locked. So I sat down on a concrete bench close by and made a creditable drawing of this lovely church.  The Church of St Lawrence was built in 1630 and has that delightfully over-the-top architecture that we love about the Church of Rome.  See illustration.

Least we forget Goa was a trading centre, originally established by Portugal’s seafarers, following in the footsteps of Vasco da Gama. By the middle part of Cl16 Estado da India was one of the great centres of the entire world - a rich trading post between West and East.

Saturday: Packing, discovered passports missing and caused a fuss, which later became acute embarrassment when the CCTV footage (Tuesday afternoon 16:00) revealed that I had stuffed them into my jacket pocket after they had been copied for the security purposes, prerequisite during check-in in any hotel in India.

We move on back to Delhi as a pair of Spice-Jetters.

[I interrupt this story to report that we are back in Delhi, at The Taj Mahal Hotel (a paradise in Delhi), and Sian has just been offered two different types of Kingfisher beers! For which she has to offer an opinion - a new  definition of female emancipation].

GOA-TASTIC

Another day in Paradise.

I thought, given the abundance of flowers and foliage I would tray my hand at botanical illustration; Following in the footsteps of Marion North 1830 - 1890 who's work is on display at Kew Gardens.
Results featured here: a triumph of charm over accuracy.

Had a lovely meeting with Guest Services Manager Derek Monteiro. I learnt a great deal about the Taj Hotel Group's enviable obsession with supporting local resources and culture.



He drew my attention to the number-plaques on each house: Of course, in that distinctive blue and white Portuguese pottery style that was prevalent until recent times and rescued by Taj when they commission all manner of pottery plaques before the last place of local manufacture disappeared.  This explains the Taj (Jaipur's) displays of Rajasthan music and dance on their front terrace every night. A way of putting back.

My putting back was a small water colour study in Derek's own Keepsake Book and another study in the Hotel's Guest Book. Two more thinly veiled attempts as self-aggrandisement.

This evening is our last as tomorrow we pack and head out on the 11am coach to the airport.

 Details of my trip off the reservation this afternoon. up the hill to the Fort today and the lovely church of St Lawrence, the Patron Saint of Sailors will keep a little longer. 

HECTIC IN GOA

A totally lazy day punctuated by occasional storms. I broke the monotony of relaxation by wandering down the the village. Little happening down there either.

I returned to the corner store and purchased four cans of their finest Kingfisher beer in the hope that would last us the evening.



Made several drawings to capture lushness of this wonderful place.





Little else to report, the crows who flit from palm to palm and pool-side guests continue to vie for who can make the most noise. Otherwise all is very peaceful with a remarkable number of different bird calls  every moment of the day.

GOING FOR IT IN GOA

As we touched down the monsoon came to greet us and has it has several times over last day. Everything is super shiny green.  An hour from the airport we travelled through rice fields, palms, past churches and lorries, which had come off the road in the floods. Onwards further, past billboards offering casino experiences and holiday homes, to our holiday home for the next four days.

Five minutes down the road, on the opposite side, to Mother Mary Haven Home for Senior Ladies is  the Vivanta Holiday Village Goa for people with a few bob. 

Vivanta Holiday Village is a collection of about 40 separate dwellings, large and smaller (likes ours) secreted away amongst every imaginable green plant likely to grow in the part of world.  Above this manicured jungle tower palm trees that bend and rattle in the monsoon rains. At the edge of the property the sea throws itself onto the beach with a huge sound, a grey heaving mass of water occasionally slashed with shafts of white sunlight.

The place has a delightful end-of-season, low season, no-season feel to it, which is far from wasted on us. There were people swaggering round the pool, teenagers playing ball and the faint sound of Ibiza drifting across the water from the Pool Bar.  Wonderful. 

Today is a lazy day partly because I was ‘under the weather’ and am having to steady myself for the hotel’s cocktail party later this evening.

SPICEJETTING DOWN TO GOA

Tuesday: 

“Attention all Spicejetters! We are ready to board passengers for Flight SG 137 to Ahmedabad and Goa, please have your boarding cards and papers ready”

New to Spice Jet I thought this might be the Virgin Atlantic of Asia as I skipped down the skyway to the waiting Boeing 737; the cabin crew, were dressed in red, like Virgin. However those on the Jaipur-Ahmedabad leg bore a very severe demeanour possibly cause by their impossibly tight-fitting uniforms.

However my being a ‘Spicejetter’ was confirmed by the Welcome article in the inflight penned by Kalanithi Maran, Chairman, who opened his upbeat missive with ‘Dear Spicejetters’

After more security checks at Ahmedabad, conducted in the comfort of seats 4E and F and a change of cabin crew we on the way to Goa, India’s smallest state and billed by many as Paradise.