The Asia Series, Part Five - India
A short visit to New Delhi & Agra, - India
A bit of a marmite kind of place.
New Delhi and Agra have been plagued with tourists for years and of course the infamous Taj Mahal is the reason. You either love it or you hate it, and this can all come down to where you plan to visit and what type of group you are travelling in. We, as a group a young females transitted India from Nepal enroute to Vietnam, and to be honest, as amazing as the Taj was to witness, we could have skipped it!
First word of warning, if you are travelling from Nepal, make sure you visit the embassy early in your trip to get your visa for India. This can cause great delays and thankfully we had time to spare! You must specifiy if you plan to visit Agra, (bit of a money spinner) so be savvy on your visit to the ticket counter!
So we flew to New Dehli and had arranged to be picked up by our accommodation. On arrival, I recall sharing a glance with my friend, thinking, - this will be interesting. The heat was savage, the stares were increasing and so we began our visit.
Now, I can share accounts from fellow travellers who swear that India is one of their favourite places in the world to visit, but unfortunately we did not have the time to travel down the countryside where all the amazing stories come from. We were in the city, and had limited time to see the sites and head away again. Under advisement we got a chauffeur drive car to bring us around the sites. They will push this on you to an extent on arriving, but realistically, it is worth the money. An air-conditioned car and a local guide all in one, -could be worse!
So first we travelled outside of New Delhi to Agra, - the home of the Taj Mahal.
Taj Mahal - Agra
Agra is a city on the banks of the Yamuna river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is 206 kilometres south of the national capital New Delhi. Agra is the fourth-most populous city in Uttar Pradesh and that is very obvious once you enter the city outskirts. There are amazing views on the way and just general craziness of the local touts, marketplaces and culture. The Taj is worth the visit. It is not underwhelming at all and is everything you expect it to be. If you can ignore the stares and local touting and go into your own little bubble then it is a lovely place to wander among the monstrous architecture and absorb the enormous history shared from local tour guides. The Mughal empire has left a legacy of monuments, toms and mausoleums in its wake and beyond the Taj itself there are plenty of side attractions to visit during your day long visit.
Beyond the Taj
The body of emperor Akbar who is widely considered one of the most influential of the Mughal empire lays in an impressive Islamic styled tomb in Agra. This was completed in 1614 in Sikandra, via the Mathura road and although overshadowed by the Taj, is a worthwhile visit in the afternoon where the hustle and bustle may lesson. Other samples of the amazing Mughal architecture includes the red Fort, Humayun’s tomb and Jama Masjid in Delhi.
Delhi
The Lotus Temple
The Lotus Temple, is a Baháʼí House of Worship that was dedicated in December 1986. Its flower like shape can be seen for miles and makes it quite memorable. It is a famous attraction and it is open to all people and worshipers no matter your denomination.
Address: Lotus Temple Rd, Bahapur, Shambhu Dayal Bagh, Kalkaji, New Delhi, Delhi 110019, India
The Red Fort
“This fort is a historic fort in the city of Delhi, which served as the main residence of the Mughal Emperors. Every year on the Independence day of India, the Prime Minister hoists the Indian "tricolour flag" at the main gate of the fort and delivers a nationally broadcast speech from its ramparts.”
Address: Netaji Subhash Marg, Lal Qila, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi, Delhi 110006, India
All in all, if you get the chance to visit, absolutely go for it, but you can easily see the site in a day and a half and then transit down country to the countryside/beachside for a more relaxed vibe within Indian culture.
See you next week!
S
