Treasures of Agra and Delhi

By EDWIN YAPTANGCO

Agra Fort entrance (Photo by ERWIN & EUGENE YAPTANGCO)

MANILA, Philippines -- Don’t worry.  You will be spared from yet another ‘standard’ picture of the Taj Mahal, which you have seen countless times.  We will go close up.  There are some interesting things worth knowing about one of the world’s most beautiful buildings.

India’s monument to love is a study in perfect symmetry, a most important consideration of the architecture of its time.  To its left and right are two sandstone structures, one a functioning mosque and the other, a mirror image of the mosque built just for the sake of architectural balance with no defined function.

Erected by Mughal ruler Shah Jahan in the 1600s as a mausoleum for his favorite wife Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj Mahal is made of top quality white marble from Makrana in nearby Rajasthan state.  To add to its mystique, it reflects rose and golden tints at sunrise and sunset, respectively, and glistens white during the day.

Complementing the structure’s impressive form is the detailed exterior and interior marble artistry.  Essentially, there are four ornamentations.  There are the carvings in the marble and etchings inlaid with multi-colored semi-precious stones, both of floral designs.  Then there are pierced screen carvings, i.e., marble slabs turned into lattices so intricate they look like lace from a short distance.  Arabic inscriptions (verses from the Koran) of black marble make up the fourth ornamentation.

Considering the degree of meticulousness in an expansive area, it is understandable that the building took 22 years to complete involving 20,000 laborers and artisans.

It is surprising that there is nothing to see inside the Taj Mahal except for two sarcophagi  – of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal – and pierced screen carvings surrounding them.  They are directly under the main dome and illuminated by a proportionately sized latticed vase lamp.  Regardless, the riveting wall art (which also covers the sarcophagi) more than makes up for the void.  Picture taking in the tomb area is prohibited.  The actual remains rest undisturbed in the basement, off limits to the public.

When visiting, have a photo taken at the ‘Lady Di bench’, where the late Princess of Wales had an iconic solo shot shortly before her official marriage break-up in 1992.   It is in the square pool area at the center of the garden.  Also check out the optical illusion at the entrance of the main red sandstone gate.  From afar looking through the entrance, the Taj Mahal looks very near as you could see only its big front door.  As you walk towards the entrance, it goes farther and farther away.

Agra’s only other attraction is Agra Fort, a walled city of red sandstone dating back to 1000 AD.  A UNESCO world heritage site, it had been a residence of Mughal rulers.  Shah Jahan’s pre-disposition to marble gave rise to marble structures inside the fort, inlaid not only with semi-precious gems but often with gold.  A famous view of the Taj Mahal at a distance from the cell of Shah Jahan is a must-see.  He was eventually toppled by his own son for excesses, and imprisoned at the fort until his death.

Like most major cities of the developing world, Delhi has starkly contrasting neighborhoods, from destitute to swanky.  Old Delhi’s equivalent of Divisoria, Manila is Chandni Chowk, India’s grandest commercial center in the old days with tight, congested streets.

New Delhi, a planned-from-scratch government sector and new capital was designed and built by the British in the 1920s, a testament to its imperial glory.   The roads are extra wide, where parades on festive occasions are held.  At the main boulevard stands the imposing India Gate, honoring Indian soldiers who fought during World War I.  It has become a symbol of Delhi and India such that international news organizations use it extensively as a backdrop when reporting from the country.

There are other internationally important attractions in Delhi.  Among them the Red Fort, the most opulent fort and palace of the Mughal Empire, and the Qutub Minar complex, a UNESCO world heritage site where the world’s tallest minaret beckons.   From the 13th century, it is made of bricks with a honeycomb design.

There is something in the ether at the Raj Ghat, the simple memorial site of Mahatma Gandhi in a leafy part of the city.  You can sense charged emotions from the quiet among visitors from all over India and the world as an eternal flame laps in the air.  We were there on a weekday but the place had high turnover (okay, there are one billion Indians, but still), many reflecting on the diminutive but larger-than-life icon and his violent death in the hands of an assassin.

The countryside scenery in the road trip through the ‘golden triangle’ of Delhi, Jaipur and Agra was unremarkable, just semi-arid plains with a scattering of brick making facilities.  A worthwhile stop was in Fatehpur Sikri, another UNESCO world heritage site.  It was the first planned city of the Mughals and capital in the late 16th century.  Another architectural wonder, it was abandoned only after 15 years due to water supply problems and unrest in a nearby locality.  It is remarkably intact today, as if ready again for occupation.

As to gastronomy, we thought India’s signature tandoori chicken was more tender, succulent and flavorful in restaurants in the home country than those in Metro-Manila.  Same goes for paneer (curd cheese), softer and fluffier.  For all the other popular Indian dishes such as biryanis and curries, there were no discernable differences.  In a buffet, I wept with joy at the sight of a hundred gulab jamuns (yema type Indian dessert) and its blackened variant kala jamun not in Metro-Manila menus.  Three to four small gulab balls cost 100+ pesos.

The trip can be considered basic India.  For James Bond aficionados, a day’s road trip south or flight will get you to Udaipur, the location shooting of the 1983 edition Octopussy.  The film’s palace fortress on a lake is a deluxe hotel in the list of high rollers, with prices to match.   Queen Elizabeth II and Jackie Kennedy stayed there.  It should also be good to see the world’s most venerated river – the Ganges - though heavily polluted.  From Delhi, our guide recommended a trip to the holy, pilgrimage city of Varanasi for a ‘religious’ experience.  Maybe next time.