Golden Triangle, India, Jan. 29-31, 2025

[Tony Crocker]

Our time in Delhi was limited by the nearly 3 hours to get out of the airport and the 4 hour drive to Agra. So our only stop was at the Akshardham Hindu temple (built between 2000 and 2005) where cameras were not allowed inside.

In Agra Jan. 30 we arose very early to get to the Taj Mahal (built 1631-1648) by sunrise. This also keeps us ahead of larger crowds later. The Main Gate entry to Taj Mahal grounds is an impressive prelude.

The river behind the Taj was generating considerable fog so this was our view just past the gate.

Closer in on our looker’s left approach the fog was quite dense.

The front of the Taj Mahal was clearer.

Liz’ iPhone 15Pro has a very wide angle mode to get this shot but the edges have a fisheye effect.

Closeup of floral design and Koran script:

Nothing is painted. Everything is inlaid marble. All of the black marble for the Koran script was imported from Belgium.

Backside nearest the river had a slight break in the fog.

The inlaid design on pillars creates an optical illusion that the pillars are indented.

The Taj mausoleum is perfectly symmetrical in 4 directions. To its west (facing Mecca) is a mosque. For symmetry there is an identical structure to the east which was used as a guest house. Here’s the sunrise next to it, bright red with the fog filtering.

The above pic was taken from the SE corner of the Taj Mahal, where the view of the mausoleum was temporarily clear.

Fisheye wide angle from same spot:

The minarets actually lean slightly outward so they would not damage the mausoleum if they fell.

Zoom of top dome:

Bird coming in for landing on minaret:

Main Gate ceiling:

We thought we would get a clearer view on our way out of the Taj over the garden than in the second pic, but no, the fog was heavier and the Taj was completely invisible.

Outside the Main Gate, there are scavenging monkeys.

After seeing the Taj Mahal, many of us tourists are prime prospects for inlaid marble souvenirs. This piece displays some of the steps in preparing the inlays.

Here are the items we bought and will have shipped home.

The octagonal marble comes with a wooden table which can be lighted below the marble.

We returned to our hotel for breakfast, then stopped at Agra Fort before an afternoon drive to Jaipur.

Construction of Agra Fort began in 1530 and it was the capital of the Mughal Empire until 1638. It was a walled city of 94 acres.

Inside Agra Fort:

The royal residences were in the white buildings in left background. They are currently occupied by the Indian Army and not open to the public.

This facility was used for entertaining.

View off the wall of multiple moats. The innermost one contained wild animals.

Carved arch on the way out:

This spot has an overview of the Taj Mahal 2km away, but it was so hazy as to not be worth posting the pic.

From here we had a 5 hour drive to Jaipur.

 

[Sbooker]

I think I like the Agra Fort better than the Taj Mahal.
I was actually talking with an ex work mate this morning. His parents still live in Delhi. He has recently visited and does so very regularly. He claimed he never drinks the tap water (only bottled water) and does not eat street or takeaway food. He sticks to his mum’s cooking or high end sit down restaurants to avoid Delhi belly. Despite his efforts he often gets a stomach bug.
I hope you and Liz don’t get a dodgy vindaloo Tony.
Oh. And tell Liz I think she looks terrific. Has she increased her exercise lately? Obviously the ‘new’ knee was a good move.

 

[jimk]

I know it's not the classically clear photo, but there is something especially atmospheric about this shot>

You guys are unbelievable world travelers.

 

[Skieric]

Previously you mentioned ski bags. Are you planning to ski in India?

 

[tseeb]

Thanks for sharing. Do they make everyone wear those blue slippers in the Taj Mahal to avoid possibly damaging the marble?

 

[Tony Crocker]

. Do they make everyone wear those blue slippers in the Taj Mahal to avoid possibly damaging the marble?

Yes. And we had to remove shoes on numerous Hindu temples.

Previously you mentioned ski bags. Are you planning to ski in India?

Skiing starts Thursday in Uzbekistan with Matt of Adventure Project who has been there twice before. We have been in Uzbek cultural centers of Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand the past few days.

he never drinks the tap water (only bottled water) and does not eat street or takeaway food. He sticks to his mum’s cooking or high end sit down restaurants to avoid Delhi belly. Despite his efforts he often gets a stomach bug.

I discussed this in the airline thread. We had strict instructions about bottled water even for brushing teeth. The Wilderness Travel tour was in 5 star hotels and included all meals. We ate in our hotels in Agra and Jaipur too. Quality of Indian food was excellent and it is one of Liz’ favorite ethnic cuisines.

We have both had occasional respiratory and digestive ailments but none severe enough to limit our activities.

 

[Sbooker]

Skiing starts Thursday in Uzbekistan with Matt of Adventure Project who has been there twice before. We have been in Uzbek cultural centers of Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand the past few days.

I've seen some of Matt's reports in the past. I'm excited to see what he has in store for you. Have they had a decent season so far?

 

[Tony Crocker]

Have they had a decent season so far?

I have no idea. I think Matt said they had early snow.

 

[Tony Crocker]

We arrived in Jaipur late afternoon Jan. 30, stopped for some spice shopping and this view of the Jal Mahal (Water Palace, 1699).

Jaipur was ruled by the Kachwaha Rajput monarchy for centuries. Though Hindu they were allied with and fought for the Mughals in the 1600s, then became independent again in 1708. Most of the famous architecture was built in the 1700s. Jaipur became a Princely State under the British in 1818 and became part of India in 1947.

Jan. 31 was a busy day as there are so many sights in Jaipur. Patrika Gate was a drive-by.

We stopped briefly for pictures of the Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds, 1790).

The Palace of Winds name is due to construction designed to maximize airflow in India’s climate.

We spent more time at Jantar Mantar (1734), constructed for astronomy measurements. Most notable is the world’s largest sundial, which is accurate to within 2 seconds of time.

Here is a group of 12 smaller sundials, calibrated to the signs if the zodiac.

A more compact sundial, angled at local latitude, measures on this side on the winter half of the equinoxes and on the opposite side the rest of the year.

These structures have wires used for precise measuring of altitude and azimuth of night sky objects

Both of them have matched pairs corresponding to the cutouts.

Next stop was the City Palace (1732).

Descendants of the Rajput monarchy still live in the yellow buildings in background here.

I’m standing in front of the largest silver water vessel in the world, holds 4,000 liters.

There were many decorated doors and building entries.

As we exited, we watched this band play for a few minutes.

 

[Tony Crocker]

After noon we headed slowly to the Amber Fort overlooking Jaipur.

Traffic in India can be intense. Formerly tourists were taken up the hill to Amber Fort by elephant.

The uphill street became so slow that our guide suggested we walk part of it. We had time waiting for the driver to catch up while hanging out at the Panna Meena ka Kund stepwell.

It fills during the monsoon season and is accessible via the steps in dry season. There are two more sets of stairs below the water level in the picture.

The Amber Fort was started just before 1600 and expanded over the next century. First courtyard, used for military parades:

Diwan-i-Aam ( Public Audience Hall) in the second courtyard:

Houses outside Amber Fort and protective wall on the ridge above:

Maota Lake and Saffron Garden below:

Ganesh Gate between second and third courtyards:

Mughal style garden in third courtyard:

Jai Mandir (mirror palace):

Turkish bath inside:

Opposite Jai Mandir is the Hall of Pleasure, entry here.

The water coming down through the wall works as a swamp cooler during the extreme dry heat months April – June.

Queens’ rooms were on the upper floor here.

There were 12 rooms where the queens resided and who were visited by the king at his choice without being found out as to which queen he was visiting, as all the rooms open into a common corridor.

Our final stop in Jaipur was Gatore Ki Chhatriyan, the royal crematorium grounds of the Rajput rulers.

This is the white marble cenotaph of Sawai Jai Singh, considered by many most enlightened king of 18th-century India.

He built most of Jaipur and the several astronomical observatories like Jantar Mantar.

More cenotaphs:

One of them had stairs up to an overview.

Three days is a bare minimum for the Golden Triangle. The three cities Delhi, Agra and Jaipur form a triangle about 5 hours drive on each side. With some logistics delay upon our arrival we did not do much in Delhi. We would not have seen as much as we did in Jaipur if we had to drive back to Delhi Jan. 31. But we spent a second night in Jaipur and flew the next morning to Bangalore, where the guided Wilderness Travel tour started.