Taj Mahal, Agra
Words cannot adequately paint a picture of the experience of seeing this complex. It’s exhilarating.
Previous slide
Next slide
Rotate to landscape to view slideshow
Fatehpur Sikri - The Capital That Was.
Fatehpur Sikiri is a about 40kms from Agra. It was the capital of the Mughal Empire 1571 to 1585 and then abandoned. Our hotel suggested a driver to us and it was a good option. Our driver shielded us from the hawkers and it made for a more pleasant time.
The Fatehpur Sikri complex is in two parts – the palace and the mosque. Both are interesting. The palace is a celebration of red sandstone and beautiful carvings showing both Isamic and Hindu influences. You are free to wander around.
The mosque reputably has the tallest gateway in the world – it is impressive. Inside you can buy a piece of material to deposit on the white marble tomb of Sufi saint Salim Chishti. Just remember that your devotional offering will be resold to another gullible tourist soon after you’ve laid it. But it’s an experience to participate.
On the way home from Fatehpur Sikri, we bought a small piece of the red sandstone that had been intricately carved in the form of an incense burner. It’s nice to know that the art of the ancient artisans still lives on.
Subscribe
Login
0 Comments
Oldest
More from India
Agra Fort
The Agra Fort dates from around 1565. It has been a fort and a palace, and then a garrison for the British, so things have been built, changed, and built again.
Jaipur, India
Jaipur, a city of around three million people has the hustle and bustle of a modern overcrowded metropolis and the history of a rich royal past
Other destinations you may like:
King Island, Tasmania
King Island, famous for dairy products, crayfish, high quality beef and now golf, is a gem in the middle of Bass Strait. And it has the tallest lighthouse in Australia.
Tamerza, Tunisia
The old village of Tamerza was abandoned in 1969 after 22 days of heavy rain destroyed the traditional mud brick structures.
Les Invalides
Site of the Dome Church and Napoleon’s grave, Les Invalides has also long functioned as a military hospital.