Reflecting on the last week, it has been very interesting learning about the READ India model. The amount of dedication the staff has for the organization is very evident and from our site visits, it’s easy to understand why. The centres are truly making an impact on both an individual level with each beneficiary but as well for the community. I’m excited for the next 3 weeks as we work to audit and strengthen their organizational model and provide recommendations for their sustainability and expansion.
That being said, we did have a wonderful opportunity over the weekend to go on an adventure. Friday night was Julia’s Birthday (from Argentina) so we all headed over the Cyber Hub – a business park during the day surrounded by dozens of nice restaurants – and got dinner, cake, and packed it in early… the reason? Our bus was picking us up at 3:00am to depart….
The Taj Mahal in Agra was our first stop on our weekend whirlwind tour. The drive is about 5 hours from Delhi and were advised to arrive early for two reasons: 1) there are less crowds and 2) to avoid the heat. So, middle of the night we left, packed pillows, made a few stops, I took several Imodium (for a different reasons :S) but got there in no time.
There really are no words to describe some of the great wonders of world like the Taj Mahal. Many of us debated if it would be as grand as we expected and while we debated, it surpassed everyone’s expectations. The Taj Mahal was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, to house the tomb of his 3rd and favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. At that time, the capital of the empire had moved from Delhi to Agra and the Taj Mahal was built as a mausoleum to their love story. Our guide also commented that even though it was “for her”, he was buried there too and it was really a comment on his wealth, his power, and a remaining artifact for his rule. Not entirely selfless :P
We learned that the entire complex is made of pristine Indian white marble, inlaid with precious and semi-precious stones, and took over 25 years to complete with the help of over 20,000 artisans and workers. We learn that, in order to construct this marvel without modern machinery, they had to also build a village for the over 4,000 marble artisans and their families, with the majority of their descendants still living in Agra. Thinking about how they built the 73m tall dome (made entirely of MARBLE), the guide informed us that in order to haul the marble to the top, they built a 16-kilometer ramp to allow them to roll it to the top….. 16Kms! That blew my mind. The entire complex was stunning and is one of the most symmetrical buildings in the world be it the buildings, the gardens, the carvings, the entrance gates or the mosques. It was one of the most amazing places I hope to be able to return one day.
As we departed the Taj, it was hard to imagine how the rest of the weekend could compare…. Despite our infatuation with the Taj Mahal, the weekend was amazing. Personally, one of the reasons I enjoy India so much is learning about the complex and wonderful history. I find going up in Canada, our history is focused heavily on European history.
After the Taj, we toured around Agra, visited a few artisan’s shops selling jewelry, handmade (and very impressive) carpets and textiles. The carpets (despite the hard-sell pitch) were phenomenal. If I had a house, or $500 worth of rupees, I would have been walking out of there with a rug. They demonstrated how they were handmade over a 4 to 12-month period depending on size and are extremely high quality. The ‘high quality” comment is common BUT these were and if I ever return, their efforts were not in vain.
After our tour and quick lunch, we headed to the Agra fort. It was only a few minute’s drive from the Taj but the history around it was scandalous. It is a massive complex built of red sandstone that housed the residence of the emperors of the Mughal Dynasty till 1638. It is situated overlooking Agra as well as the Taj Mahal. It was covered in the same ornate marble and gemstones as the Taj for the royal living quarters. Our guide explained the fascinating social hierarchy around the harem which housed the Emperor’s concubines, the respectful position of a concubine, and the head Queen’s roll in grooming them. They also had eunuchs whose duty it was to protect the women and select which would be selected for the emperor’s nightly satisfaction.
It was in this facility that Shah Jahan - who built the Taj Mahal – was overthrown by his son, put on house arrest, and forced him to oversee the completion of the Taj Mahal from a distance under house-arrest until his death.
And all of that was just Agra! We headed into the bus, thankful for the air conditioning (it was 42 degrees outside) and took another 4/5 hour drive to our next stop. Jaipur the capital of Rajasthan state housing the royal family that once ruled the region and that. In 1727, it was deemed what is now called the Old City, or “Pink City” for its trademark building color. This is where we spent the majority of our time in Jaipur. I loved sightseeing there as not only did we see a lot of history, but also ornately outfitted elephants and camels! It was nice to see however heart breaking to think about their life as working animals and the treatment they receive.
We visited the Hawa Mahal (Wind Palace) that used to house
the royal ladies. It’s a unique five-storey exterior that looked like a honeycomb and had an impressive 953 small windows which would allow the royal ladies to observe everyday life and festivals celebrated in the street below without being seen. We learned that one of the Kings was a scholar and spoke 16 different languages and had a fascination with astronomy. We visited Jantar Mantar which was a site consisting of 13 architectural astronomy instruments. It was that King who commissioned one of the world’s largest sundials which could tell time accurately within a margin of 2 seconds…. 2 SECONDS.
We then visited the major fort located Jaipur, the Amer Fort. It was another massive hilltop citadel with an impressive 16km stone wall gating the city, advanced irrigation for cooling, another large harem for the emperors 13 wives and 100s of concubines, and the 2nd largest Hall of Mirrors next to the palace of Versailles. I think all of us were in awe of the grandeur of everything we just saw. We debriefed over a quick lunch, and took another 5 hour drive home.
Definitely one of the most exciting 36 hours I've ever had :)
