Stepping off the edge

On our way to the penultimate site of our tour, The Taj Mahal, we stopped at Fatehpur Sikri, the fourth Mughal’s palace. Built in 1580 it is a large fort with many buildings. Each of the King’s wives had their own house.

When we arrived in Agra, a city of 3 million people, we had lunch provided at Sheroes, a restaurant that Intrepid, our tour company, supports. It was created to help women who suffered acid attacks by strangers or even by their mothers and husbands. A moving video tells some of these women’s stories.

Fortunately, Acid attacks have all but stopped as the government has prosecuted the offenders with long jail terms.

We entered the Taj Mahal through alleyways of shops, then a screening area.

They’re very strict about what you bring in, you got through electronic and pat down screening.

We finally came to this gate before we got a glimpse of the white marble dome.

Taj means crown and Mahal means palace. The third and last wife of Mughal Emporer, Shah Jahan (who built the Red Fort in Delhi) died in childbirth giving birth to their 14th child. He build the mausoleum for her, taking 22 years. In order to keep people on the job he paid the lead foreman a huge amount of money for the time.

It’s really a stunningly beautiful place with white marble with inlaid coloured floral patterns and the symmetry of the water features and gardens.

It was excruciatingly hot and sunny while we were there, 41C! It looks like the Taj is melting in this photo but it was me who was melting!

Despite the heat it was a pleasure to spend several hours in this exquisite place.