Day 12, Delhi (Team 2: Wong, Banks-Orosco, Marlin, Fencl)

June 18th, 2008

The Road to the Taj Mahal

We loaded in the bus around eight o’clock today and started our trip to Agra. Agra, a “small” city by India standards, is most famous for the Taj Mahal …an absolute must see when in the New Deli area. In between our hotel and Agra lay five hours of driving though rural India. The experience is difficult to describe; what we saw through the bus windows created an almost surreal scene that the Travel Channel and National Geographic attempt to capture periodically and bring to you in HD quality. The infrastructure of India is not as advanced as it is in China. This results in a number of problems. First, there is no real waste removal system; trash simply collects where it is thrown or swept by water until it is raked and sometimes burned by the locals.  Also, whereas the PRC in China plans cities by zoning, there is no real method to the madness in the locations of the shops, shacks, homes, and shanties that line the roads.  Most of these buildings appear to have been improvised by their designers out of whatever materials were available: ridged sheet metal, loose brick, rocks, boards, and canvas are popular.  In and around these buildings India is working: cleaning, carving, selling, washing, building, etc.  The area is shared with cows and dogs that are given free reign to roam freely throughout the country…they don’t seem to disturb the people until they wander into the road and disrupt the chaotic flow of traffic.  The roads in India deserve description.  Due to British influence, you normally drive on the left side of the road in India.  I say “normally” because straying onto the right side to pass bikes, carts, rickshaws, and mopeds transporting a family of four is all too common.  The horn is used indiscriminately to telegraph driving maneuvers so they certainly get a lot of use.
A few things were pointed out to us on the drive are worth mentioning.  Near Agra, we passed by a “green” oil refinery that was designed to operate without spewing soot into the air.  The intent is to minimize the likelihood of creating acid rain that could permanently damage the expertly crafted marble of the Taj Mahal.  The emperor who requisitioned the Taj recruited the best craftsmen and artisans from Asia to construct the building.  To this day, the decedents of these workers reside in Agra, making the city renowned for its arts and crafts.

The Taj Mahal is a diamond in the rough. Once baring the journey through rural Indian villages you arrive at magnificent pink sandstone structure that is the entrance to the compound where the Taj Mahal is located. In the center of this symmetrical compound is the glistening white marble structure of the Taj Mahal, which was originally built for the emperor’s favorite wife after she died giving birth to their 14th child. It is apparent why this structure earned its position as one of the “Seven Wonders of the World,” especially after considering it took 20,000 of the world’s best stone carvers 20 years to complete its construction.

There were a number of interesting local Indians that we encountered along the path to the Taj Mahal. It was surprising to me that the people living in these villages did not seem unhappy. Many people greeted us smiling, waving, and welcoming us to their village. Scooters passing by with three grown men hugging each other and smiling were not uncommon. Everywhere you go there are people trying to sell you different goods and services. The local’s sales strategy is much different from that of those selling goods in China. In China, people would basically just beg for you to buy their goods. In India, many of the people selling things would ask your name, tell you theirs, try to shake your hand, and tell you to come back to them if you change your mind. In one instance, a child even told me to remember his name and color of his shirt so that I could buy a postcard on my way back from the Taj Mahal. Other peddlers offered to have a picture taken of them with their monkeys, or even offered to take a group photo for you. After providing this service they would request that you pay for it, which usually worked out in their favor. These strategies seem more effective than the begging and aggressiveness of many Chinese merchants. Seeing India’s people, infrastructure, and incredible past was an eye-opening experience.

Entry Filed under: India, New Delhi