India has been on my bucket list for the longest time and an opportunity came around this year to finally set foot on this beautiful yet mysterious country. While I did purchase the hefty 1000+ page Lonely Planet guidebook and have been anticipating this trip, I purposely didn’t do a whole lot of research because I wanted to experience it firsthand. Perhaps for the same reason I actually felt a little anxious leading up to it. This journey felt a little different in many ways - it’s one of the longest trip I’ve taken recently and I would be away from home for almost an entire month. It feels like I am leaving behind all the things that grounds me as I step into the unknowns.

Settling in in Bangalore

After a layover in London and some flight delays I finally made it to Bangalore at 4:30 in the morning, 2 days after departing from New York. My friend Kumkum had helped me arrange for a driver to pick me up at the airport and it was a smooth trip to my hotel where I’ll be staying for a few days working remote. I had hoped that I would be able to get over jet lag pretty quickly but I ended up sleeping for an entire day from 9AM to 5PM and completely skipped a meal.

When I finally got up it was time to head out to dinner in the Indiranagar area. I decided on Bombay Brasserie, a cozy little eatery tucked on a (relative quiet) street. The first order of business was actually figuring out how to cross the street as I was dropped of on the opposite side of the road… I am pretty sure I stood there on the side of the street for a good minute before deciding to make a run for it. It was definitely a scary experience the first time because you have to let go of all previous knowledge of how traffic works 🤪

My first meal in India was a Punjabi Namkeen Lassi (which has fresh yogurt, rock salt and roasted cumin), a chowpatty corn chaat and a smoked madras lollipop chicken.

Before heading back to the hotel I made it to a pharmacy to get some cough meds. I would be my luck to catch something on the flight and I needed to make sure I feel A-OK at the start of my month long trip. I also stopped by a grocery store to pick up some yogurt as I was told that this would help get my stomach accustomed to the Indian food. Indian yogurt for breakfast it is.

Day 2 started with me having a yogurt for breakfast and then ubering to Toit Brewpub, one of Bangalore’s first microbreweries. Bangalore is known for its craft beer and this place serves beer as early as 8:30AM! I had a chai while waiting for the lunch menu (also wasn’t trying to get hammered before starting my work day in the afternoon). I ended up having a beer flight for 300INR (that’s $3.5 USD) with a biryani. The nitro stout was my favorite!

Working US hours in India had me going to bed at 3AM and waking up later in the morning. On the last day of me being alone in Bangalore I headed to Gramin on a different and busier part of town. The place is nested inside a complex and you can tell the place is popular with a lunch crowd. It’s an all-vegetarian place that serves a weekday lunch special - the thali. Thali actually refers to the metal plate the food is served on but it typically contains a variety of dishes of all different flavors like sweet, salty, bitter, sour, astringent and spicy on one single plate. I order a veggie soup (because I am still recovering from the cough) and of course the thali. The food was delicious yet spicy and I think I almost killed all the plates!

Weekend in Mysore

My first weekend in India marked the start of my first week-long roadtrip in the country! My friend Kumkum is from the area and she flew in on Saturday morning to Bangalore and we headed southwest towards Mysore, a historical city known as the City of Palaces. Leaving behind the heavy traffic in Bangalore we headed towards the countryside, and on our way stopped at Shiralli Restaurant for lunch. This no frills South Indian restaurant off the highway has a small menu but I think I had the best onion dosa and spicy masala dosa. The dosas were the perfect amount of spicy - I learned from Kumkum that food from the state Karnataka is generally less spicy than food from other states.

As we continue our drive towards Mysore Kumkum explained a little but about the languages of India: the national language of the country is Hindi, but everyone knows English. In school, students are required to learn three languages at the minimum: Hindi, English, and the language of their home state. In South India there is a little more literacy with English because in the south almost all the states have their own language and English became the default amongst southern states. In contrast, the North have a few states that all have Hindi as their state language.

Just before arriving in Mysore we made a stop at the Shri Ranganathaswami Temple, constructed in AD 894 and home to a 4.5m long reclining statue of Ranganatha, a Hindu deity. Shoes have to be off (as with all temples), and there are usually shoe stations right outside the temple where you can purchase a bag to hold your shoes at the station during your visit. While the inside of the temple was impressive, the outer garden area was also a very nice and relaxing walk.

We continued the drive into the city of Mysore and checked into our stay - Hampe’s Heritage House. Located right in the middle of the city surrounded by trees, the house has been around for more than a century.

We showered (they need to turn on the hot water and run it for about 20 mins before you can take a hot shower - that’s how old the house is) and rested a bit before heading out for our evening activity - a sound and light show at the Mysore Palace where the whole palace is lit up with nearly 100,000 light bulbs. We had a non-Indian dinner at Olive Garden (not that Olive Garden) which was a restaurant at a resort and the food was surprisingly good - I had a spaghetti and it actually had a hint of Indian spices that I did not mind.

The next morning we enjoyed breakfast in the outdoor yard space of the heritage house, overlooking the surrounding trees that enclosed the home from the bustling city. The 3-course homemade breakfast included fresh fruits like papaya, a rice noodle dish called sevai that resembled Singaporean rice noodle, and idli - soft, steamed round cakes paired with a chutney sauce. I also got to try a Mysore specialty, the filtered coffee which was just what I needed on a morning.

Mysore Palace

After breakfast, our driver took us to our first stop for the day - Mysore Palace, and this time during the day so we can get the full tour. The palace opens at 10AM and by 10:30AM the palace grounds were already packed. Shoes needed to be off for inside the palace so we stowed away our shoes and followed the crowd into the palace.

The original palace was made of wood and was destroyed by a fire in 1897, and the current palace was rebuilt and completed in 1912 by English architect Henry Irwin. While the guidebook says photography is not prohibited, you are allowed to use your phone camera. The first exhibit we passed is the Doll’s Pavilion that features a Golden Howdah (seat for riding on an elephant). Through the Elephant Gate and into main building we can see the atrium. We then entered the Marriage Pavilion, a lavish looking hall with a bronze chandelier hanging in the middle, featuring themes of Christianity, Hindu and Islam in its designs.

Next is the public Durbar Hall, where one side stood massive pillars that extends all the way to the other end of the space, decorative ceilings that feature different religions, and the other open end overlooks the gardens with seats on both sides and balcony seatings for the ladies.

The last room we saw was the private Durbar Hall, with stainless glass ceilings, gold columns and big chandeliers. The sun was fully out at the end of our tour so we took a walk in the gardens for a full view of the palace (I don’t know why but doesn’t the palace look like legos in the photos?)

Jaganmohan Palace

The entrance looks unassuming and the garden could use some repairs. but it’s now home to the Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery. Our homestay host had mentioned that he helped restored this palace, and the art featured is pretty impressive. There were the rice grain paintings, works by noted artist Raja Ravi Varma, an amazing piece of work called ‘The Glow of Hope” which was my personal favorite, and musical instruments in a restored palace room on the 3rd floor.

Chamundi Hill and Chamundeshwari Temple

In the afternoon we headed to The Old House, an Italian spot with an outdoor terrace, for lunch. The clouds were rolling in and we took the afternoon easy as the rain continued on. We made a short stop at the Mall of Mysore and checked out a few local brands before we headed up Chamundi Hill to Chamundeshwari Temple. Midway through the drive up the hill we got to a viewpoint where you can see the Mysore Palace completely lit up with its 100,000 light bulbs.

The way to Chamundeshwari Temple was actually a bit of work. Once our driver dropped us off and parked the car, we headed up flights of stairs and through a market of vendors (the setup reminded me of a temple I went to in Myanmar). We had to take off our shoes again but this time after the earlier rain the grounds were muddy. And the very worst part was how crowded it was! We had to push our way in for a very brief view before coming back out, and I hate to say it… it was less impressive than the temple we went to yesterday with far less crowds. At least the silver doors and decorations were unique?

After the temple Kumkum and I headed to the outskirts of town to The Barge for dinner. We split a wheat beer pitcher after sampling the different beers on tab and got my protein fix in with a chicken dish Murgh Malai Tikka.

Bylakuppe

Our last breakfast at the Mysore homestay was at 8:30AM at our usual spot outdoors, with a rice dish and crepes, finished with thes same Mysuru filtered coffee.

Once we packed up our bags, we left the city of Mysore and headed the Kodagu (Coorg) region. On our way we stopped by Bylakuppe - South India’s largest Tibetan community where the first refugee camp was set up in the region to house Tibetans who fled from Tibet following the 1959 Chinese invasion. Foreigners are not allowed to stay in the area overnight without a permit, but day visits are welcomed. The most notable landmark in Bylakuppe would be the Namdroling Monastery, home of the Golden Temple, which houses 3 gold-plated Buddha statues. The monastery visit was so calm and serene.

Coorg

From the Tibetan town we continued our drive through the windy roads of the mountains of Coorg, stopping in the main town of Madikeri. We had lunch at a The restaurant called Coffee Blossom Restaurant, located inside the Club Mahindra Resort. As the name of the restaurant suggests, the area is known for its spices, coffee and cocoa. Coffee here is grown in the shades with tall trees surrounding the coffee plants, and because of the mixed growing with other fruits and spices, coffee from the region of Coorg tastes different from those in other regions and come with a hint of spices.

The drive turned very scenic as we’re in the middle of the forrest, surrounded by plantations. Just before 4PM we made it to Riyavar Homestay where we’ll be staying for the next 2 days. The estate has a badminton court out front, an a little tree house overlooking the coffee plantation. We spent a little bit of time exploring the homestay and then it was time to log on and start our work day (for US hours).

Dinner was served right at the homestay and we opted for a late dinner at 10PM. We had pre-ordered the items in the afternoon - a chicken momo, a chicken sukka, a pulav rice, a pork dry fry Kerala style which was actually my favorite despite it being a little too spicy for my taste. This was way too much food for 2 people so we gotta cut down for tomorrow’s dinner…

Dubare Elephant Camp

Morning call was at 8AM as we have plans for the morning. A traditional Indian breakfast was served in the dining room and I got a fresh puri to go with my breakfast. Our morning activity today is the Dubare Elephant Camp. The elephants (and the camp) are located on the other side of the river bank, so to access the camp one has to take a boat to cross (in the summer months when it’s the river bank is completely dry one can walk).

The region is known for herds of wild elephants, some displaced from the floods that happened about 10 years ago. They started venturing into towns, and as such, some towns have put up fences to block off wild elephants and buffalos. When elephants lose their herd and are alone, they’ll get set off to camp here to rehabilitate. Here at camp, the elephants get trained for the famous Mysore Dasara that happens every October. Nine out of fourteen of the elephants in the Dasara procession will come from this very camp. There are 24 elephants currently in the camp, all of them Asian elephants of which only the males have tusks. It was great watching the elephants play and put dirt on themselves as sunscreen and bug repellent - just after bathing themselves in the river (see the water marks on the ramp leaning up to the river bank?)

These animals are very intelligent - Kumkum said one lone elephant was found not far from her home and it was sent to camp, but the elephant was able to make its way back to town which was 300km away within 2 days. It’s sad to learn that modern technology, namely the cell towers, have affected how elephants communicate with each other and impacted how they live in their habitat.

Nisargadhama Reserve

Our next stop is a natural preserve/ bird sanctuary - featuring all types of animals. A long draw bridge connects you to the other end of the reserve from the entrance, and the animals are located in different sections of the reserve. My favorite was the Sun conure birds - they are so pretty! I even saw a spotted deer (chital) in the distance which is a deer species native to the Indian subcontinent. It did start pouring as we were heading out so we waited out for the rain in a shade before we could get back in the car.

On our way out we stopped by a plant nursery for Kumkum to pick up two hass avocado plants to take home to her dad - the avocados native to the region are the big ones and the hass variety was actually brought to India. Since Kumkum’s dad has an estate filled with different fruits and vegetable (including the other avocado type) they’re looking to add the hass avocado to the mix.

Tibetan Lunch, South indian dinner

For lunch we headed back to the Tibetan village and Kumkum found a spot from a blog called Tehor Restaurant that isn’t marked on Google maps. We ordered momos and thakpas (noodle soup) and our meal was so cheap yet so delicious.

Dinner was back at the homestay since we have to work the night away, but this time we ordered just the right amount of food - a salad, the pork dry fry because it was delicious, and a coconut chicken dish with rice noodles.

Heading north towards Chikkamagore

On this Wednesday after having breakfast at the homestay and checking out, we continued the drive North towards Chikkamagore, Kumkum’s hometown. Lunch was at a restaurant inside a resort - The Kokum at the Hoysala Village Resort. We felt immediately welcomed in the beautiful space, and even got a kumkuma (the red powder applied to the forehead) upon entering the restaurant. The food and service was great and I had a very healthy (non spicy) lunch. While we were having lunch there was a couple celebrating their wedding anniversary!

Beluru Shri Chennakeshava Swamy Temple

Our next stop (and main sightseeing) of the day is the Shri Chennakeshava Swamy Temple in Beluru, a UNESCO world heritage site designated in 2023. The temple was built in the 12th century and took over 103 years to finish. The carvings of this 10.5m by 10.5m square rock is incredible - everything is so intricate and the proportions of the figurines are perfect. Inside and out the reliefs are beautifully done, and you can see the craftsmanship everywhere even on the ceiling inside. This is definitely one of the most impressive Hindu temples I’ve visited and I spent a good amount of time just staring at the rock.

Sereno Barn Eco Stay

Rain started again soon after our temple visit and we’re on our way to another homestay in Chikkamagore, Sereno Barn Eco Stay, where we’ll be spending a night. The place is way up in the mountains and in the middle of a forest. Our room has a balcony and a bathroom that overlook the plantation and it really feels like you’re in the middle of the mountain away from civilization. Wifi was spotty at first but we managed to get the wifi dongle connected. That would have been an issue if we couldn’t connect for our work. I guess you can get a 5G signal in the middle of the mountains with torrential rain when the country’s internet penetration increased almost 40% in 10 years.

Mullayanagiri

The next morning after a late breakfast and checking out of the homestay, we drove up super windy, single-lane roads up the mountains to Mullayanagiri, the highest peak in Karnataka, India. On the drive up we could see how far up we’ve travelled, but the fogs and mist were rolling in… By the time we got up to the parking lot for the peak, visibility was low and temperatures were dropping. The winds picked up significantly, so much so that it was hard to stand as we started to ascend. We didn’t end up taking the full set of stairs to the peak since it was impossible to see anything, and the hurricane force winds nearly knocked us down. Definitely didn’t think I would experience this kind of weather in India 😅.

Coffee Estate in Kanaguppe

Kumkum’s family has a coffee estate in Kanaguppe and I got the opportunity to meet Kumkum’s father and stayed at the estate for a night. They showed me the old house built 70 years back, and a newer house built more recently next door. Surrounding the house is a whole farm with not just coffee plants, but a huge variety of fruits including papayas, jackfruits, mangoes, custard apples (the type I got to try in Madeira), pineapples, avocados, guavas and passionfruit. The cook made us a delicious homemade Indian meal in the evening with bread, chicken curry, chicken fry, potatoes and okra and I ended my last work day in India and entered into vacation mode.

The next morning after a homemade breakfast with puri and potatoes and of course coffee, we went on an estate walk. Since it was raining and the ground is muddy, we decided to take a car out towards the lake. The car is an older car (the make is Omni?) and haven’t been used in a while so we did get stuck in the mud a few times.mKumkum and her dad showed me the lake and the house built by the lake and we managed to push the car out of the mud and got back safely.

It was time for me to say goodbye to Kumkum and her dad as I head back to Bangalore while they head to Mangalore, so onwards to my 4 hour car ride back to Bangalore to meet up with my mom for the second leg of this trip!

Bangalore and Wedding Prep

Back in Bangalore I met up with my mom who flew in for the wedding taking place a week later. Along with our gracious host we immediately headed off to Commercial Street for lehenga shopping. Our first stop was a large store called Koskii and I of course went to try on all the shades of green dresses. We then went to a smaller boutique called Ethnic and found the one (photos coming later after the alternations are done). Once everyone got measured in for their dresses it was time for dinner at Spice Terrace inside the JW Mariott hotel where we'‘ll be staying for two nights.

The wedding prep isn’t over as we have one more day of prep work ahead of us! Mom had to get her sari blouse made so we went to the tailor on the southern part of town with the fabric Auntie had picked out for her.

Traffic in Bangalore was so bad that I felt like I was in traffic for hours! In the afternoon we got back to Commercial street for us to do some regular shopping - I got some 100% cotton pieces from a department store but there were so many different stalls and shops for jewelry and various items. The last stop we had on our list was for mom to get her diamonds re-set at the jeweler, and with that we were done with the shopping and prep work! Back near the hotel mom and I found an Asian Fusion spot called Shiro at UB City right across from our hotel, and decided to have dinner there. The place gives off Tao vibes with the large statues and the food was decent. I of course ordered a Kingfisher ultra to end the night.

Off to Delhi

The start of our golden triangle trip with mom! We departed from the Bangalore airport - which is surprisingly nice and kind of remind me of the one in Singapore with all its greenery - and took a 2.5 hour flight to Delhi. Upon landing and stepping off the plane we could feel the heat and humidity in the air, a drastic change from the cooler weather in Bangalore. Thankfully it wasn’t raining in Delhi when we landed as there were record levels of rain the week prior, so much so that terminal 1 of the Delhi airport had to close due to a collapsed roof from the heavy rain. Our driver Sanjeev was already waiting for us with a sign, and we headed to our car for the first stop. Since the next day is a Monday and temples are closed, our first activity this late afternoon is the Akshardham Temple. On the way we drove through Shanti Path, a long road with lots of greenery with embassies on both sides of the road. We also drove pass India Gate, a park that was filled with people as it’s Sunday with everyone out on a picnic.

Akshardham Temple

When we arrived at Akshardham Temple it was shocking how many people were there on a Sunday afternoon. Our driver Sanjeev told us to leave all our electronics in the car as they are very strict about any types of electronics including phones and smartwatches, and the lines for lockers are insanely long so the best bet is to leave everything behind and just carry some cash. Sanjeev took a photo for us right outside the gate, and we handed off everything to him, the driver we just met about 45 mins ago, and entered the temple grounds with only 500INR and nothing else. I was actually a little nervous because I felt so naked without any of my belongings, not knowing exactly where we were. Security lines were long and they were indeed very thorough - the lady in front of us had headphones in her little purse and was turned away, and male and female had separate lines for body searches as well.

Once we entered the grounds we were able to see the template up close. Built in 2005, the Hindu temple is very lavish and the elaborate reliefs all throughout the space are hard to miss. The garden itself is also beautiful. Mom and I made our way to the shoe drop off - I was thrown a bag for our shoes and me thinking the ground is clean I took my socks off as well, not realizing part of the marble floor is burning hot from the sun (rookie mistake). We toured the inside of the temple, with a center piece that’s a 3m high gold statue of Bhagwan Shri Swaminarayan. Outside, we took a loop around the temple and saw 148 elephants carved along the temple (I really wished I had my camera with me). We also took a walk around the outer garden before heading to the gift shop, finding ourselves a 20INR set of postcards and feeling really satisfied since we have no photographs and but can take the postcards home with us. Sanjeev was waiting for us at the parking lot and took us to dinner in Connaught Place, a circular shopping district near our hotel. I originally picked a place but our driver recommended Lazeez Affaire CP. We ordered a kebab and a mutton dish with garlic nann.

Before heading back to the hotel, I asked for Sanjeev to wait for us for about 30 mins as we took a 3 min walk over to Naturals Ice Cream, a place I found from the guidebook. The founder’s father was a mango vendor in Bangalore, and had inspired his love of fruits. Of course we had to try the seasonal flavors - mango and lychee, and boy that did not disappoint! The mango was so flavorful and the lychee even has bits of lychee meat in it! All 2 scoops for just 160INR which is $1.92 USD. I can’t think of a better way to end the night.

Old Delhi and Chandni Chowk

The next day marks our full day tour of Delhi, and our guide Gautam met us at the hotel lobby right at 9:30AM. On our way to our first stop Gautam explained that Delhi has 25 million people and consists of 8 different cities, and our tour would be starting in Old Delhi. Agra was actually the original capital of the country and there is an older Red Fort there that we’ll be visiting later on in the tour. Since it was a Monday and the Delhi Red Fort is closed, we would just take a look on the outside.

Our first stop is Chandni Chowk, a busy shopping area in the middle of Old Delhi with narrow side streets. Gautam took us through the narrow streets - where people still live on the top floors as they still do business in Old Delhi. Some older historical buildings have been converted into boutique hotels, but most of the stalls are still preserved. Gautam pointed out the hanging chili peppers and lemons, known as nimbu mirchi, at storefronts to ward off evil spirits and bad luck. He also said if you step on the decoration the bad luck would transfer to you!

As we were navigating through the streets and passing motorcycles (yes there are motorcycles on those narrow streets), Gautam told us the number one rule on crossing the streets in India - never run as you’re crossing the street. Find an opening and cross confidently and the drivers will stop for you, or they’ll honk. Coming out of the narrow streets to the main road, you see the Delhi Red Fort in the background against a mosque on the right. This spot is apparently a famous spot for photos even for Bollywood star so of course Gautam helped us with a few photos here.

I had mentioned to Gautam that I wanted to try kulfi, a frozen milk dessert with pistachio, almond and cardamom and he got us one each. We then hopped on a rickshaw to go down the main road to the spice market, all while I struggle to finish the kulfi as it melts under the Delhi heat in record time.

At the spice market, we were introduced a bunch of spices, including an Indian turmeric, curries and saffron. We then continued on another rickshaw/ tuktuk through the other sections of the bazaar - they sell all sorts of stuff include opticals, hardware, paper/ wedding cards, you name it.

Jama Masjid

We ended the ride at the gates of Jama Masjid, India’s largest mosque in the heart of Old Delhi. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, the mosque was incredibly calming. This mosque can hold a mind-blowing 25,000 people and was built between 1644 and 1658. Our guide took care of the entry and we had to get robes even though we were covered, but we were able to enter the mosque before it opens to the general public at 11AM. The arches of the mosque is definitely the highlight!

Raj Ghat

Raj means rule and Ghat means near the water or river. Raj Ghat was dedicated to Gandhi, who needs no introduction. In Hindu traditions after cremation the ashes is sent off to the river. The memorial complex is pretty big and we took a little walk to enter the memorial where there is an eternal flame marking the spot of his cremation on January 31, 1948.

Emporium (mandatory shopping stop)

As with all organized tours our guide took us to an emporium filled with handcrafts, kashmir handmade carpets, textiles and a whole lot more. I did end up spending some money here and we were brought to another room to see how carpets are made by hand. I did see a carpet that I really liked but the wholesale price was still out of my budget (around $720 USD) so that was a no. It was cool looking at all the pretty carpets though! Maybe one day when I have my own space I would feel differently about spending the big bucks on these kinds of purchases.

Qutub Minar

After a quick lunch at a ‘tourist trap’ (you know, those eateries catering to foreigners that serves decent food and seem to survive solely on kickbacks from tour groups), we headed to Qutub Minar, a UNESCO world heritage site built between 1199 and 1220. This is at the site of Delhi’s oldest fortified city, Lal Kot. The Minar actually has a neighbor - an unfinished one that was supposed to be taller. Surrounding the Minar is a mosque that was originally a Hindu temple, and you can see the faces of the deities that were destroyed because Islamic cultures do not have faces in their designs. The mosque is no longer in use so shoes are allowed inside, and we walked around the mosque admiring all the beautiful columns. Gautam also helped us with some great photos (honestly the best type of guides my mom would want).

For me, I love talking to tour guides, asking questions and learning about the history. Gautam gave me a little lesson - the names of the different states in India gives a little history of the area: the states that end in -jrat is Islamic named, and the ones ending in -pur is Hindu named, just to show the diverse culture embedded into the country India is today.

President House and India Gate

Towards the end of our tour we drove by the President House which is directly in line with the India Gate (we were not able to get close to the President House as there were some functions going on and the roads were blocked), and we made a stop at India Gate for photos. India Gate is a war memorial for soldiers of the Indian army who fought in the first world war.

Venturing out in Delhi

Our tour guide and driver dropped us back off at the hotel and we took a short rest to write some postcards. Unfortunately the postcards never made it back to the States and it’s been almost 3 months… For dinner we took an uber to Farzi Cafe, a spot known for their fusion dishes. Cocktails were relatively cheap so I got a Coffee House cocktail for $9 USD, ordered a crispy corn dish with kadhai Mayo and a samosa dish to share. After dinner, we walked over to Naturals Ice Cream again, and this time I am not sharing with mom - I got the roasted almonds and lychee while mom got her own 2 scoops.

Lotus Temple

The next morning was an early start as we are heading to the Lotus Temple first thing in the morning when it opens before we continue our journey to Agra. Lotus Temple is a Baha’i House of Worship, open to all religion. The garden leading up to the temple is actually really nice, with jasmine and sunflowers along the path. The inside of the temple was less impressive but definitely worth stopping to get a view of the temple from the gardens.

Onwards to Agra and Taj Mahal

On the road to Agra the highway signs says look out for nilgai, an antelope native to Northern India. We didn’t actually see one but it was nice to learn about another animal. After napping in the car we finally made it to Agra and met up with our guide, Rajeev. Our original plan was to visit the Taj Mahal at sunrise the next day but Rajeev suggested going there right away as there is a chance of rain the next day, and with the monsoon season there are usually heavy clouds and no sunrise. We agreed and off we go to our first stop!

Taj Mahal is known for its inlay art not found anywhere else. This technique creates a shallow or depressed surface and allows pieces of contrasting colors to be inserted. Located in Agra, right by the long Yamuna River, the Taj Mahal is built in the original capital of the country. It was built by Shah Jahan as a memorial for his 3rd wife who died giving birth to their 14th child. The love story behind the Taj was that the wife had three dying wish and all three were fulfilled by the king - (1) never to marry again, (2) take care of their children, and (3) build something to remember her.

Construction of the Taj began a year after her death and was not done until 1653. The whole building and garden is symmetrical, with 8 gardens on each side, a mosque to the left and a replica on the right to keep the symmetry, and 4 gates. On the South Gate where we entered there are 22 domes at the top, one for each year it took to complete the Taj. All the gates used red sandstones, creating a contrast against the while marbled Taj in the middle.

The Taj was quite busy as expected when we entered from the South Gate, but our guide Rajeev was able to navigate around the crowds and got us great photos of the grand building and the long garden with the fountain in the middle. In the days before electricity, the fountains were water-powered, leveraging gravity and pulling water from the Yamuna River. The Taj is raised on a platform with 4 minarets on each corner (you can no longer go up the minarets since the Taj has been declared a world heritage site). Rajeev explained that the minarets actually aren’t quite perpendicular, but perhaps it is actually by design in case of an earthquake.

The main impressive sight of the Taj is the semi-translucent white marble, carved with flowers and inlaid with thousands of precious stones, even red ones that glows in the dark. In the basement is the tomb of the queen and the kind to its left, and a replica is now on display on the ground floor. Surrounding the tomb is a filigree screen carved with one single marble. Outside the Taj we finished off with a little more photos, mostly me trying to capture its beauty through my camera, and admiring the water fountains and imagining the reflections when there’s actually water.

Fun fact, my mom actually visited the Taj Mahal some 30 years ago on a business trip to India. She remembered the Taj being more yellowish than we saw, and it turns out that was the case because they began using mud baths to clean the Taj instead of just rainwater so it’s looking a lot shinier and cleaner than before.

Continue to Part 2!

India Part 1. June 2024