Hi,
Agra is home to the Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world. While just about everyone who comes to Agra visits the Taj Mahal,I am not at all keen to see it at close range. The reason, the entry fee is a hefty 750 Rupees. That is more than 35 times what the Indian nationals pay. I don't make 35 times what the average Indian makes, so I just cannot afford it. Agreed, foreigners should pay more than locals, but not 35 times. We pay more at Angkor Wat , Borobodur, Ho Chi Min's Mausoleum, but certainly no more than 5 to 10 times. What irks me most is that the areas outside the gates of Taj Mahal, conditions in the streets are as appalling as the streets in Varanasi and Kolkata.
I won't regret not seeing it at close range as I have seen enough of it through numerous documentaries and videos that take you through all its wonders. Seeing parts of it from the outside took my imagination back to the time when Shah Jehan and the love of his life Mumtaz while they were alive nearly 400 years ago. There are still traces of the grandeur of Agra outside the gates of the Taj Mahal. It must have been a lovely place with all the well tended gardens and beautifully landscaped surroundings. Sadly, now only the Taj Mahal and the areas within its walls are well taken care.The authorities must do more to make Agra a more pleasant place for visitors to stay longer as Agra has more to offer than just the Taj Mahal. The locals should also benefit from the tourist dollars. The basic infracture in Agra must improve. I am certain things were better in Shah Jehan's time.
Deen JB, Kolkata is the new name for Calcutta just like Teluk Intan is for Telok Anson, Mumbai for Bombay, Chennai for Madras and Varanasi for Benares and before that Kasi. For Varanasi, the name changes according to the name of the God that decends on it during different periods. Who knows Kuala Lumpur may be called 'Kulum' fifty years from now.
This morning Aede joined other tourists both local and foreigners while I explored other parts of Agra including the so called the up-market area where the five star rated hotels are located. Some boasts of guests like Bill Clinton and most recently Tom Cruise who was here a few days ago.
Aede and I also did some cycling around the Agra Fort in the afternoon. Tomorrow we will cycle towards New Delhi, about 200km away.
Thank you Goon and Kuan Yee, Joe ,Hassannuddin, Zahariz, and others who have been following my blog and also post comments. I certainly appreciate them.
From the rooftop of our guesthouse with the Taj Mahal in the back ground
View from the back
At the Agra Fort
Agra is home to the Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world. While just about everyone who comes to Agra visits the Taj Mahal,I am not at all keen to see it at close range. The reason, the entry fee is a hefty 750 Rupees. That is more than 35 times what the Indian nationals pay. I don't make 35 times what the average Indian makes, so I just cannot afford it. Agreed, foreigners should pay more than locals, but not 35 times. We pay more at Angkor Wat , Borobodur, Ho Chi Min's Mausoleum, but certainly no more than 5 to 10 times. What irks me most is that the areas outside the gates of Taj Mahal, conditions in the streets are as appalling as the streets in Varanasi and Kolkata.
I won't regret not seeing it at close range as I have seen enough of it through numerous documentaries and videos that take you through all its wonders. Seeing parts of it from the outside took my imagination back to the time when Shah Jehan and the love of his life Mumtaz while they were alive nearly 400 years ago. There are still traces of the grandeur of Agra outside the gates of the Taj Mahal. It must have been a lovely place with all the well tended gardens and beautifully landscaped surroundings. Sadly, now only the Taj Mahal and the areas within its walls are well taken care.The authorities must do more to make Agra a more pleasant place for visitors to stay longer as Agra has more to offer than just the Taj Mahal. The locals should also benefit from the tourist dollars. The basic infracture in Agra must improve. I am certain things were better in Shah Jehan's time.
Deen JB, Kolkata is the new name for Calcutta just like Teluk Intan is for Telok Anson, Mumbai for Bombay, Chennai for Madras and Varanasi for Benares and before that Kasi. For Varanasi, the name changes according to the name of the God that decends on it during different periods. Who knows Kuala Lumpur may be called 'Kulum' fifty years from now.
This morning Aede joined other tourists both local and foreigners while I explored other parts of Agra including the so called the up-market area where the five star rated hotels are located. Some boasts of guests like Bill Clinton and most recently Tom Cruise who was here a few days ago.
Aede and I also did some cycling around the Agra Fort in the afternoon. Tomorrow we will cycle towards New Delhi, about 200km away.
Thank you Goon and Kuan Yee, Joe ,Hassannuddin, Zahariz, and others who have been following my blog and also post comments. I certainly appreciate them.
From the rooftop of our guesthouse with the Taj Mahal in the back ground
View from the back
At the Agra Fort
3 comments:
thanks cikgu adnan, u gave me very clear explanation of the cities.u two must keep moving.hopefuly u will give me more travel tips.i am hungry to digest more infos. wish both of u the best of the jurney. god bless us all. Deen from J.B.Malaysia.
Like you, I refuse to pay at some of these tourist spots. Once we were outside Elvis Presley's house and we refused to pay $10 to go in!!
Watch out for the food in these parts. Joe
uncle,
hehe... i was hoping you gonna say that when you see taj mahal from far, you started to imagine that mumtaz is actually your lover, but shah jahan stole her from you by building the taj mahal just to win her heart. You then got jealous, and start planning to sabotage the palace. must be a fun story to read... :)
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