Up to India (Delhi, Taj Mahal, Rajasthan, and Vicinity) - October 6th-24th 2007

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October 11th 2007: Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri


Page 1 of 2.
Click on images below to enlarge:
Taj Mahal
In pre-dawn light, a building outside the entrance of to the Taj.
White people stand around waiting for the Taj to open.
My first view of the Taj Mahal. I didn't realize my camera could capture such a gradient of white.
Ibid.
In pre-dawn light, a building outside the entrance of to the Taj.
White people stand around waiting for the Taj to open.
My first view of the Taj Mahal. I didn't realize my camera could capture such a gradient of white.
Ibid.
A building in the Taj complex. The sun begins to rise. No water here.
Another picture of the Taj. View the full-sized image to see the building in its glorious detail. There's water in this part of the complex--I don't have to go home as as I previously worried I might.
A view from the Taj back toward the entrance gate. It's a pretty impressive gate. Many tourists, as they enter, stop to take pictures of the Taj, and, in this case, me. :)
The Taj Mahal and its reflection.
A building in the Taj complex. The sun begins to rise.
No water here.
Another picture of the Taj. View the full-sized image to see the building in its glorious detail.
There's water in this part of the complex--I don't have to go home as as I previously worried I might.
A view from the Taj back toward the entrance gate. It's a pretty impressive gate.
Many tourists, as they enter, stop to take pictures of the Taj, and, in this case, me. :)
The Taj Mahal and its reflection.
Ibid.
Another part of the complex.
The Taj, obliquely.
The Taj Mahal has two mosques on opposite sides of it. (Actually, only one is a mosque; the other is only there for symmetry.) This is one of those "mosques."
Ibid.
Another part of the complex.
The Taj, obliquely.
The Taj Mahal has two mosques on opposite sides of it. (Actually, only one is a mosque; the other is only there for symmetry.) This is one of those "mosques."
One side of the Taj as seen from the building in the previous picture. Look at the full-sized image to see all the Koranic writings engraved around the arch. As the sun rose, the Taj Mahal really did appear to glow; our advice to come at dawn was correct.
A side of the Taj Mahal, as seen framed through an archway in the previously mentioned building.
Just outside the Taj, villagers bath and wash clothes in a river: poverty, right in the shadow of a building that most of us foreigners just paid around a thousand rupees ($20 US) to view, a price that would buy an Indian thirty meals in cheap restaurants.
Beautiful engravings.
One side of the Taj as seen from the building in the previous picture.
Look at the full-sized image to see all the Koranic writings engraved around the arch.
As the sun rose, the Taj Mahal really did appear to glow; our advice to come at dawn was correct.
A side of the Taj Mahal, as seen framed through an archway in the previously mentioned building.
Just outside the Taj, villagers bath and wash clothes in a river: poverty, right in the shadow of a building that most of us foreigners just paid around a thousand rupees ($20 US) to view, a price that would buy an Indian thirty meals in cheap restaurants.
Beautiful engravings.
A very good 360-degree panorama from the front of the Taj. Shows details of the main frontal archway, the towers on the corner of the plaza, and the view back along the water to the main entrance to the complex. It also provides a picture of some of the kind of people who visit the Taj at dawn. Finally, with sound, you can hear birds chipping.
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J and N in front of one of the mosques by the Taj.
The luminous Taj Mahal and its reflection. The color are very different now that the sun is up.
A very good 360-degree panorama from the front of the Taj. Shows details of the main frontal archway, the towers on the corner of the plaza, and the view back along the water to the main entrance to the complex. It also provides a picture of some of the kind of people who visit the Taj at dawn. Finally, with sound, you can hear birds chipping.
The interior of the Taj had more of the Koran engraved on the walls, and a wonderful resonance.
J and N in front of one of the mosques by the Taj.
The luminous Taj Mahal and its reflection. The color are very different now that the sun is up.
A panorama taken from the area after the gate which checked our tickets but before the main gateway to the Taj Mahal itself.
The entry gate to the Taj Mahal itself. It shows the Indian government can maintain places well when it so desires. I previously photographed this gate from the other side.
A panorama taken from the area after the gate which checked our tickets but before the main gateway to the Taj Mahal itself.
The entry gate to the Taj Mahal itself. It shows the Indian government can maintain places well when it so desires. I previously photographed this gate from the other side.
Breakfast in Hotel
Porridge: standard and respectable.
Vegetable pakora: with vegetables mashed together, was not like we expected. Nonetheless, it was hot, fresh, nicely spiced, and good.
Porridge: standard and respectable.
Vegetable pakora: with vegetables mashed together, was not like we expected. Nonetheless, it was hot, fresh, nicely spiced, and good.
Bus to Fatehpur Sikri
The bus we took to Fatehpur Sikri. I took this picture after we got off, as we were trying to escape from the hoard of touts. I'm amazed none of them are in this picture.
Inside the packed bus.
The bus we took to Fatehpur Sikri.
I took this picture after we got off, as we were trying to escape from the hoard of touts. I'm amazed none of them are in this picture.
Inside the packed bus.
Jama Masjid (The Great Mosque)
The steps up to the mosque.
A play area for kids near the mosque.
A street in the town by the mosque. We didn't bother exploring the town.
A 360-degree panorama of the bustling courtyard and colorful marketplace in the middle of the mosque. The size of the main gates and lengths of the arcades are also clearly evident. Our guide told us one of the main gates was only used for royalty; a small archway off to the side of that main gate was the entrance for the common people.
The steps up to the mosque.
A play area for kids near the mosque.
A street in the town by the mosque.
We didn't bother exploring the town.
A 360-degree panorama of the bustling courtyard and colorful marketplace in the middle of the mosque. The size of the main gates and lengths of the arcades are also clearly evident.
Our guide told us one of the main gates was only used for royalty; a small archway off to the side of that main gate was the entrance for the common people.
A shrine within the mosque. (Yes, the mosque was open to the air.) The sharp-eyed among you will have spotted this blindingly white building halfway through the previous panoramic movie.
Remember the screens in the previous picture? From the outside, one can't see in. From the inside, at this distance, one can see out only a little bit. Please view the full-sized image to see the screen's pattern.
Yet, from a bit further away, the screens act almost like windows. That's a pretty neat trick! I suggest you view the previous two pictures again, then view this one yet again, to truly realize how cool it is.
Graves inside the mosque.
A shrine within the mosque. (Yes, the mosque was open to the air.)
The sharp-eyed among you will have spotted this blindingly white building halfway through the previous panoramic movie.
Remember the screens in the previous picture? From the outside, one can't see in. From the inside, at this distance, one can see out only a little bit.
Please view the full-sized image to see the screen's pattern.
Yet, from a bit further away, the screens act almost like windows. That's a pretty neat trick! I suggest you view the previous two pictures again, then view this one yet again, to truly realize how cool it is.
Graves inside the mosque.