Day 5 - Agra/Jaipur

So, today started with an early start as we were up at 6.00am to get to the Taj Mahal.  It was only 10 minutes away, so we were there just after it opened.

We hired a photographer to come round with us. This was good, as the photos we selected are excellent, and he made sure people got out the way when we were taking our own pictures too, which was brilliant.  The Taj Mahal is surrounded by really nice gardens on a bend in the river, from where you can see Agra Fort (that we visited yesterday)

It's a bit surreal being here, it's such an iconic building that you can't quite believe that you're there.  It doesn't look real until your actually right up at it.

The Taj Mahal (and the seat that Diana sat on)

After visiting the Taj, it was back to the hotel for breakfast, before checking out.  Then it was back into the car and Fatehpur Sikri, another Moghul palace, which is HUGE!  The Emperor had married three wives, one Muslim, one Christian and one Hindu.  He was by all accounts, a bit of a philosopher, and thought all religions to be true, hence a wife from each of the three major religions.  This is evident in the carvings round the palace.  There are carvings representative of Islam, Christianity and Hinduism.

Each of the main three wives had their own palace within the main palace compound.  The rest of the wives lived in the harem.

There's a great story about him meeting a young boy, when he was travelling, and giving him one of his rings, saying "If you ever need me, come to the capital and I will help you".  

Years later the boy, now a young man, travelled to see the Emperor, but the palace guards, recognising the ring, thought he would be in for a bit reward from the ruler, so refused to let him enter until he promised to give them a share of whatever it was he received.  He duly agreed, and finally got in to see the Emperor.  The Emperor recognised the ring, and asked what he could give the man.  He asked for 100 lashes, so that the guards who had refused him entry, could share in his reward.  The Emperor recognised how smart he was, and gave him a position at court.

After the palace, it was back in the car, and onwards with the long journey to our next stop, Jaipur.

Apart from cows in the road, stopping for lunch, and to get a couple of pics of a temple, the journey was un-eventful.

Statues outside a temple on the road from Agra to Jaipur