INDIA 2010: The Taj Wonder and Overnight Slumber

Dec 6 – Stepping inside the main arched entranceway, we are immediately enthralled with the magnificence of the famed Taj Mahal. No matter how many times I visit, it never fails to take my breath away. Inside the compound walls, it’s hard to turn your eyes away from this gorgeous mausoleum. The marble structure with its central dome and 4 minarets reflects perfectly along the long blue watercourse that leads to the raised platform upon which it stands.

The intricate design (below) and precision workmanship become apparent as we approach the entrance. Verses of the Quran border the archway, elegantly scripted in black stone. Entwined vines and red lotus flowers made with semi-precious stones are inlaid in the marble. Two hours passed in a blink, as we toured this magnificent structure.

Leaving the Taj Mahal we embarked upon the long and arduous journey to Delhi. It took over 6 hours to travel 200 kms, with just two brief stops. Our first stop was at Sikandara, the site of Akbar’s tomb, on the outskirts of Agra, to see the Blackbuck (below) that roam the grounds. The second stop was a bathroom break!

We arrived in darkness, had a quick meal at the Dhanchiri Camp, and sorted out our luggage for the overnight train. We made our way to the Delhi train station, located just 30 kms across the city, with the last few kilometers being very slow when we were stuck behind an endless line of stationary buses. We could have walked there faster if we knew where to go!

Once we reached the train station Vinod went to find a porter that could take care of all our luggage, telling us to wait for him inside our bus. While waiting for Vinod, a bagwan with dreadlocks “a la rastafarian” boarded the bus. Though harmless, his wandering caught Pam quite by surprise until our bus driver ‘shooed’ him out without incident.

Surrounded by the typical chaos that characterizes India train stations, I took out my camera to document some of the madness. A policeman warned me against taking photos. I mused, Is this rail station top secret? Are there national secrets hidden beneath the hordes of people prostrate and sleeping on the concrete platform, or passed between two ordinary-looking gentlemen carrying rifles? After several attempts, we managed to find the correct train and stepped on it just minutes before the doors closed and it started rolling. How anyone knows which train is which is still a mystery, but with a name like the Ranikhet Express it should not come as a surprise.

We sorted our luggage and situated ourselves in the sleeper cars, four persons to a room. Our overnight journey to Kathgodam, the end of the line, took 7 1/2 hours, during which we were able to sleep reasonably well amid the lull of the moving train.