Part two of my India trip highlights will include Agra and Jaipur – two of the points of a tourist loop in India called the golden triangle with the third point being Delhi.
Agra
Agra is known for the all famous Taj Mahal and for good reason.
The Taj Mahal is probably on every travelers bucket list, and was definitely on mine – but I had no idea I would see it so soon or that it would be such a meaningful experience. The Taj was built by an emperor, Shah Jahal, for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who passed away during the birth of their 14th child. On her deathbed, he promised her he would build something to show his undying love for her and would last through the ages. It took 22 years and 22,000 people, many of who I presume passed away during the construction.
The part about the Taj Mahal that touched me the most wasn’t the love story, but the other parts of history that surround it. The fact that people have been coming here for hundreds of years to marvel at the magnificence of the perfectly perfect white marble is really special in itself. But now, I am connected with all of these other people in history who have touched the same stone, and let’s be honest, take the same picture. It made me think about all these other people with their own stories and journeys of how and why they were there but this one place and moment in time can still create a link of commonality between two people who are different on every other level.
Jaipur
Jaipur is known as the pink city, so I knew I would like it before even stepping foot within city limits because well.. pink! If I am being honest, the best part about Jaipur had to be my airbnb, which turned out to be more of a home stay than just a place to sleep. My friend, Sophie, and I enjoyed multiple home cooked meals, personal yoga classes, puppy kisses, and help arranging tours of the city as well as a super comfy bed, hot water and just a really warm welcome and invitation to hang out with the family during the kite festival in Jaipur.
It’s hard to pick just one thing here because we saw so many beautiful buildings, ate a lot of good food, and took in some really great views. If I had to pick, it would be a building called Hawa Mahal – a wind palace where royal ladies would look out onto the street, hidden from view, to watch the happenings, parades and other events in Jaipur as at that time, women couldn’t be seen in public without face coverings. Obviously and thankfully, that isn’t the case anymore and the structure was open for us to explore all the edges and in betweens.
This was one of the first stops in the city and energy was high and expectations were minimal, so I think I was just blown away by the detail, the colors, the intricacy and beauty with which this structure was built. We explored the nooks and crannies, took silly pictures and got a cool view of the busy street below and the rest of the surrounding city. It was pure awe, pure joy and pure novelty. We were free of exhaustion and just excited to be there.
India was a trip to remember and if the opportunity presents itself to go back, I wouldn’t say no. There is always more to see and more to learn from every unique pocket of the globe and I am thankful to have had the opportunities to learn and grow in a such worldwide playground.
