Caper Travel India Blog

After getting spell bound by the enchanting beauty of Taj Mahal, we set out to

explore the Agra Fort. Being a World Heritage Site the fort was a must-visit destination on our itinerary. Popularly known as the Red Fort of Agra, this fort is undoubtedly a great attraction here. The very first sight of the fort left me with the words, “how majestic, how huge”. Situated on the banks of river Yamuna, the fort offers an opportunity to peep into the glorious past. There are two entrance gates to the fort- the Delhi gate and the Amar Singh Gate. We entered from the Delhi gate.

We had hired a guide so that we don’t miss out on the history of the fort. His name was Ramesh and he seemed to be quite knowledgeable. As we were exploring the fort Ramesh told us that the great Mughal rulers such as Babar, Humayun, Akbar, Jehangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb once lived in this fort and ruled the country from here. The foundation of the fort was laid by the Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1556 and the construction continued till the reign of his grand son Shah Jahan. The fort is also the place where Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his own son Aurangzeb.

The fort complex encompasses several mosques and palaces, most of which are made of white marble and red sandstone. Some of the apartments which I liked the most are:

Jehangiri Mahal:
This stunning palace was built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar for his beloved son Jahangir. It reflects a perfect blend of Central Asian and Hindu architecture.

Khas Mahal:
Carved in white marble, this palace was built by Shah Jahan in 1637. The beautiful paintings on white marble is one of the striking features of this palace. Overlooking Angoori Bagh, this palace was especially built for Shah Jahan.

Musamman Burj:
This apartment was built for the beautiful Mumtaz Mahal. It offers picturesque views of the majestic Taj Mahal.

Ramesh told us that it is in Musamman Burj where Shah Jahan spent the last days of his life gazing at the Taj Mahal.

Well, don’t give a miss to the fascinating Sheesh Mahal, the dressing room of the royal ladies. Its walls are beautifully adorned with tiny mirrors.

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Tajmahal Tour, Agra

Different people, different perceptions and different are the ways of expressing love. Thousands of skilled artists and workers, millions of rupees and twenty two years of hard work, all combined together to erect a monument called Taj Mahal to express Shah Jahan’s love for his wife Mumtaz Mahal. What an expensive way of expressing love!

For a short break from our hectic life, I along with my friends reached Agra at around 9 in the morning. Agra, synonymous with Taj Mahal, is a famous tourist destination of India. Once the capital of the Mughals, Agra occupies a very significant place on the tourist map of India. It is also a part of the Golden Triangle Tour Circuit, which is a big hit with tourists from across the globe.

The epitome of beauty, Taj Mahal is the most beautiful example of Mughal architecture. It incorporates different architectural styles such as

Indian, Islamic and Persian. Built in the year 1653, Taj Mahal is one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the World’ and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Located ideally on the banks of river Yamuna, Taj Mahal encompasses decorative elements such as stone inlays, carvings and stucco. At one point of time the walls and dome of Taj Mahal were studded with semi-precious stones and gems, which were looted in the wars. The passages from holy Quran were also used as decorative elements in this monument.

The five major components inside the Taj Complex are Darwaza(the main gateway), Bageecha(the gardens), Masjid(the mosque), Naqqar Khana(the rest house) and Rauza (the main mausoleum). Our guide Dheeraj pointing at the bronze spire on the top of the dome told us that once it was made of solid gold. Everything about the glorious Taj Mahal is enchanting and impressive.

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The alluring temptation to explore more punctured my sleep at the

crack of the dawn. However I woke up very refreshed although I had retired to the bed a little late last night. May be this is the magical effect of a healthy and beautiful environment. While relishing a steaming hot cup of tea I was thinking about the overwhelming views of the beautiful moon and twinkling starts, which I captured in my heart last night. The mesmerizing moonlit night, the cool breeze and the memories of the attractions I had explored till now were enough to make me experience the joy of being in a fairyland. Two of my close buddies Shivani and Pallavi had joined me yesterday night, which added more joy to my trip to Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Post breakfast we headed for the Neil island, which is located 36 km from Port Blair. Its a wonderful island covered with forest and beaches. Soaked in tranquility, this island is famous for camping. The beach was dotted with several camps. Snorkeling and scuba diving are the two great adventure sports you can enjoy here. The lagoons around this island are a home to a variety of marine life including live and colorful corals.

After enjoying the beauty of the Neil island we headed for the Havelock Island, which is a big hit with tourists. Our guide Sarvanan told us that this island is famous for its arresting beaches, colorful marine life and adventure sports like scuba diving and snorkeling. And the major portion of the island is covered with forest. He took us to the most bewitching beach of the Havelock island, the Radhanagar Beach. The very sight of the sea evoked a burning desire in me to plunge into it but being a non swimmer I had to maul that desire to death. Entering the world of realization, I realized that not being able to swim is such a pathetic disability. Anyway we still enjoyed and spent 2-3 hours at this beach, which is steeped in beauty and adventure. It was truly a rewarding experience.

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I was quite impressed by E. L. Doctorow’s quote on history, which says,

“History is the present. That’s why every generation writes it anew. But what most people think of as history is its end product, myth”. The best part with this quote was that I could link it with my memorable tour to Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh with my colleagues.

We planned a two day trip to Khajuraho in the mid of August when the city was receiving heavy rainfall. Khajuraho is a city that combines history, architecture, culture and divine greenery with delectable charm. We were booked in Hotel Usha Bundela. After enjoying a refreshing bath in the swimming pool, we headed for the Western Group of Temples. Yogesh, a travel assistant accompanied us throughout the tour. He told us that most of the temples were built between the 9th and 11th centuries by the warrior kings of the Chandela dynasty. We all were completely stunned to see the marvelous structure and exquisite sculptures there.

People believe that these temples were built by the first Chandela raja to atone his mother’s sin, whose consummation with the Moon god heralded the start of the Chandela dynasty. Contrary to this, some believe that the temples were built as wedding chariots for the gods who came to attend the wedding of Lord Shiva, which is celebrated every year on the occasion of Shivaratri. The main temple wonders in the western belt were Chaunsat Yogini (dedicated to goddesses Kali), Kandariya Mahadeo (dedicated to Lord Shiva), Lakshmana Temple, Temple of Vishvanath and Nandi, Temple of Devi Jagdamba and other important temples of Lakshmi and Varaha, Mahadev, Chitragupta, Parvati, and Matangesvara.

We stopped for a quick bite, and then explored the Eastern & Southern Group of Temples, which were equally impressive. The best among those were the temple of Parsvanath, temple of Brahma and Hanuman and Chaturbhuja Temple. We captured the astonishing beauty of these structures in our cameras. In the night, while having dinner, we enjoyed beautiful dance performances that showcase the culture of Madhya Pradesh.

Next morning, we left for excursions. Our first halt was the renowned Raneh Waterfalls in the outskirts of Khajuraho. Yogesh told us that Raneh highlights the best of its beauty during monsoons, and it was really spell binding. We spent a couple of hours there in photography. Later, we also paid a short visit to Benisagar Lake (7 km).

We had never thought that the forested plains of Bundelkhand in the heart of India could be so scenic, and pollution free. My entire team looks for complementary accommodation, food & transport on every trip. But Khajuraho was simply beyond our expectations. Even if it wasn’t a complementary trip, it would have been worth watching architectural wonders of the Bundelkhand region on our own expenses.

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