Agra - Day 2

First up a sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal. Celebrated for its architectural magnificence & aesthetic beauty. A symphony in the finest white marble & a tribute to eternal love, it was built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife.
Impressive indeed!
Back to the hotel for breakfast & then to see artisans at work, sitting, filing, shaping & placing gemstones into intricate designs on marble. Ostensibly they are related to the artisans who did the intricate tile work of the Taj. Amazing, some of the pieces are only the size of a strand of hair! Then of course, there is a shop - so many beautiful pieces.
Eventually, on my request we visited the Baby Taj. This tour is very flexible. It didn't disappoint. What a glorious, feminine building. It was built between 1622 and 1628 for Mirza Ghiyas Beg, the father of Empress Nur Jahan, and is often called the "Baby Taj" because it is considered a precursor to the Taj Mahal and a significant turning point in Mughal architecture.  I think I love it more than the Big Taj.
We then drove 37kms to the red sandstone city of Fatehpur Sikri with its forts, palaces and forts. A massive endeavour which takes 2 hours to walk around. Punishing, si many hawkers including children it was quite overwhelming. We were dropping after our early start & no lunch but we did it!!
Then a big 4 hour drive to the Red city of Jaipur. Unremarkable dinner on the way, complete with frequent power outages. We arrived at our beautiful hotel - Dera Rawastar Heritage Hotel & fell into our glorious beds. 💙Read more