Stopping for some Chai Tea alone the way to Agra……..

Bathroom Break?????????????????

The Taj Mahal is often referred to as the “Greatest Monument of Love” and one the the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.  It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  It is a white marble mausoleum commissioned by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal.  Mumtaz Mahal (the Exalted of the Palace) was 21 when she married Shah Jahan.  She bore 14 children and died in 1630 having her 14th child.  Construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632 and was completed 21 years later.  It took 20,000 laborers to build and was finished on the exact anniversary of Mumtaz Mahal’s death.

Emperor Shah Jahan, who built the Taj Mahal, was imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb in Agra Fort.  He died there, but while imprisoned, he had a beautiful view of the Taj Mahal.  Aurangzeb killed his older brothers so he could become the new Emperor.  (Not what you would call a loving son).

 

This is the Trident Hotel where we stayed in Agra.  It had electricity, water, and wifi. YEA!!!

This is the line to get in the Taj Mahal.  We arrived at sunrise so the lines were not as bad as later in the day.

This is the first image you see of the Taj Mahal.  Unbelievable!!!!

Agra Fort

 

You will notice in the two pictures below that I am talking to the wall in one picture and Mary is talking to her wall in the other picture.  We are on opposite walls about 40 feet from each other and we are talking relatively softly, and we can hear and speak to each other as if we were close to each other.  It was explained to us but it was lost in the translation – really fascinating.

Tomb of Itmad-Ud-Daulah (Known as the Baby Taj) was built before the Taj Mahal, and is known as the first Marble Mausoleum.

 

 

This step well is located opposite Harshat Mata Temple and is one of the deepest and largest step wells in India.  It was built in the 9th Century and has 3500 narrow steps and 13 stories and is 100 feet deep.  They were built to reach the well water during the seasonal fluctuations.

This is the morning class from 8AM until 9:30AM six or seven days a week.  These children came to these classes voluntarily an hour and a half before school started to study English.  Some walked over an hour to get there.

 

This is the afternoon class from 3:00PM until 6:00PM six or seven days a week.  These children also came to study English for three hours after school voluntarily.  Their classroom was in a room where they sat on the floor.  Sometimes we took a break from studying and played word games or danced to Indian music.

 

These are the morning cows that came to our “Castle” each day to greet us as we left for school.

These are our three wonderful, funny, and friendly men who served us breakfast, lunch, and dinner most days.  They stood right by the table the entire meal, bringing more and more Indian food!!

This is Anuragk Gupta, our Road Scholar leader and his wife, Bobbi.  Anuragk guided us throughout our time in Kalwar.  He is an exceptional person who provides not only teaching the children, but gives them love and support.

It all started with our first breakfast in Delhi..

]

….and ended with sad goodbyes!!!!!

 

….it was an eye-opening  experience, a tough experience, but a wonderful experience to live with and get to know children who are as happy as any child in America.