Craig and Steph's Vacations Blog: Spending Time in Agra, India

We are currently in Agra spending a couple of days visiting our dear friends Mukul and Sunita, who live just 3 minutes away from the Taj Mahal. We are only one week into our trip but we have already done so much. We started off in Sarnath, a town where Buddha lived and gave his first sermon.

Sarnath

Buddhist temple at Sarnath

Then we went to nearby Varanasi, where we watched a nighttime ceremony on the ghats (stone steps leading down to the sacred Ganges River). The next morning we took a sunrise boat ride on the Ganges. The city is amazing - vibrant and active, full of devout Hindus making pilgrimages to this most holy city.

Night time ceremony in Varanasi

An offering to the Ganges for Richa

Blessing from a Brahman on Dashashwamedh Ghat

Varanasi

Pilgrims bathing at the ghats, Varanasi

Sunrise on the Ganges

Ghats, Varanasi

Dashashwamedh Ghat

Sunrise boat ride on the Ganges

From there we flew to Khajuraho, where we saw beautiful Hindu temples adorned with intricate stone carvings that date back 1000 years. At night we saw a sound and light show that relayed the history of the site. We had Ayurvedic massages at our hotel which were totally relaxing and removed any last vestiges of jet lag (4 flights in 4 days) .

Next we drove to the quiet village of Orchha where we went to a functioning Hindu temple and then visited two palaces and a variety of other sites.

Khajuraho

On the road to Orchha

Jahangir Mahal, Orchha

View of Chaturbhuj Temple from Raja Mahal, Orchha

Roadside scene, Orchha

Lakshmi Temple, Orchha

Blind musician, Chaturbhuj Temple, Orchha

We took the train ride to Agra. The Indian railway fed us twice on the two and a half hour journey (better service than you get on a coast to coast flight in the USA). We have enjoyed spending time visiting Mukul and Sunita's, at their lovely oasis in Agra. Yesterday we went to the school which Mukul helped to build and is actively involved with. They educate 1200 children who otherwise might not be able to get such a quality education. The work that they are doing is amazing. We then saw some of Agra's many sites, inluding the tomb of Akbar, a Sikh temple which will feed anyone who enters, a Radha Soami temple which is still under construction after 80 years, and Babur's Gardens on the banks of the Yamuna River. We re-visited the tomb of Itimad ud Duala, an exquisitely decorated mausoleum. We watched the sun set with a view of the Taj Mahal from across the river.

Morning tea with Mukul and Sunita

Meeting students at Colonel's Brightland School

Classroom, Colonel's Brightland School

Hessing's Tomb

Akbar's Tomb

Itimad ud Duala

Taj Mahal viewed from Mahtab-Bagh

Mukul is presented with gifts for Karva Chauth

Getting my hand henna'ed for Karva Chauth

We watched sunrise at the Taj this morning. The sunlight was exquisite. We explored Agra Fort this afternoon. We will spend one more night in Agra enjoying Mukul and Sunita's wonderful hospitality. Mukul is an expert guide and wonderful traveling companion, and we are very happy to be in his company again.

Tomorrow we are off to Fatehpur Sikri and then will spend almost two weeks exploring Rajasthan. The next post will probably be from home.