September 29, 2009…“Sometimes it’s hard to know who to trust in this country!” I yelled at the guy who had informed me I had to spend 250 more rupees to get into the Taj Mahal. It was when he said, “See, I told you” that set me off. He was right. He wasn’t trying to scam me. The hassles come on strong in Agra and I guess I had enough of getting it all day. I’m usually a very even tempered person who rarely loses his cool but India can push you to your limits regularly. I felt kind of bad about the incident as I walked in to view one of the most impressive structures I’ve ever seen. The Taj Mahal. It definitely lives up to all the hype. There’s a vibe about it.
I arrived in Agra via an overnight train from Allahabad. I first took a 3 hour bus from Varanassi to Allahabad then a train to Agra. Traveling India is a full on experience 24/7. As someone from the west it’s hard to know what to think about the people. My attitude is generally guarded and suspicious of anyone who tries to befriend me as having an ulterior motive. It’s kind of unfortunate because a lot of local people are just curious about foreigners and really just want to talk. Sometimes I think there’s a kind of fascination with foreigners. However, you do have to be careful and discriminating. The good thing is that Indians are not violent people. They’re not going to pull a knife or gun on you but they could trick you out of money, drug a drink, or put you in an uncomfortable situation. As a white foreigner I can’t help but stand out everywhere I go.
For the most part I think the Indian people are good people and sometimes as kind and helpful as can be. For example, I’m sitting on a bus that I know is due to go to Allahabad at some point. I’m just sitting on it when a guy who I’ve never seen hops on and says, “You need to take the other bus. It will leave first”. I checked out the other bus and sure enough it was just getting ready to leave for Allahabad. I chose to sit in front of him. He proved to be genuinely nice and wanted to know about my travels in India. We engaged in pleasant conversation. We talked about how great the Chai is in India is and enjoyed witnessing festivals that were going on in every village we passed through. When we arrived in Allahabad the bus did not drop us at the bus station next the railway station. It just dropped us on some street. I got off the bus and he said, “Here, take this rickshaw and pay the driver 15 rupees, enjoy your time in India!” He gave me a big smile and disappeared. The rickshaw took me straight to the railway station. I paid the driver 20.
I waited for the train in Allahabad in the upper class waiting room. The overhead lighting did not work except a few flickering florescent bulbs. The air conditioning was semi cool and it cost 2 rupees to use the acceptable toilet. Before entering the upper class waiting room I had to go through the bureaucracy of filling out a form. There seems to be a lot of that in India. I can’t imagine they do anything with all of the massive quantities of paper forms that are required for whatever.
I boarded the train at 11:30 and pretty much went straight to sleep. I was awoken a couple of times by people getting on and off talking as loud as they could. Social graces are not a strong point for India. I rose with the sun and sought out a window to watch the countryside. For miles, at regular intervals, I could see people squatting and defecating next to the railroad right of way. Side note. Never stand too close to a passing train in India. The train toilets do not have holding tanks. Everything just goes outside.
On arrival in Agra I went straight to the prepaid rickshaw stand. Just like Varanassi a guy was on me as soon as I got off the train. As I was paying my pre pay fare a fight broke out between a couple drivers. I had to move quickly to get out of the way as they tripped over a scooter. The police stood watching the incident and jsut laughed while it was going on. Other drivers broke up the fight.
Since I arrived early in Agra I took my time looking for a place to stay. After a tour of several hotels including one with an owner who tried to sell me hash I settled for a very nice clean place for about $18 USD. I was impressed that I was shown the kitchen as part of the tour. He boasted, “Very hygienic, we have refrigeration, a lot of places don’t have refrigeration”.
I spent the afternoon touring Agra Fort and very much enjoyed it. I waited until the evening to tour the Taj Mahal because I knew the evening light would be better. It was. The Taj is very impressive with its massive marble construction, graphic inlays and carvings. The grounds made up of gardens and reflection pools add to the atmosphere. The downside is the crowds but it really doesn’t detract all that much from the experience of being there. Although the Taj and Fort are must sees in India the city of Agra leaves a lot to be desired. One night here is enough for me.
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