My Unforgettable Visit to Agra. 

By Shah A Siddiqui

I am writing about some very remarkable and interesting journeys of my life, and I would love to share those memories and incidents with my readers.

I remember when I was a young boy, someone had told me that the black mole in the middle of the foot arch will keep me traveling, and it is a fact. Since 1978 I started my traveling, and the first stop was India, where I was posted on a diplomatic assignment. During my diplomatic life I enjoyed visiting and staying abroad. After exploring India from West Bengal to UP, AP, Rajasthan, my next stop was Poland, a beautiful country of Eastern Europe. After Poland I visited Russia, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovak, Holland, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Canada and Bangladesh. My traveling did not stop even after I immigrated to the United States. Due to the nature of my job, I already traveled and explored three-fourths of America and Puerto Rico. I think traveling is a blessing.

When I was posted in India on a diplomatic assignment from 1978 to late 1984, I utilized my holidays to tour historic places all around India.  I have many precious memories of my visits from Capital New Delhi to West Bengal. I seldom missed a chance to avail of any holidays. I was single when I was posted to New Delhi, as such I used to hang out with a group of like-minded bachelors. It was my first posting abroad in a country where the ‘officials’ of both Pakistan and India rarely treat each other well. We were not allowed by the host government to leave the city without ‘special permission’ and visa on our passports despite holding a diplomatic passport. The reasons are very obvious- our mutual hostility towards each other. Even the Pakistan High Commission staff that enjoyed diplomatic immunity would be required to possess a special security permit to move around in the city. The Pakistani government treats the Indian diplomats with the same protocol and yardstick.

To start with we planned to visit Agra on the invitation of a local host from a locality ‘Gali Bara Hakeeman.’ I cannot forget the hospitality of that kind host Mohiuddin, who took us around the Agra city and Jaipur. It was the night before ‘Holi,’ the Indian festival of joy and colors. Our group of three friends traveled by train, and it took six hours to reach our destination. I usually preferred to travel by train in India because the Indian Railways system was nice at that time.  Passengers could enjoy different sceneries and stopovers at many railway stations and could interact with different people during their travel time.

My host had made excellent arrangements at his residence at Gali Bara Hakeeman. The house was built in old style with a large courtyard, green trees, and flower plants. Our room relatively larger, was adjacent to the living room where the host family played carom board and cards. It was a great fun time for all of us because even at night the young boys were out playing, dancing to music the way we in Pakistan celebrate ‘Chand Raat’ before Eid. After dinner at around 10 pm my friend took us for a small ride around the neighborhood. We all were surprised to see the exuberance and excitement of Holi that night. Young girls, boys, men and women of all walks of life were together enjoying their time regardless of their religious affiliations. I saw Sikhs, Hindus, and Muslims were playing with colors and throwing the vibrant powdered color at each other, singing songs and dancing in the streets and parks. It was unbelievably that we all were remain awake until 5 o’clock in the morning, yet woke up at 8 a.m. I cannot forget the breakfast prepared at home. It was not a breakfast delicacy, but a lavish feast with the diversity of different dishes such as feerini (rice pudding), Aalo bhaji, Suji halwa, Puri, Nihari, Haleem, Naan, sweets, kachori and delicious chai.

My mother had told me about the Holi when I was a child that it is the  holiest festival of Hindus yet it is also glamorous and with unbelievable festivities all around India. What my mother told me was now in full play before my eyes, though the celebration of Holi I was watching and also read in the press but seeing is believing. It was incredible. We had clearly told our host that we would not participate in the throwing color ritual, nor anyone should attempt to be physical for throwing and rubbing colors on our faces due to driving reason that it would spoil our attire.

However, despite all these warnings and please somehow we all engaged ourselves in that ritual that cannot be celebrated without the diversity of colors to be thrown at the people around you.  We all three friends and our host Mohiuddin with his brothers and friends threw colors to each other. Despite precautions, we could not spare ourselves with rainbow up colors and we got our dresses already painted with various kinds of pigments. We hastily rushed to the market to buy new shirts, etc. but to our utter disappointment rather repugnance before the market closed and for good reasons the entire community was as sleep.  

The next morning, we left the house early to enjoy breakfast in a restaurant on our way to see Taj Mahal. We were desperately searching for any dress shops so that we could change our spoiled apparel and head for Taj Mahal. The shops used to open at 10 am so just after breakfast we went to a nearby shopping center, which was about 20 minutes away from the restaurant. It was interesting that we entered in a ready-made store and whatever we choose for trial, we bought right away and threw away our ruined shirts in the store’s trash can.

I the hindsight, I regret the decision for discarding the color spattered shirts which, if, kept could have been a life time souvenir and memento to be shown to a friend and children in the coming time. Moreover, I could feel and smell the love of our host, who spent 3 days with us and made our trip a memorable.

It was about noon time when we arrived at the Taj Mahal. It was amazing to see the Taj Mahal in front of me. I had read about Taj Mahal in the books and magazines and seen it in documentaries, but in reality, I found this ancient historical building much more beautiful. The sudden feeling of awe made me speechless and I was captivated by the majesty of that imposing monument. The Taj Mahal edifice was decidedly a feast to the eyes as its beauty was beyond the description. The monument to its beauty, elegance and unique structure covered with floral and mosaic figures is one of the wonders of the world and has been enjoying the status for many many years now. I will quote here, “Taj Mahal Muhabbat ki ankhon se tapka hua woh anso hay jo dunya ke gaal pe jam ke reh gaya hay.”(The Taj Mahal is like a drop of tear from a lover’s eye lid which has frozen on the cheek of the world).

This monument is very precious and beautiful and is included in the Wonders of the World. This dome was completed in 1648 and was open to the public. Its beautiful art work with precious stones under the dome and around the wall will mesmerize you. The Arabic calligraphy has no comparison as it has been beautifully engraved with precious stones such as lapis, jade, crystal, Lazuli, amethyst and turquoise. The four minarets at the four corners of the floor are visible from afar. You cannot imagine the skills and techniques of the engineers of the 16th century who worked for 22 years to complete this dome. At that time, there were no heavy earth moving equipments, trucks or bulldozers. Lifting heavy stones of marble must have been a life threatening issue, but the laborers had to work.

The visitors and  archeological  experts claim that the shimmer and the whiteness of the mausoleum have gone with the passage of time, and it is also mentioned in history that the British government and their officials also played their part to deface the Taj Mahal, who chiseled out precious stones and Lapiz, Lazuli, amethyst and other costly stones from the wall and interior dome. After more than 330 years after its construction, Taj Mahal is still bright and milky as what a normal eye can observe, but from the eyes of experts the Taj is losing its beauty and splendor day by day due to acid rain caused by air pollution due to the development of various nearby  industries. I think it could be hard for the public to stare directly at Taj Mahal that time when it was allowed for the public after construction. While a normal person can feel the shine and the milky attraction of the building because the Taj Mahal is totally built of white marble.

I saw myself, the left over pieces of the black stones which were there behind the Taj Mahal across the Jumna river. It is believed that Shah Jahan had planned to build another Taj Mahal with black stones next to an existing monument of white marble and it is seems to be a myth which has been picked from the book by Jean-Baptist Tavernier, who was one of the first European visitors to Taj Mahal. Emperor Shah Jahan’s son Aurangzeb Alamgir (Abul Muzaffar Muhi-ud-Din Mohammad Aurangzeb) was a die hart Hanafi Sunni Muslim fanatic.

The famous Islamic religious decree known as a “Fatwa-e-Alamgiri”, (The Religious Decrees of Alamgir) was written and adopted during his time. In a matter of conduct and lifestyle Aurangzeb Alamgir presents a contrast with his predecessor and even his successor. He was deeply religious minded emperor, believing in simplicity and austerity. He discarded the plan of his father, of building a new Taj Mahal with black stones. Perhaps this could be one of the reasons for Aurangzeb Alamgir to depose his father Shah Jahan being obsessed for mighty buildings and imposing monuments at the cost of people.

Everyone knows that the Taj Mahal was built by Emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his third wife Mumtaz Mahal, and just after completion of this monument Shah Jahan was deposed by his son Aurangzeb, who put him under house arrest till his death and buried him in the mausoleum next to his wife.

It is said about Taj Mahal that if, someone did not see Taj Mahal during a night of the full moon then he was deprived of a magnificent spectacle of a lifetime. Yet I am one of those fortunate people who had this rare and unique opportunity, not only the sunlight but also at night with a dazzling light of a full moon basking that grand building in which Shah Jahan’s most beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal is resting in eternal peace. Historically, we all know that Aurangzeb not only deposed Shah Jahan but also made him a captive in a nearby building called Musamman Burj in the Red Fort in Agra from where the wretched monarch and founder of Taj Mahal use to see Taj Mahal the: monument of his dream and culmination of his abiding love for his most favorite wife. What a rise for a downfall!

The captivating spectacle in a night basked in the scintillating glare of the full moon has always been embedded in my mind and soul.  That unforgettable scene is still fresh as if I am still sitting on the lush green grass of the Mughal Garden’s Char Bagh and intensely watching with awe and undivided attention that amazing phenomenon known as the Taj Mahal. I have no words to describe the beauty of this wonder of the world and a symbol of love. Hundreds of couples were kissing and hugging each other in this romantic night. Hundreds of photographers were lined up to capture that moment, which will come again after a month with a full moon.

Taj Mahal faces south and moonrise starts from the east and it takes hours to come over the top of the monument. I was thinking that this is the best place for the lovers to come and renew their love under the shadow of this great monument where the two great lovers are buried forever. On the other hand, it came to my mind that this Mughal emperor was a King and had access to all sorts of wealth, so he made a mausoleum for his wife in her memory called "Taj Mahal” after death, but what if a poor man dies, despite a lot of love and affection for his wife he cannot even erect a 10ft pillar of love in the memory of his wife. What a beautiful line of a poem is this “Aik Shahenshah Ne Banwake Haseen Taj Mahal—Ham GareeboN Ki Muhabbat Ka Uraya Hay Mazaq”  

 I was compelled to think that behind this majestic and beautiful monument there is a sinister story hidden behind this love story that Shah Jahan ordered to mutilate the hands of all the artisans and laborers who built the Taj Mahal so that the workers cannot work somewhere else to build the same kind of “glorious building”. It is also a matter of repentance that while these expensive and costly monuments were built from the public money, those emperors of that time did not think of building educational institutions, hospitals and public service institutions.

By seeing the Taj Mahal, a longtime dream of my life had come true. There were many more historical places to see and for me to admire, but due to paucity of time it could not be possible during my stay in India. Our next target was Agra Fort, which is about 3 km away from the sister monument of Taj Mahal.

 This Red Fort of Agra was originally built in the 11th century by a Hindu Sikarwar Rajput, according to historians. Sikander Lodhi was the first Sultan of Delhi who shifted his office and residence to Agra and lived in the fort. It was the second capital of Sikander Lodhi’s era till his death in the fort in 1517. After his death, Ibrahim Lodhi, the son of deceased ruler Ibrahim Lodhi governed the country for 9 years from this historic fort. Ibrahim Lodhi was defeated and killed in the first war of Panipat in 1526, and after the fierce fighting of first Panipat, Mughal emperor Babur seized and captured the fort and the palace where Ibrahim Lodhi used to live. Emperor Humayun was crowned in this fort in 1530. Later Sher Shah Suri defeated him in 1540 and remained in the fort till 1555 when Humayun recaptured the fort. One Hindu King Hem Chandra Vikramaditya defeated Humayun and conquered the fort and after winning Agra, Hem Chandra started for Delhi to oust the Mughal emperor from Delhi, but Mughals defeated the king Hem Chandra under the leadership and command of Mughal emperor Akbar in the second war of Panipat in 1556.

The renovation and expansion started of this fort when Akbar moved into this fort in 1558. The fort we see now, was a brick fort known as ‘Badalgarh’ and when Akbar captured this fort, it was in a very bad condition and there were a lot of structural damage. Emperor Akbar ordered to rebuild the fort with red sandstones and it took 8 years to complete with 4000 laborers.  This wonder of the world came under UNESCO in 1983.

 There are hundreds of sites inside the fort one can explore and learn about this magnificent fort.

I saw the historical Shish Mahal, Darbar e Aam, Darbar e Khas, Moti Masjid, and Nagina masjid. Moti Masjid was built by Shah Jahan with white marble and Nagina Masjid by Aurangzeb. Nagina Masjid was specially build for the ladies of Mughal family members. Dewan e Khas, built with semi-precious stones from inside, where Akbar and later Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb used to come and meet their special royal guests. When you go to Diwan e Khas, the balcony, where the Mughal emperors use to show up to hear the public grievances, is quite elevated from the ground and the decorations of the balcony with stones are still very impressive upon the mind. Graceful stone carvings on the walls and moldings have been done uniquely.

This fortress has two historical gates, namely Delhi Gate and Akbari Gate. Akbari Gate is the main entrance to the Fort. When we were walking out from the Shish Mahal, I heard that the local guide was telling a group of tourist about the house arrest of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan by his own son Aurangzeb in this fort, and the guide was pointing the specific place where the Mughal emperor was imprisoned. The place called Musamman Burj, a tower with a beautiful balcony, is believed to be where Shah Jahan after 8 years of imprisonment and later buried next to his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal in the Taj Mahal. I visited the same place where Mughal emperor Shah Jahan used to stand up and see the mausoleum of his wife through the eye lid holes of the Musamman Burj. It was a very poignant moment for me when I thought for a while, the love of the king for her and his isolation from the outside world, and he was even not allowed to go to see his beloved’s tomb.

 The world has seen the pomp and show of all the Mughal emperors from Jalal Uddin Akbar to Bahadur Shah Zafar and their splendor era of ruling the subcontinent for hundreds of years.  And even after the end of their imperial rules in 1857 the world can feel and witness the grandeur of Mughal imperialism.

 It was around 7:30 pm and started getting dark and we decided to end our visit for the day. We all were tired due to the very long visit. It was a very interesting, informative, and unforgettable trip to Agra with my friends and I cannot forget my host Mohiuddin for his all types of hospitality and excursion and I would say that because of my friend’s support this trip became extremely memorable.

 My next trip was Sikandarabad, Agra and very soon I will write an account about this historical city.
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