India 3/02/09 - 3/16/09


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Agra 3/8

We began the day by visiting the Itmad-ud-Daulah -- nicknamed the Baby Taj. This is the tomb of Mirza Ghiyath Beg the father of Nur Jahan -- powerful wife of Jahangir. She built this "bejeweled marble box" to enshrine her father's remains. It began the transition from red sandstone to white marble and the details were a precursor to those of the Taj Mahal. While it's much smaller than the Taj Mahal, the inlay work is far more ornate. It also provided a great view of people farming in the river bed -- good soil during the dry season.

Our last stop in Agra was the Moon Garden -- a park on the opposite bank of the Yamuna River from the Taj Mahal. It provided a nice view of the Taj Mahal without the crowds. Near the entrance we say a camel hanging out.

We flew Kingfisher airways (yes same company that makes the beer) from Agra to Jaipur. The plane was fairly small and had propellers but was brand new. The service onboard was very nice and the flight went smoothly.

Itmad-ud-Daulah Itmad-ud-Daulah Itmad-ud-Daulah Tower Itmad-ud-Daulah Tomb
Itmad-ud-Daulah Wall River View Taj Mahal from Moon Garden Camel

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