14th March 2009 (VISIT TO TAJ MAHAL) Part Three

I spent the next four hours going into the interior of the Taj Mahal and taking memorable pictures. I discovered that I am even a centre of attention myself. People looked at me as if I just dropped down from the sky. Some of them even came to ask if they take pictures with me. It was fun. I allowed them. They were glad too. They left me after saying thank you. I came out of Taj Mahal through the South gate, going to look for what to chew. I ate at a small restaurant called TREATY. It was indeed treaty. If you go there, you can never see the kitchen. All you will see it the table and chairs in the lower floor and the upper floor. Then, there is a small boy sitting at the entrance to welcome you. He would ask if you intend to sit at the lower floor or go up. I choose the upper floor. I must confess that I had to watch my steps as I climbed the stairs. They were so narrow and frightening.

I left the restaurant and went to one of the souvenirs shops. I bought two hand beads. I decided to go back into the Taj Mahal. As I passed the security check point, you know this is the South gate and West gate that I came in early; there was one security woman. She was smiling as I got to her. She checked my bag. Then she said; ‘I like your lipstick’ she was looking at me with a bold smile. I knew it was the lip gloss that drew her attention. So I brought it out and gave it to her.
My happiness came when I saw how glad she was. She thanked me warmly. I waved at her and moved in.
I felt I had enough. The interior was not filled with so many people. I decided to go in search of my driver. I found him outside the gate. He’d been wondering if I had lost my way since I had no guide.
We started back to New Delhi, and this time the return trip took more than four hours due to the traffic on the road.
It had been a fulfilling day for me and I did not mind how far it took us to get back home. We arrived at the residence toward 21:45hrs. I bought out his fee; 4,000 rupees and paid him.
I got out of the car and waved at him. I am sure he was more tired than I was. He waved back and bid me goodnight.

14th March 2009 (VISIT TO TAJ MAHAL) Part Two

Finally, we reached Agra. At a roundabout, I caught sight of the road signboard indicating Taj Mahal. I expected my driver to drive through this direction. Instead, he took the next road after it.
When I questioned him, he stated that he was going for the guide. I asked him what guide? He tried to explain in his bad English. I decided to keep quiet. I wanted to know what the outcome of the history of guide is all about.

Soon he drove away from the road unto the left side. A man was standing close by. He approached us. He wanted to enter the front seat. My driver announced the new comer to be my guide. Then I understood what he’d meant to say. I told him that I don’t want a guide.

He insisted that since this is my first time in Taj Mahal that I need to have a guide. I have no intention of obtaining one in the first place whether it is my first time or whatever. I stood my ground and refused. The man tried to convince me to allow him guide me. In a gentle tone, I thanked him and made him understand that I prefer to stay alone when I get there.

He accepted and got out of the car. My driver drove on. Few minutes passed, and then we reached a big parking space. There were many vehicles parked with people everywhere. Hardly had he switched off the car engine after he parked that some men approached us, each of them asking to be my guide. Politely I asked the driver to show me the entrance to Taj Mahal. He told me that it is farther down the street and that I should board a donkey cart. I said if the gate is far, he should then carry me there with the car after which he can park. He was reluctant. He gave excuses that car are not authorized to go farther than this park. So I asked him to walk with me to the main entrance. He had no choice than to agree.

We walked for seven minutes, crossing two security posts at two intervals. They placed five barricades to barred vehicles from passing through. We got closer, the driver pointed ahead of me. I saw the gate. So I released him to go back after I’d tucked 150 rupees into his palm for his lunch. On my way, and alone, young children approached trying to sell magazine to me. Some of them came to lure me into visiting their stores to purchase souvenirs. Some grown up men came as well asking to be my guide.

I turned them all down. I was calm even when they flocked me and refused to let go. When I got to the gate, I queued up to but the entry ticket. I was charged 750 rupees. I gave the man 1000 rupees. He gave me back my change. I was lucky to have examined the money he gave me. The 100 rupees at the back was half the currency and half plain paper. I was annoyed. I felt he knew and that’s why he purposely placed this bill at the last so that I won’t notice it.

I am sure he had no idea of whom he was dealing with. I collected the tickets and he changed the 100 rupees for me. I left him, going to the entrance. There were two sides of entrance; each side is for the male and female. The men line up on the right side while the women were on the left side. At the end of the queue, two women in brown security uniform checked our bags.

I observed at the other side the two security men doing the same with the men on queue. They checked me thoroughly they left me. It was daring the way they touched my body from up to down. If they were men, I would have dealt with them. They looked into my bag; saw my camera and bottle of water. I had a can of cold cappuccino with me as well. They instructed me to either drink it there or throw it away because drinks are not allowed inside except water. I was not thirsty either. So I threw it into the dustbin they provided nearby. They allowed entry then. I knew for sure that they won’t let my bottle of cappuccino waste away like that. I had seen how skinny and hungry they looked. Once no one was looking, they will remove the can from the bin. I walked in.

14th March 2009 ( VISIT TO TAJ MAHAL) Part One

At 6:00am, the Taxi driver arrived. I was already dressed up and waiting. We set out on what turned out to be the four hours trip from New Delhi to Agra, the home of the precious Taj Mahal.

It was a dawn and I felt the need to sleep more. I knew the effect of the sleeping pills was the cause. I watched the ongoing activities from the window where I sat at the back seat.
We were lucky there were hardly any traffic on the road. Mist wrapped up with the streetlight, giving it the glow of a new dawn.

The citizens were gradually coming out of their respective homes. There were the labour-workers, pulling their carts alongside the road.

I saw some uniformed school children at different interval, already on their way to school. That reminded me of France where it is the contrary to see any child out of the bed so early and on the road to school.

Seeing these school children here in New Delhi gave me the same image as that of children in Nigeria when they set out even as early as 5:00 am to go to school. Sometimes, I wondered if their parents ever allow them to sleep soundly.

I never knew when I dozed off. At intersection, I woke up to look around me before I dozed off again. There were times I had forgotten that I wasn’t on my bed at the residence.

At a point, and finally I sat up. I felt refreshed and strengthened from the short nap. By now, we were far away from New Delhi. I could not place the exact town we were driving through. What mattered then was that I am on my way to see Taj Mahal, and that counts a lot for me.

Imagine coming all the way from France to India and never had the chance to visit Taj Mahal? That is like a waste of what should have been a precious journey.

The driver asked us to stop at the tourist hotel nearby the road. I told him to go ahead. We were not alone, because as he drove into the open parking ground, some vehicles were coming in too. Already, some cars were parked with people standing in various corners. There are tourists going in and out of the place.

I read it signboard, which indicated; paused for quick breakfast, lunch & dinner. I was not interested in having any meal. Usually, I always take my breakfast very early after morning bath.

He parked the car and with a smile told me to go inside for breakfast. I tried to inform him that I had my breakfast before we set out. He nodded. He wanted us to move out but I gestured to him to go ahead and have one for him. He left the car. He did go inside. Rather he went to join the other drivers standing and chatting. I knew it was a sign of respect.

I relaxed back against the seat and closed my eyes. I was not sleeping. I wanted us to get to Taj Mahal as early as possible.

When he was done, we continued our journey. I was grateful to have carried my rubber neck-cushion. I blew in the air into it. It became a true cushion. I put in round my neck and rested it against the seat. This gave the ease and comfort I needed.