station for my 6:15 train to Agra, the town about 2 hours away where
the Taj Mahal is located. I had arranged for a ride, as I was not sure
of what the tuk tuk situation would be that early in the morning. When
I came downstairs I found my driver asleep on the sofa in the lobby
and we motored off into the darkness. Just a couple kilometers down
the road we pulled into the gas station to fill up. It looked like a
Home Depot on a weekday morning as there were dozens of disheveled men
standing around looking like they were ready to work. This was the
second time I've stopped for gas, and both times the driver has made
me exit the vehicle before he filled up. It probably has nothing to do
with liability in case the CNG blows up as I'm sure all those tuk tuks
have regular safety inspections...
As we pulled away my driver stopped and bought two chai teas,
dispensed into dixie cups, from the man walking around with a large
pot. I'll have to say, that was probably the best chai tea I have ever
had. After downing my thimble of tea my new friend was kind emough to
relieve me of my empty drinking vessel and promptly dispose of it out
the driver's side window, just as he had done with his a moment earlier.
The train system in India is quite vast, and amongst the chaos that
surrounds it, the trains are quite organized and actually run very
much on schedule. I caught mine no problem, especially with the help
of the paper taped to the side of the car that had my name printed on
it next to my seat number. How handy! On the train, I lamented my
failure to see the sunset at the Taj. Instead I watched the golden orb
acsended the polition filled horizon from the comfort of seat #37 in
air-conditioned car #3 of the Shatabdi Express.
I had a surprisingly tasty meal on the train (surprising both because
I received it and because of its quality). After eating, I outlined an
itinerary and budget for the day, all of which was completely thrown
out the window when I found KK.
Upon arrival, before even stepping foot off the train I was being
asked if I wanted a ride and/or tour by half a dozen people, all of
whom I rebuffed as I was obstinate about sticking with my plan. (can
you be 'obstinate about' something?) I went to the prepaid taxi
station where the fares to different areas are set, basically set up
so peole can avoid having to haggle, and KK was assigned to me as my
driver.
A middle aged, slightly overweight, affable man, KK engaged me in
conversation as soon as we set off. He asked me where I was from and
what sights (other than the Taj) I planned to see that day. He began
to indirectly offer his services as a tour guide- a common practice of
tuk tuk drivers. During our conversation he fingered through some of
his belongings, finally producing a couple of well worn notebooks. He
opened one of them to a carefully selected page and handed it back to
me. On the page was a glowing testimonial about his service as a
guide. In fact, the entire book was filled with these, many of which
were in different languages. I'll have to say, KK was the master of
the soft sell. He "understands that not all foreigners are wealthy and
should be taken advantage of", adding "you probably have more than we
do, but that you work just as hard and save up for a long time to take
a trip like this." when everyone else in India is going left, KK is
going right.
He carefully listened to the itinerary I had planned myself and then
gave me some knowledgeable adjustments, with explanations as to why
these would be better. (for example: going to the Taj in the afternoon/
evening rather than the morning because the air is clearer) he quoted
me a price of 650 Rupees (about $13). I did the math in my head,
adding up all the tuk tuk rides between sights for which I would have
I pay, not to mention the haggling, and I gladly accepted.
KK showed me four differet views of the Taj Mahal, including one from
the backside that was completely secluded (no tourists). I bought some
post cards from a young guy and ended up having a nice conversation
with him as he had recently gotten his economics degree and was
currently studying Russian. KK also took me to see another temple
known as the "Baby Taj" for it is similar in construction but much
smaller. However, the signature stone inlay is a little more intricate
here. He also took me to a spot by the river where there is a small
farm run by one family. I was familiar with most of the vegetables he
showed me as I have grown most of them myself, a fact KK liked. There
were lots eggplant, fennel, cilantro, corn, cauliflower, potatoes. And
then there was this one funny shaped, 5 sided leafy herb that I was
not familiar with...
After lunch KK took me to see some traditional "art". He took me to a
couple places where they were making rugs, marble inlays, an a number
of curios. As it turned out, all of the items they were making were
also for sale in their vast gift shops. How convenient! I didn't take
this obvious set up too hard as I realize KK gets some sort of
compensation when people purhase things, but I definitely let him know
that I had caught on to this operation. By the third one he plainly
asked me if I would just spend 15 minutes in the shop otherwise he
looses face; I was happy to oblige.
After the "art" we ventured over to the main event: the Taj Mahal. Now
I've seen pictures of this thing, but let me tell you this thing is
unreal.
There are three entrances, all of which lead to a large courtyard.
From there you walk through a large gateway, or arch that opens up to
the main grounds. Walking through you are provided a perfectly
aligned, front and center view of the Taj. It literally stops you in
your tracks. Now, I've seen many pictures of this thing, but let me
tell you it is unreal. This building is just stunning. The entire
thing is built out of white marble, with copious intricate carvings
and stone inlays, all perfectly symetric (as is all Islamic art).
There are rectangular shallow pools leading up to the front, with
quite lovely gardens and walking paths on either side of the pools.
The building is built on a large marble slab, raising the entire thing
up and giving only empty sky for a backdrop. As you move closer you
realize the enormity of this structure. The domed center looms high in
the sky with the four perfectly placed minarets guarding this palace
from each corner. The Taj was built by Emperor Shah Jahan as a tribute
to his second wife who died giving birth to their 14th child. The
grandeur displayed is amazing; I can only imagine how much he must
have loved that woman. On either side of the Taj are large plazas
that lead to quite large red buildigs, one housing a mosque and the
other supposedly for guests back in the day.
I toured the inside with the hordes of other people, and then found a
nice spot where I could sit down and watch the setting sun throw its
last light onto this most impressive of all manmade structures. I
stayed here for a good hour and a half, just taking it all in.
On the way out, walking through the arch I entered through, everyone's
head was turned trying to steal one last glimpse of that magnificent
building. I found KK and treated him to one last chai before he
dropped me off at the train station for my two hour trip back to Delhi.
Etc:
KK genuinely seemed to enjoy his job, which he has been doing for 22
years. Throughout the day I peppered him with questions about
everything from how Agra has changed over the years (very much) to how
many times he had actually been inside the Taj (3). The best was when
I made an inquiry into how often he works. He is off on Fridays
because the Taj is closed. And then with a large smile crossing his
face he said he also takes Sundays off to spend time with his kids. It
very well could have been a play for pathos, but he went no further
with it so I do not believe it was. When it was time for lunch I had
KK take me to a local restaurant (rather than a touristy place) with
the strict instructions that I not get sick. I of course offered to
buy him lunch, which he willingly accepted. I think the total bill
came to around 240 Rupees, or $5. During lunch we discussed food and
cooking (obviously favorite topics of mine). We went through different
spices and techniques, and he described how he helps his wife prepare
meals.
All in all, hiring KK as my tour guide turned out to be a great
decision. As much as I am a DIY person, this experience softened me up
a bit to accept that sometimes it is better to pay someone for a
service than to do everything myself. I would not have been able to
get such a thorough experience if it were not for KK.
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