SA got married in Gwalior recently. Being there also gave me the "North India” experience that I always yearned. So, here’s the executive summary of the same.
The real trip started at Delhi, where I went aboard India’s fastest and best train – Bhopal Shataabdi (We are getting there!) to Gwalior. At Gwalior, the Baraat and the wedding happened with full tradition, as one would expect. The same day, I happened to see the fort and the Royal Palace – great places to visit. Among hundreds of other things, the palace also shows a clear picture why the Bengal Tiger is now endangered in India. I wonder whether the kings thought tigers multiplied like rats, and hence hunted them on a daily basis - not impressive. That aside, one thing that did impress me thoroughly at Gwalior was the Tempo – the public transport of choice. Complete with all aesthetics, the tempo really looked like a Rhinoceros beetle on three wheels – awesome. What more, the tempo works like a convertible too.
The next day, I set out to Agra in MP state government bus. The bus started off with me and a handful of other folks, and everything looked great. By the time I reached Agra though, the bus had at least 150. Agra was the place my pocket started to get lighter by the second. Every person I met and talked too – the hotel guy, the travels guy, the driver, the “Special Petha” guy, the handloom guy, the N number of guides at Agra – all happened to rip me off in text-book style (this went all the way to the Delhi Airport actually1). Notwithstanding, the trip to follow was a memorable one.
Agra and Fatehpur Sikri are places you must visit. Not just for the monuments, but also for the Pethas and special Sarees made by convicts from Banana peels and Bamboo stumps (strange, but true). After quick rounds of Fatehpur Sikri and Agra fort, it was time for the crème de la crème – The Taj. Although a solo trip to the Taj Mahal was not a very romantic proposition, it was a very rewarding experience nonetheless. To many a symbol of eternal love, the Taj truly is an example of superlative engineering combined with exquisite artwork. While couples from all over the world huddled together for a snap with the Taj in the backdrop – the ultimate souvenir, I went around doing one “Self Patel” shot after the other, which also seemed to amuse many. The sunset at Taj pulled down the curtains of my eventful UP/MP trip – something I won’t forget in a hurry.
[1] Guys, money is not everything in life. Tourism is holy – Make India shine!
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