India 2: Agra

I do apologize, I've been neglecting this blog for far too long. But the year's getting away from us, and I've got so much to tell about my time in India (June-September) and France (October-December)! So let's get right to it.

In mid-June, a friend of a friend invited me to come with them and several of their other friends for a weekend in Agra, home of the famous Taj Mahal, and a town about 3 hours' drive from Delhi. This was my first time meeting these friends, though they are now very dear to me, and will recur often in these India pictures; so, it's worth an introduction:

Clockwise from top: Oliver; Caitlin; Noora; and Ravi

Left to right: Kelsey, Anurag, and Gary (plus Oliver)

All these folks live in New Delhi and welcome folks from abroad often, which usually means a trip to the Taj Mahal. Therefore, rather than just go to the Taj for the millionth time, they took me along on a different sort of trip, helped along by their friend John, who runs a great bike tour of Agra ("Agra by Bike"). John took us out on the river Yamuna, next to the Taj, so we got to see it reflected in the river:

John: check out <agrabybike.com>!

We then also went to the roof of a nearby cafe, and got to see the Taj from land:

The Taj is a mausoleum, housing Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan's favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, and was completed in 1643. The Taj Mahal is also a functioning mosque, so it is closed to visitors on Fridays for prayers.

Although one of India's main attractions, and among the most photographed buildings in the world, I have to admit I found the view from the rooftop as interesting for the contrast it offered: between the fairly typical 21st century north Indian scene in the foreground, juxtaposed with this massive, iconic, almost inaccessibly famous and beautiful piece of architecture in the background. (It was made a little more grounded by the scaffolding around one of the minarets.)

As a believer that every person who lives and has ever lived has been "made...in the likeness of God" (Genesis 5:1, ESV). As such, the juxtaposition between normality and grandeur that one sees in Agra helps me appreciate that: (a) despite what our world tells us, every person (not just queens and kings) deserves a Taj Mahal; but also, (b) even if we don't have a Taj Mahal built for us, every person has inherent and incredible value, as much value as the Taj. I hope that ultimately, the beauty of a building like the Taj Mahal, built for a person, reminds us not that we ought to have a palace, but that we are made in the image of a God who deserves all the palaces there could ever be. And thankfully, "in my Father's house there are many rooms. ...And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also" (John 14:2,3).

John in his office, with Che Guevara, who probably didn't own a bike shop. Maybe a motorcycle shop?

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With all this talk of the Taj Mahal, why not listen to the building's great blues music?