Days 13 & 14: Taj MaHOT

Namaste Readers!

To kick off, I'd like to treat you all to the very first (and possibly last) video blog from India...



I hope that has wet your appetites to read all about our fantajstic trip to Agra. After starting the tradition of video blogging from famous landmarks whilst on top of the Empire State Building in 2008, it only felt right to record this latest snippet. Regular J&J blog readers may recall the video blog recorded by The Other J last year whilst visitng another one of the World's 7 Wonders... the Statue of Christ in Rio: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogmH68-L37w

In response to the commenters:
Great to hear from everyone - special shout outs go to first-time commenters Chris & Alwyn, Edd, and Greg Mac. Congrats to PC Plod for getting straight in there with the correct answer to the challenge - it is indeed a Dvarapala (a 10th century one in fact!). I'm excited to hear that the Dvarapala & I might be appearing in a Harris exhibition... although I won't get my hopes too much after missing out on the job at Bangla Fusion. Hmm, perhaps we could have an India themed Panto next year Mum - featuring a Dvarapala of course - with 'How much is that dolly...' as the opening number? And a Longton rendition of 'My Free Spirit' would fit in perfectly! I hope the McCrave's Chicken Korma turned out well... they don't even offer Korma's as an option out here - far too bland. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't craving a bit of spice-free blandness though! Sandeep has indeed been knocking around at the Studios - he's the head of the AAFT and ASMS so we were welcomed by him at the start of our trip - an inspirational fellow! Lastly, I'd like to say that The Other J's suggestion of a richshaw ride into town with Dad sounded jolly good to me... perhaps you could convert Dave Mann's bike into a rickshaw Dad? Then you can enjoy the journey from the backseat as he pedals from coast to coast.

Right, back to Days 13 & 14 folks... there'll be much more about the Taj Mahal & Agra later, but first I'll give you the rundown of our 13th day (Saturday) in the land of India...

We began with an early(ish) start ready to shoot another scene for our Preston/Delhi short film project. Despite pleas from fans across the globe, we are still under strict secrecy agreements when it comes to publically announcing the content/locations of certain scenes. However, I can happily report that the shoot was yet another succesful one. As with previous posts, here's a couple of ambiguous behind-the-scenes snaps to get the groupies guessing...



The remainder of Saturday was spent chillaxing at the hotel in order to get some much-needed rest ahead of what we knew would be a long day in Agra on Sunday. During this time we received a visit from a very pleasant young lady from the local area called Taru. She is from Delhi (just 5 mins from our hostel in fact) and recently completed her masters degree in Preston (small world eh?!). She spent time advising us on places to visit in our remaining time which was extremely useful. Also, to make her visit even more sweet (or should I say 'spicy'), she brought along what she describes as "the best Samosa's in Delhi!". And, quite frankly, I'm inclined to believe her as they were simply samazing (to describe them as delhicious would be an understatement).

After a (kind of) early night we awoke at 5:30am on Sunday morning in order to depart for the historical fort-town of Agra. Despite the painfull prospect of 8 hours travelling in one day (that's 4 hours each way if you're struggling with the Maths), the group was buzzing with excitement. Upon arriving in Agra, you are immediately greeted by some of the spectacular tombs that are spread across the town. These are, of course, surrounded by the hectic hustle and bustle of any Indian town but they add an interesting dynamic to the place.

First on the list was, naturally, the main reason most people go to Agra... the Taj Mahal. The process of actually getting from the minibus to the Taj was a mini adventure in itself. The first factor to take into account is the heat - a whopping 43 degrees C - it was easily the hottest weather we've experienced on the trip so far (and for some of us, the hottest we've ever experienced in our lives). We then had to board a battery-powered 'golf buggy style' vehicle that took us 1km down the road (polluting vehicles are not allowed within a certain distance of the Taj). And, following that, we had to walk a further 500m to the entrance gate.

However, it was all worth it! The Taj Mahal really is an incredible sight... it's almost too symmetrical and beautiful to be true! Constructed over a 22 year period in the early 17th Century it's an unbelievable achievement, especially given the tools that would have been available at the time. Every minor detail of the marble masterpiece was carefully crafted by the most talented craftsmen of the age, and the result is mindblowing. We were led round the site by our tour guide for the day (a man named Rohit, I think) and learnt all about it's fascinating history (I'd recommend researching the story behind it's construction) , whilst admiring it from the outside and also getting the opportunity to go inside.




After the best part of 2 hours at the Taj Mahal in the midday heat, none of us were feeling 100%. Although it had been a once-in-a-lifetime experience, we all needed drinks desperately so were relieved to find numerous chilled drinks stands outside the gate. In the subsequent 15 minutes, I drank over 2 litres of water and a can of coke (I was really wishing they served Guarana in India!).

Following a delightful lunch in an air-conditioned hotel (the air-con was all that mattered), we visited Agra's other main landmark... the Agra Fort. This magnificent structure was built about 50/60 years before the Taj Mahal (in the late 16th Century) and was the home of several Mughal Emperor's of the age. It's very different from the Taj Mahal, but the fort is equally impressive in it's own way. It spreads over a large area and contains a vast variety of architectural styles and techniques. We enjoyed a leisurely couple of hours at the fort but could easily have spent much longer admiring it's many wonders.





The day ended with, of course, some more secretive shooting (don't worry, nothing violent!). You can't send 9 filmmakers to Agra and expect them to return having shot no film footage.

It was then time for a sleepy 4 hour journey back to Delhi.

Best Wishes.

John
x