India - Part 2

Taj Mahal at sunset

After leaving the wetlands at Bharatpur we headed south toward the city of Agra for the cultural part of our tour. When we missed this part of our tour in 2020 it was a big disappointment. But here we were nearly three years later getting our chance. Along the way we did some great birding too so this post isn't all about big pretty buildings!

Our first stop moving south was the 16th century fort of Fatehpur Sikri, founded by Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1571. The fort is a stunning example of carved sandstone architecture. We joined local guide PK Pant who would also guide us when we got to Agra in a couple days. 

Local cultural guide PK

It may look like carved wood, but its sandstone!

From the fort we continued south to the Chambal River for an evening and morning of outstanding birding. In the evening we walked the lodge grounds and surrounding farmland which was largely millet crops. It was fascinating to see millet being grown as a food, as it is also a primary component of the mixed bird seed we all use at home. The local birds were quite fond of it right on the stalk, as you can imagine. 

eBird list - Chambal Lodge and vicinity

Free range millet

Jungle Babbler

Long-tailed Shrike

Plain Prinia

Red-headed Bunting

Rosy Starling

The following morning we drove down to the river, and after some land birding along the route, boarded a boat for a river cruise. The life birds and amphibians came at a furious rate. We even saw a pod of river dolphins, but their nature of barely breaching the surface prevented any decent photographs. 

eBird List - Chambal River

Sunrise as we approach the Chambal River

Boarding the boat for our river cruise. There is a new bridge being constructed here.

Black-bellied Tern

Eurasian Spoonbill

Gharial

Great Thick-knee

Little Pratincole

Sikeer Malkoha

Streak-throated Swallow

We left Chambal and continued on to the city of Agra, the home of the Taj Mahal. We had two tours of the Taj Mahal scheduled, sunset and sunrise. Seeing the Taj in nice light was a treat. Agra can be a smoggy nightmare, especially at this time of year, but we were fortunate as late monsoon storms had come through only days before and cleared out the air. 

The Taj Mahal is a 17th century white marble mausoleum sanctioned by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for his wife Mumtaz Mahal who died in childbirth. 20,000 artisans worked for over 20 years (at a cost in today's dollars of $1 billion) to construct this wonder of the world. The intricate carvings and details are absolutely incredible. We did get to tour the inside tomb but photographs are forbidden. And photographs just can't do justice to the incredible beauty of this structure, but here they are anyway.

Our first view of the Taj from our hotel 

The entry gate

First view of the Taj from the entry gate arch

Sunset at the Taj

The next morning. Different light gave a new perspective

Happy tourists

Detailed carvings in the marble on the outside

Inlaid precious and semi-precious stones throughout the structure

After the morning visit to the Taj, we spent the afternoon visiting a couple more iconic sites in Agra - The Baby Taj and Agra Fort. 

The Tomb of I'timād-ud-Daulah, or Baby Taj, predates the Taj Mahal by about 10 years, and is sometimes considered a draft construction for the Taj. Built of carved red sandstone and marble, it is incredibly beautiful in its own right. 

And finally, Fort Agra. This enormous carved sandstone city-fort was built in the 16th century for Moghul emperor Akbar. The enormity and complexity of this 94 acre structure is difficult to comprehend when you think about the mere 8 years it took to construct. 

That evening we boarded an overnight train for points further south, but that is a story for another day. We'd also like to express our thanks to PK for sharing his excellent knowledge. We had a fun time!