Taj Mahal and Lalitpur on Rakhi Purnima
Raksha Bandhan reminds me of my journey from Gwalior to Agra. I had been to Gwalior to visit Cancer Institute - that was to be part of the beneficiary of JAICA aid for CT scanners.
Visiting Agra and seeing Taj Mahal was a dream come true. Agra is in UP and belonged to Northern region while Gwalior was in MP, part of western India , my sales territory. Getting a chance to visit Gwalior gave me my best opportunity to see the Taj. Gwalior being just few hours train journey from Agra. Holiday of Raksha Bandhan came as a special boon . I took a mid day train that stopped at almost every station. Little kids dressed in traditional Indian attire, boys with rakhies tied on their right wrist, red tilak on the forehead while girls decked up in shimmering, glittering chunidars looked very adorable. Moms wore their choicest jewelry while dad carried boxes of sweets. Every station would have new set of families board and alight making me my first northern experience memorable. I realized the importance of raksha bandhan festival in India. In mumbai, during the month of shravan, more fanfare was accorded to Govinda - Dahi handi and Nagpanchami. Moreover, I don't have a real sister to have felt the importance of this festival.
I stayed at some cheap hotel in Agra but went straight to Taj. Those days, Taj would be open till late hours. Little did I realize that it was a full moon day. The grandeur of Taj basking under cascade of moon light was enchanting . I realized the real worth of the beauty of Taj under moonlight only when I saw the Taj on normal day. I must have sat their on the grass for an hour or so soaking the ambiance. I was devouring her beauty as if I had no second chance to see the Taj in my lifetime.
I had with me my new Ricoh camera. This compact camera must not have captured Taj at the night, as I don't remember seeing any developed prints But I don't have a photos of next day visit to Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. Cerebral images of Taj on the full moonlight are still vivid and intact so is the image of the Lalitpur Railway station between Gwalior and Agra . I find the name Lalitpur very sweet and melodious . While In Gwalior, I had stayed at Lalit Mahal palace hotel - a former palace of Scindia family. This may be the reason, name Lalitpur must have assumed a royal aura. The additional sweetness came from the images of Raksha bandhan festivities.
Visiting Agra and seeing Taj Mahal was a dream come true. Agra is in UP and belonged to Northern region while Gwalior was in MP, part of western India , my sales territory. Getting a chance to visit Gwalior gave me my best opportunity to see the Taj. Gwalior being just few hours train journey from Agra. Holiday of Raksha Bandhan came as a special boon . I took a mid day train that stopped at almost every station. Little kids dressed in traditional Indian attire, boys with rakhies tied on their right wrist, red tilak on the forehead while girls decked up in shimmering, glittering chunidars looked very adorable. Moms wore their choicest jewelry while dad carried boxes of sweets. Every station would have new set of families board and alight making me my first northern experience memorable. I realized the importance of raksha bandhan festival in India. In mumbai, during the month of shravan, more fanfare was accorded to Govinda - Dahi handi and Nagpanchami. Moreover, I don't have a real sister to have felt the importance of this festival.
I stayed at some cheap hotel in Agra but went straight to Taj. Those days, Taj would be open till late hours. Little did I realize that it was a full moon day. The grandeur of Taj basking under cascade of moon light was enchanting . I realized the real worth of the beauty of Taj under moonlight only when I saw the Taj on normal day. I must have sat their on the grass for an hour or so soaking the ambiance. I was devouring her beauty as if I had no second chance to see the Taj in my lifetime.
I had with me my new Ricoh camera. This compact camera must not have captured Taj at the night, as I don't remember seeing any developed prints But I don't have a photos of next day visit to Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. Cerebral images of Taj on the full moonlight are still vivid and intact so is the image of the Lalitpur Railway station between Gwalior and Agra . I find the name Lalitpur very sweet and melodious . While In Gwalior, I had stayed at Lalit Mahal palace hotel - a former palace of Scindia family. This may be the reason, name Lalitpur must have assumed a royal aura. The additional sweetness came from the images of Raksha bandhan festivities.
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Dr Vikram
(www.wacky5.com)
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