Baby Taj and the Taj Mahal (again)

Often described as a "jewel box", sometimes called the "Baby Tāj", the tomb of I'timād-ud-Daulah is often regarded as a draft of the Taj Mahal.

It was also an unexpected gem in the dawn mists.  We had gone out early with the hope of seeing the sun rise over the Taj, the white marble being bathed in its pink glow.  But the morning mists put paid to that plan and instead our guide suggested a visit here.  It was perfect, and in so many ways more beautiful than the Taj.

And one of the best bits?  There was no one else there...they were all at the Taj Mahal.  Think we had the best choice.

Some more doors; I do like a good wooden door.

Theses strange stacks are in fact protective grass around the newly planted trees which stops the monkeys from nibbling on the young shoots. 

Let's have a closer look at the decoration.  As usual there are fretwork screens.  The walls are highly patterned, but instead of expensive and highly skilled inlaid designs these have been painted on.

As have  these designs here.

Just love this blue allium bulb.

There was a great deal of care and attention put into the planning of this building. Again the elements of symmetry govern the whole design, with arches framing the views beautifully.

Sometimes the painted panels have been restored and sometimes merely preserved.   Either way looks good.

Here we are, standing on top of a water feature...water runs of the building, through a channel in the paving, down the carved 'slide' and finally down the drain.

Gradually the sun creeps up and it looks as though it is going to be another beautiful day with bright blue skies and not a cloud to be seen.

Doesn't this just look stunning?: Agra's best  kept secret - a real gem.

The gardens have been recently renovated and laid out in the style of a Moghul garden.

As well as plenty of birds visiting, there are plenty of these cheeky visitors!

Mynah birds and parrots, accompanied by the ubiquitous pigeon, lift off skywards each time you go near.

A small flock of green parrots have decided to perch up high.

Here's Terry looking bemused that I should be taking her photograph!

Marigold garlands are piled up for sale on barrows all over the place for use as good luck symbols, to welcome you or to use a offerings.

In fact, it seems that if it can be fitted onto a hand barrow it can be sold on the street of India!  Here I think the pile of fruit are some kind of pear, which I had the other morning at breakfast and found quite underwhelming.

Camels are used for pulling carts and carrying loads, or as is the lot of this one, offering caravan rides to tourists outside the Taj.  Most of them look really surly and fed up.  Who can blame them?

I find it it a huge anomaly that a country which can be at the forefront of technology ( and providers of call centres...) is still unable to provide safe fresh drinking water to its nation.

So, we are back at the Taj, but the morning mist is still here.  On the way through the security checks ( which are evident at all the major points of interest theses days) I happened to spy a rather superior bike rack...

No....still shrouded in morning mist,

however that doesn't deter this group of young lads who were each posing in turn for their set of photographs to mark the occasion of visiting the Taj.  What make it even more amusing was the fact that after each turn they passed on the same set of aviator sunglasses and each made the same poses...

Yep, each one of them knelt down and did the moody look I front of this great monument to love!

At least this couple were married - I have become quite the sari expert.

So we thought that if you can't beat them we might as well join them:

And so did our guide, Mahmoud!