Decided to hire bicycles this morning to cruise round town. Tho’ I almost didn’t. For, arriving at the bicycle stand, I was suddenly seized by an immense lack of enthusiasm, even antipathy, for the project, + very nearly returned to the hotel to allow Val to go alone. It was only the knowledge that my depression would be bound to be increased with inactivity, that turned me back. We rode first to the Red Fort, just along the river from the Taj. It was built by Akbar, the grandfather of Shah Jahan, who was to build the Taj. It was also where Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son, before he could realise his dream of building a tomb for himself, a mirror image of the Taj, only black marble. It would have been quite a sight.
Much of the Red Fort is now pretty run down – it is the size + imposing nature of the edifice that is most impressive. However, there is a marble palace area over by the riverside, one of Shah Jahan’s modifications, I believe, which is beautifully made, + which gives good views over the river. One can see the Taj floating in the haze further along.
We recovered our bikes from where we’d left them by the main gate, + rode along the river side, + then over on the bridge. It was a curious rickety affair, on 2 levels, trains on top, small vehicles below. It was, of course, chaotic, with not only bicycles, scooter taxis, rickshaws + bullock carts + motor-bikes, all pouring pell-mell in both directions across a narrow bridge. So it was particularly awkward when I was brought to a halt by my back brake falling off, + dragging along the ground. I couldn’t see how to reattach it, but a kind fellow-cyclist stopped, + it was done in a jiffy.
We had thought to explore on the other side, but there really didn’t seem to be too much of interest there, apart from one relatively small temple-cum-tomb, which I looked at alone, Val being loath to part with 2 rupees when there was little to see. It pre-dates the Taj by a few years, + is said to foreshadow some of its more famous cousin’s design features, but I found such a comparison speculative in the extreme. Returning to the area by the Taj, first of all my chain fell off – I don’t think I’ve yet hired a bike when that didn’t happen – then we somehow got caught up with the hectic traffic thro’ the old city. We were pleased to find a side-road + escape.
We spent the afternoon, + indeed early evening, doing nothing. In siesta, in fact. But this being the night of the full moon, we bought some chocolate by way of celebration, + went on over. The authorities had made special arrangements to cope with the crowds – many ticket-booths, temporary entrance barriers, etc. To us it all seemed over-elaborate, but then we were rather early. The Taj looked quite magnificent in the moonlight, not even spoilt by the idiots clicking away at it with their flashguns. And it was pleasant to do as so many others were doing, simply sitting on the grass + enjoying. I would have liked some dope, I think, but the chocolate was a fair second-best. We didn’t stay all that long. Our boredom threshold is low in any case, (+ increasingly so the closer we get to home), but in addition the crowds were beginning to pour in. We had seen what we wanted to see, + went home content.
And contentment being rare enough, we were most happy with our day, despite my usual cycle problems.
