A Sea Change 16 Mughal jewelry

 
To complete the display of Indian design and in recognition that Agra was the former home of the Koh-i-Noor diamond, we visited a boutique featuring jewel encrusted Mughal jewelry. The women tried on heavy emerald, ruby and diamond necklaces and other leftovers from long-dead maharanis. We all preened for a while thinking of what it would be like to live in purdah dripping with jewels but hidden away from life outside the walls of the women’s quarters. After the modeling session, the shopkeeper, no fool he, brought out new rings, bracelets and necklaces of the same design.

Judith Works (to be continued)

A Sea Change 15 Taj 2

The four buildings surround a beautiful Persian garden with fountains, pools and trees. The translucent marble exterior of the Taj is sumptuously decorated with geometric, vegetative and calligraphic designs, both carved and inlaid. Inside, to my eyes even more beautiful, are delicate marble screens surrounding the sarcophagi of the Shah and his wife. The screens are carved into lace-like shapes set with jasper, jade, turquoise, carnelian, lapis lazuli and other precious stones in designs of vines, fruit, carnations and tulips. What better evidence could there be than this monument to one of the greatest love stories of all time?

Judith Works (to be continued)

A Sea Change 14 Taj Mahal

Built for a beloved wife who died in childbirth giving life to her fourteenth child, her husband, Shah Jahan, began the construction of the Taj in 1632. His architects and builders produced an unrivaled masterpiece of Moghul art in homage to Mumtaz Mahal, his third wife. Contrary to photographs, the building does not stand alone. Rather, we were surprised to see it is part of a complex of four magnificent buildings, each of which is an architectural marvel in itself. The entrance to the complex is white marble. Two mirror image buildings, a mosque and a guesthouse to the sides of the Taj, are red sandstone.

Judith Works (to be continued)

A Sea Change 13 Agra

 
The visual highlight of the cruise was a day trip to the Taj Mahal. We flew over dry and dusty brown plains to Agra where we joined throngs on crowded roads, humans in every kind of transport available along with cows blithely ambling through traffic as we headed to the glittering white monument.

Cows were a traffic hazard but provided amusement when we saw a good looking heifer with her head in a beauty shop doorway trying to see what was going on with her female counterparts.

Judith Works (to be continued)