relics | rfljenksy – Practicing Simplicity

I was fortunate enough this past holiday weekend to be able to take a quick trip to India. It feels a little surreal to even be able to say that last sentence. “A quick trip to India”. Wow!! I had a 4 day weekend, it was a two hour cheap flight and I even had a place to stay in New Delhi. So why not!!

Due to the fact it was a very quick trip, it was decided we would focus solely on the city of Agra. It sounds so cliche but India is truly a country steeped in remarkable history and it abounds with ancient relics and monuments that are surrounded by some very passionate stories.

We visited Akbar’s Tomb, Fort Agra, Jodhbai’s Palace and of course the Taj Majal. I hope you enjoy the photos.

Our first stop was Akbar’s Tomb.

The mausoleum was just outside of Agra City and we stopped there on our way to our hotel. I was very glad we did. It was built sometime between 1605 and 1613 and was built by Akbar himself as building your own tomb was the tradition of the time. I guess that makes sense, what you want and where you want it. Who better to honor you than..uh.. YOU???

The main building was being restored. It was amazing watching these guys work with no safety nets. The building was enormous.

The walkway to the building was equally impressive. You pass through the giant main structure and as you exit through the opposite side you are greeted with the impressive building which houses the tomb.

When you look at it, it is not surprising that Akbar was not actually able to complete the construction of the tomb in his own lifetime. His son completed it after his death.

As you walk from one building to the next, you are surrounded by green lawns with deer, trees, flowers and fountains and couples in every nook and cranny.

When you enter the tomb you have to remove your shoes. The inside of the building is as impressive as the outside.

The tomb building was actually built as a false tomb and the tomb itself is in the basement. This was really the most impressive part of these grounds. The entryway was a deep colored sandstone which led to a darkened doorway.

When you turn left through the door you are greeted with the tomb and a lone man who upon your entry cups his hand to his mouth and makes a song that resonates through this room in a way that moves your heart. It’s beautiful. I was so surprised by this that I didn’t even think of taking a video of it. I could have stayed there for a lot longer than I did. The exit, though it was the same as the entrance, looked completely different.