Delhi Day 2

We left the hotel this morning at 9.00am, probably later than would be considered seemly by the dedicated rubbernecker. (Pour les français, ça veut dire que nous avons fait la grasse matinée.)

First stop Humayun’s tomb, which is an architectural forerunner of the Taj Mahal. A beautiful mausoleum in typical Mogul landscaped gardens. A haven of tranquility and harmony amid the frantic bustle of the city. There are various other tombs nearby, including one for Humayun’s barber. In those days barbers were treated almost like kings, as an insurance against a murderous slip of the razor; fiendishly clever, those Mogul emperors.

Then on to the Jama Masjid (Friday Mosque), the biggest mosque in India, capable of holding 20,000 worshippers, most of it in an open-air marble courtyard. It’s in Old Delhi, which gave us a chance to wander through the narrow alleyways crammed with people and bustling with life.

Then we went to Gandhi’s shrine. Unlike the Mogul emperors before him, Gandhi has no tomb, as he was cremated in the Hindu tradition. His ashes were scattered throughout India, as befits the founder of the State. It’s a slab of black marble on which are inscribed his last words: “Oh God”. His name is nowhere to be found, but kings, princes and heads of state visit whenever they are in town.

Then it was four and a half hours of hair-raising drive to Agra. The road is nominally a motorway, but you can’t drive fast because of vehicles coming towards you, going the wrong way in the fast lane. Even the cows go the wrong way up the motorway. Our driver, who will be with us for the whole of our time in India, confided in us that only three qualities are required for safe driving in India: a good horn, good brakes, and good luck. Disconcertingly, he insists on addressing us as “My Father” and “My Mother”. Since he must be at least 45 years old, it makes us feel wrinklier than ever.

See you tomorrow on the bench in front of the Taj.