Taj Mahal and Delhi moments
Sunset Jan. 1 & Sunrise Jan. 2, 2014
Our semester in India begins at the Taj Mahal on New Year's Day. Noah and I were here on our honeymoon 15 years ago and it is a gift to come back and share this with our children. They saw the stunning marble and jewel work on the outside - and on the inside of the domed mausoleum, the tombs of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Adam and Claudia also saw the intense poverty in Agra, the city that is home to the Taj. Every day in India we witness the juxtaposition of abundance and deprivation. Powerful, painful, colorful, and hopeful.
Yogi Claudia's Bridge Pose at the Taj
Driving into city of Agra - this is what surrounds the Taj Mahal
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Snake charmer with Boa in Agra
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family in auto rickshaw
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Outside a Delhi fruit, vegetable and meat market surrounded by slums, this boy has trained his monkey to do tricks for tips
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| This girl was tapping on our car windows begging for money - we gave her food |
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| Taj mosque sunset Jan. 1, 2014 |
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| Sunrise Jan. 2, 2014 |
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| Claudia does yoga at sunrise at Taj |
DELHI STREET scenes - man carries refrigerator on his bike
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| Delhi workers |
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| Sunset Jan. 1, 2014 |
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| Taj tourists |
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| Taj lovers |
Adam narrates Taj video
Oh Roberta what an adventure - especially for a family to share! Thank you so much for sharing it; are your kids blogging too? Will eagerly await further dispaches.
ReplyDeleteThe "juxtaposition of abundance and deprivation" (nicely worded btw) keeps reminding me of this dialogue poem one of my middle school students wrote after their experience in India. There were two voices in poem, one of a youth with wealth, another stricken with poverty. I'll never forget it . It was very powerful.
ReplyDeleteI love the pics, the yoga, the kiss... Life's masterpieces! Thanks for sharing.
CV thanks for your response - it is startling here. please send me the poem - i'd love to read it xoox
DeleteI agree with the power of your phrase "juxtaposition of abundance and deprivation". This was especially clear as I scrolled down and I was viewing the photo "Dehli workers" of men standing and packed like sardines on the back pf a truck and "Sunset..." of your beautiful family in front of the Taj Mahal. Very poignent, Roberta.
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