AGRA BOUND VIA 7th CENTURY STEPWELL
The city of Agra marks the 3rd point in India’s Golden Triangle & the 140 mile stretch of highway to reach there from Jaipur gave us plenty to see along the way… colorful Hindu statues, blooming medians of bougainvillea, AND…more of my favorites (YAY!)… camel carts & friendly roadside travelers eager to wave!
We passed through several small towns & other wide spots in the road teaming with activity. These populated areas of brown congestion bustling with life & clutter contrasted starkly with the occasional handful of harvesters spotted laboring in the lush green of a field.
The WOW highlight of the journey was our excursion to the humble village of Abhaneri, less than 10 miles off the main highway linking Jaipur to Agra, where a fascinating antiquity awaited. Check out the drying cow patties on the roofs!
CHAND BAORI STEPWELL
The 9th century Chand Baori Stepwell was pretty much an architectural & engineering marvel. What, you may ask, IS a stepwell? Well (pun intended, haha) centuries ago, stepwells were built in the arid zones of Rajasthan (this region of India) to provide/gather/store water all year through. Yet, it is much more than a convenient place to obtain water… its an exceptionally brilliant, deep cavernous huge 4 sided structure of 3500 narrow steps arranged in perfect symmetry. It is a gorgeous geometric antiquity that is functional, descending 100 feet, 13 floors & its thousands of geometric shapes form a magical dizzying play of light & shadows on the walls. Unreal…never seen anything like it, ever!
Adjoining the stepwell & across the street, an ancient 9th century Hindu temple, Harshat Mata, has sat mostly in ruins since the Persian invasion of the 11th century, yet amazingly is still utilized for worship. We observed pilgrims lighting incense at the well’s alter, a family engaging in ceremony at a small cottage on the adjoining grounds during a loudspeaker broadcast of prayers (3 short videos attached!) & also a woman sitting within the ruins of the temple making traditional Hindu offerings of incense, fruit & flowers. Such a cool experience to observe!
Stepwell Alter 
Families Gather at Cottage to Worship 
Temple Alter 
A few short hours later we reached our ultimate destination…
the city of AGRA
home of the TAJ MAHAL
Portions of the drive to Agra, and even the city of Agra itself, revealed a humbler grittier existence, an existence that can at times be disconcerting to some western travelers. Certainly we encountered some things I was unaccustomed to, but when homes are small & resources limited, life is lived outdoors & one sees people connecting with one another. Our modern western culture has us inside cars, houses, workplaces…often isolated from one another & struggling at times to feel a sense of community. In India, community is visible…vibrant, there seems to always be a constant kaleidoscope of activity, of life. I found it fascinating & stimulating & quite frankly, I couldn’t keep from snapping pictures right & left.
TRIPPIN WITH NATALIE 