Way to Taj - Let's Go.

I never expected that I would ever write on topic like... Travelling.. This article came as a surprise package for me. Well its not a hardcore travel journal...Nah!... Its more like beating around the bush type...

My new year started on what-the-fuck note, this was my new year status update on my Instagram page,  but soon I deleted the post, I don't know what got into my mind for using such language...My mind was flushed with the thought of many "What if(s)??".  But later I realized what's true is true. I still have no perfect substitute word to describe it. Let it be, even if it sounds like not-so-sanskari type.

Second month was quite nerve-racking with the guests at home and prolonged illness, March seemed quite optimistic commencing with holi celebrations which ended soon leaving many treasurable memories, right after  holi my munchkins exams started(still in process) which meant I was in his shoes...

So I was literally yearning to enjoy a little break from hustle and bustle of my routine.

This article is happening because of a wedding invitation that we received a month back...

Wedding was going to take place on Monday night in Delhi which meant a long extended weekend till Tuesday, long distance travelling (Chandigarh - Delhi), family get together...and not the forget the variety of food, music, chatting and doing nothing but relax and enjoy... As my whole family will be there all together after a long gap. My parents and their three kids with their respective partners and kids... So it's going to be a big family get together on Monday night.

Forethought

So, me and my brother in law (the active members, as we were quite vocal about having a break) took it as an opportunity and soon came up with an idea of visiting Agra, my sister and husband seemed equally excited... so we began our search on Google and everything seemed to fit, two days before wedding, 4 hours drive from Delhi all thanks to express highway... Then the search for tourist places began, obviously other than the world famous Taj Mahal...

Taj is one place I always wished to see since my early childhood. My mom narrated the story about visiting Taj when I was a toddler...yaa right, I don't remember a thing and she always said, "Oh! you have been there with us."

The "Taj Mahal"

All my life I have heard the epic love story of Shah Jahan and his queen Mumtaaj Mahal but the fact that she was not his only wife and she died giving birth to her 14th child(in 19 yrs of marriage)  is till date quite indigestible for me and the fact that Taj Mahal is made in memory of Mumtaaj Mahal the true soulmate of Shah Jahan... Soul mate??? I really don't understand the concept of soulmate here...

If you ask me as a woman it's more of barbaric... Conceiving a child every year and coming in terms with the death of seven babies(out of 14) and the thought of sharing husband with other women feels disgusting and excruciating. Let's not get into much detail here about true meaning of love and soul mate another reason Taj is famous for is the cruelty on the craftsman by none other than the king Shah Jahan.

Cruelty that goes beyond physical pain.  Craftsmen who offered their best services were awarded in form of cruelty unimaginable, by cutting there thumbs(some say hands), disabling them not only physically but also mentally and emotionally just too prove the world the love for a dead woman.

Why I wish to visit Taj Mahal? 

Symbol of love or cruelty, I don't know what's true and what's a myth but I wanted to visit the place as it's among the seven wonders of the world.

According to Archaeological Survey of India During peak tourist season or weekends, the number of tourists from all over the world crosses 60,000 to 70,000 per day. I was dying to be one of them and experience it myself and not through someone else eyes or through Google... 

Frankly speaking another important reason behind visit is, as it's difficult to visit other wonders with limited budget but Taj Mahal is one great offer. Atleast we can enjoy what we have in our own country...I don't have any knowledge about archaeology but I have the sense of beauty and art of admiration. 

So after lots of discussion ( by lots I mean lots and lots and lots, just keep the lots rolling) we decided to cover one more place other than Taj Mahal and choose Agra fort as second monument to visit. (as we had just one day and a kid who is still young to enjoy monuments).

Time for spoilers. 
(Terms and conditions) 

Then came back to back spoilers... Off record working Saturday for brother in law(Bank Manager) just because its March (End of financial year) and graduation day of my son(graduating kindergarten).

Handling graduation day was easy as it was impossible for us to be in two places at the same time and obviously we can't compromise with the wedding so had no option but to cancel his D day. 

Then came the turn of working Saturday. I tell you, when you have to deal with the complexities of public banking system, having a family member in bank seemed a blessing but when you have to plan a trip with a banker its really a curse.

It seems like bankers aren't eligible for vacations and so are IT professionals(my husband) not because he is too busy but because he is a workaholic by choice.

When you are sitting with both of them the topic of discussion are: the changing rates on fixed deposits, PPF,  EPF; foreign policies; real estate investments; share market... Most of the time I interrupt their discussion by requesting them to change the topic and talk something light... 

Well, Saturdays plan got cancelled... So no Agra... No Taj Mahal... We all were disheartened... But this didn't came as a surprise to me...

Let me tell you about my not so surprised attitude here... I knew the plan was good enough to get spoiled. This is not the first time that my plan has failed.

As my husband says, "Don't waste your time in making plans, they never work." By the way he doesn't suggests, most of the time he goes giggling about the fact that how all my plans to visit my parents house goes in trash.

Its not like I make plans randomly, no matter how much facts I consider most of my plans never pan out and I am left with no option but to accept and go with the flow. I know my plans fail but God gives me other good options so no complaints...

Our backup plan. 

Soon my husband suggested that we should rather stick to Delhi. The best thing about my husband is that he understands me like no one else as he is always ready with a backup plan. I really never gave a deep thought on his readiness with the backup plans... I am sure he does it in good faith...

So we all agreed upon Delhi but places other than Lotus temple, Akshardham temple, Qutub Minar and Rashtrapati bhavan because we just visited them last year on new years eve with my brother and sister in law... It was one great trip but my son got irritated with the places as he was too young(4 yrs)  to understand the history and artifacts.

Only thing he loved was a boat ride in Akshardham temple, Qutub minar was more of a haunted place for him...Rashtrapati bawan according to him was the king's palace... All the places were overly crowded and he quite averts such places.

So only place I could think of was visiting Zoo... (I know he would love to go there as we are the regular visitor of Chhatbir Zoo near Zirakpur, Punjab: a place where he never gets bored even if its overly crowded) . He loves everything about zoo; the animals, the birds, the reptiles, the lion safari, jungle, greenery and not to forget the snacks and ice-cream... He can eat ice-cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner and still he never gets jaded.

So now plan was locked*. 

*still Terms and conditions applied. 

(hopefully I made my not so surprised attitude clear)

Time to pack. 

Next step came packing up things... One thing I find too sluggish about travelling is packing and unpacking. Back in college, I use to make my sister do all these trivial tasks...lol..

She loved doing such stuff so I, being a responsible elder sister took care of my sisters happiness... Lol...

But she isn't with me anymore and now its been seven years I have been doing it on my own. The time when I started I used to  forget almost every thing be it toothbrush, towel, makeup kit and then use to run to market to get things. I am still not an expert but I am bit organized now and make lists first. Well just like my plans my list too have seemed failure initially but with time I learnt from my mistakes.

Packing seemed confusing as we were still in dilemma regarding many things like time, place, clothes, weather.. etc...etc...etc... Talking about clothes, my fashion choices are really poor.

I seriously don't understand these festive looks, gym look, airport look, beach look etc, etc... a completely idiotic trend these days... and traditional, indo western and western clothes and jewelry so I called my sister to vent out my frustration.

She is bit a fashionista of our house. She keeps advising on matters like clothes, shoes, makeup, jewelry...I keep asking... Who cares??? If I wear slippers with jeans or wear no jewelry(I hate it)... But still she insists that dressing appropriately is important. Her suggestions over time did ameliorate my dressing sense.

I like the idea of travelling, visiting new places, meeting new people but when the things start turning into reality I start getting goosebumps...t

 

With every day passing my frustration level reached a new height as Saturday plan got canceled and Sunday is one big lazy day in our home where breakfast never actually happens... So I was little worried that Sunday's plan will too be spoiled...

Friday (A day before "The" weekend) 

Suddenly phone rings...

Tring! Tring! Tring! Tring! 

and I see the name flashing...

Its my brother in law...
Phone on speaker mode.

(A telephonic conversation between me and my husband with my brother in law)

Me: Hello, how are you?

Him: Hello Di(sister)! I am good, how are you and How's everyone at home?

Me: Good, so what's our new plan?? (not so surprise attitude, giving a quirky smile to my husband). Please don't tell me that even Sunday's plan is ruined...(Few days back I had a little fight with my sister because of the ruined plan and how I was least interested in going anywhere but direct to the venue of marriage on Monday evening.)

Him(laughs) : Let's go Agra!

Me: What Agra??? It's Friday... Good morning...(I thought he was pulling my leg).

Him: We'll go to Agra... Final... We'll go on Saturday.

Me: What about office???

Him: I'll manage things, just give me half day...

Me: Nah! It's too late now... No reservations... No plans... What we'll do in one stupid day...

Him: Let's go by road as per our earlier plan. We'll go together...

My husband jumps into the conversation...

Husband: Is it final now??? Bookings are not an issue... I'll book hotel in Delhi for the night and can start fresh next day on Delhi-Agra express highway... and we'll reach Agra in time...

Him: hmmm... Sounds good... we have just one day to visit places so returning same night would be too hectic so we'll stay in Agra for the night...I'll check Agra hotels... We'll visit Taj at night as I have heard it's really beautiful at night...

Me: But it's not full moon, Taj is open at night for five days around full moon...

Him(disappointed) : Oh! We'll visit somewhere else then...

Husband: Meet you tomorrow at 12 at your place...

Him: Seems perfect... Bye...

Husband : Bye...

Back on track. 

Failed plan was back on track...just one day before the trip to Delhi to attend a wedding.

Sometimes destiny plans things for you. You reach a place where you ought to be at a particular time. Even if things get too unfavourable at times some things are meant to be... So was our Agra plan...

Part-2 Way to Taj...
A Jaunt.