I cannot find on the Regent website the current description of your time in Agra; so I cannot be too specific. However, I will give you my observations, for what it is (or ain’t) worth regarding your stay in Agra.

Fridays in Agra are somewhat different from other days, as the Taj Mahal is closed for maintenance (not religious services) that day.

However, as Pam T. mentioned some time ago on one of the TAJ threads, one can have a good view of the Taj Mahal from the Mehtab Bagh gardens directly across the river from the monument. We visited Mehtab Bagh on a Monday; and we were the only people there, aside from three Indian Army guards, who were sleeping next to the river (guarding that possible avenue of terrorist entry into the monument…). However, according to our guide, on Fridays the Mehtab Bagh location is very popular, since it is the best place in the city to view the Taj Mahal when the monument is closed.

In fact, the view of the Taj from the gardens is quite good, although without the lovely gardens and fountains that one sees when entering into the grounds of the Taj from the regular gates. The view from Mehtab Bagh is directly south across the Yamuna River onto the monument. It was prudent when we were there to sort of zone out one’s eyesight with respect to the river, which was quite low and quite repellent, and focus instead on the magnificent monument on the other side.

I am not sure how long it would take to taxi (or, for those of you with strong hearts, take a tuk-tuk) from the ITC Mughal because we visited the gardens in conjunction with a visit to the lovely little Itmad-ud-daulah mausoleum on that same side of the river and did not focus on the transit time. Certainly, the concierge at the hotel or your tour guide could tell you how far it is.

As Mehtab Bagh sits directly north of the Taj Mahal, in the afternoon the sun would be from the west, or onto one’s right when facing the monument from the gardens. Thus, the light would be the opposite from that in my attached photos. Please pardon the extreme fuzziness of the two photos. On the morning of our visit, it was very hazy (a common occurrence in winter because of fog and the wood smoke from the many households in Agra with no other source of heat or cooking fuel). Although we were delighted with the wonderfully cool temperatures during our visit, the trade-off was the heavy morning haze.

As for other attractions of Agra, a visit to the Agra Fort is definitely most worthwhile, and, as the palace where Shah Jahan (the builder of the Taj Mahal) was placed under house arrest by his son, has both a sad and a romantic aspect.


http://freddie98282.smugmug.com/Other/Taj-Mahal/i-k5Ssk3Q/0/M/Taj%20River-LCT-1-M.jpg

http://freddie98282.smugmug.com/Other/Taj-Mahal/i-kPtMmHb/0/M/Taj%20River-LCT-M.jpg

I think that this is our schedule for Friday:

After breakfast, drive to Agra, the city of the Taj Mahal. The drive through the countryside is approximately four hours with refreshment and facility stops along the way.

Upon arrival in Agra, check in to the hotel. At the hotel, you may collect the keys at the hospitality desk in order to freshen up in your room before you start your exploring.

Agra, the city of Taj Mahal was one of the grand cities of South Asia. With the arrival of the Mughals in 1526 led by Babur, Agra entered a completely new era during the reign of emperors Akbar, Jehangir and Shah Jahan. Akbar made it a great center for learning, art, commerce and culture. Its cosmopolitan bazaars and its strategic location on the river Jamuna, was altogether a worthier setting for the focus of an empire.

Afternoon Options:

A) 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. Visit the Tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah in the old city of Agra. Itmad-Ud-Daulah, became the first Mughal structure totally built from marble and pioneering the extensive use of `pietra dura', the inlay work of marble, so characteristic of the Taj Mahal. This mausoleum is small and squat when compared to the soaring Taj, but the smaller, more human scale has its own attraction, and the skillfully patterned surface of the tomb is exquisite

B) 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. Visit the Agra Fort, a World Heritage Site credited to the aforementioned Emperor Akbar, India's great visionary. His sons and theirs added to this imposing structure situated by the banks of the Yamuna River. The astonishing palaces, mosques and audience halls contained within its massive walls of red sandstone became once more a monumental mission of the Mughal Empire embellished by the artistic fusion of Islamic and Hindu tradition.

C) 2:30 pm onward Hourly shopping shuttle to the Marble inlay factory and local markets
D) Hotel Activity
2:30 - 4:30 p.m. At the hotel, Agra's leading astrologer will be available for consultation (The Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays)

Enjoy a show of the classical dance form of Kathak - This Mughal Court dance arose from the fusion of Hindu and Muslim cultures during the Moghul era, characterized by rhythmic footwork, spectacular spins, mime and gestures that are a dramatic representation of themes from Persian poetry synthesized with Hindu mythology.

After the show, continue on to enjoy the dinner served at the hotel with wine, beer, soft drinks and mineral water included. Overnight in Agra.

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Eugene

Thanks for posting that schedule, Eugene. It appears that the schedule would certainly allow plenty of time in late afternoon for a visit to Mehtab Bagh for anyone interested in doing so. For a bit of real fun, perhaps you could pile six or seven people into a tuk-tuk for the ride to the garden. (For a photo of such a conveyance, see my Part 3 post in the other thread - Our Most Exotic Indian Adventure.) Have fun!!