The opinions of travelers about Agra contradictory. Some consider it the most beautiful place on Earth, others argue that this is almost the dirty settlement in all of India. I treat the second category.
Guys, remember that the Agra (and the neighborhood) is not only the most dirty city in India, but also the most expensive, most criminal and dangerous and dangerous (in Uttar Pradesh, and Agra in particular, the registered killing of a white man boredom for or to rob It costs only 5000rs, that is, your head is estimated there at $ 100).
If we still mined tickets and went to Agra on our own, then I think our enthusiasm would be driving at the station on arrival at the city of love, as the aborigines called it. Once the Agra was the capital of Mogoli emperors. Most brilliant monuments belong to the architectural genius of Shahjahan. In fact, after his death, Agra finally launched and revived to life only with the acquisition of India independence, turning into a major center of the heavy industry, chemical and processing industries. Waste industrial enterprises polluted the surrounding landscape and damaged invaluable monuments. Only in recent years, due to the development of tourism, the authorities began to pay more attention to the state of the city, prohibiting not only dirty production in the vicinity of the Taj Mahal, but also motor vehicles within a radius of 200m, giving 'good' only electric velays and bicycles. The mausoleum now surrounds the 457m width zone, which banned construction work.
Agra does not just shock. It embroils all the plugs in the head, it turns off the understanding and lubricates the perception of reality. Dirt and poverty are already somehow not particularly hit in the eyes after several days in Delhi, though, it is necessary to admit, even the Indians themselves consider Agro to be the most dirty city of India. But the moon, the doomes and a worthlessness of the residents themselves, the complete denial of human essence do not fit into consciousness. Cows, goats, dogs, garbage, feces, houses from cow shit. The impression was created - no, even confidence - that people in Agra live on the principle of "the day passed, and well," and every morning begins with the thought of "damn, so I'm still alive, then you need to look for something." Here people live in complete confidence that in the future they are waiting for a completely different life that in this life they found themselves on some kind of misunderstanding and serving their term as a certain punishment for past sins.
In Agra, another meaning of life, other priorities: to steal, or the tranquins have a tourist, it does not matter what, to wait for your term, and everything else is solved with them as desire. Sorry, Lord, if it were not for the Taj Mahal, not the fort, not Fatechpur, then this territory would have to be smelted by napalm, to erase this miserable and wild caricature on human life.
With the onset of the Indian winter, Agrhu envelops fog, which aggravates the already not very good ecology of the city.
The streets of the Old Town continue to issue an unpleasant smell, causing nausea among travelers. In winter, the situation is exacerbated, as in the air, impregnated with exhaust gases and the smell of waste ditch, hanging thick fog. Representatives of urban power are blamed in all illegal dairy plants, the oils and overcrowded colonies. Partly the problem in this, but this is not all the causes of the unpleasant odor.
The fact is that the inhabitants of Agra are avoiding public toilets, as they charge for their visit, and as a result of the streets and the shores of Jamunas are filled with human life products. The authorities are proposing solutions to the problem: some want to put toilets through each kilometer, others - to make a toilet toilet in every courtyard. However, it is not known whether it will be possible to change the cultural features of local residents and improve the "atmosphere" of the city, especially since the content of the existing restrooms lost all interest.
It is even surprising that in such an incredibly dirty and stinking region, such a divine monument was born and preserved. As a lotus flower, which can grow in the most dirty puddle and maintain its dazzling purity and whiteness. Yes, this is exactly what the Taj Mahal looks like a marshmallow creation, on something snow-white. They say it is even more beautiful at night, but in order to see it, we should remain in this permanent hole at night, which is not possible to present even in a nightmare.
Merzko and Gadko. Outlunted disgust, irritation that did not slow down to spill on the way to parking.
I will tell you this: the Taj Mahal needs to be seen certainly, so the option "Do not go" is not considered. But at least a couple of days to spend there, I didn't even have such a desire for a second.
I do not know how much this miracle is just like a miracle, but, taking into account the crack in October on the dome and the indescribable ecology of Agra, in contact with these day, 1,700 factories and plants in the district emitting any nastiness in the atmosphere, including sulfur dioxide Found soon to die.