Agra Off The Beaten Path

That is a kid with a great future!

The "puppet man" --as he calls himself, but I think "puppet boy" would be more appropriate-- is less than 15 yrs old and already he is a great puppet player, great singer, great performer/actor, great merchant and a great liar!!!

I could tell he was trying hard to extract --in the most polite manner, I must admit-- some extra rupies from me, because I had already bought one of his puppets for 200 rupies without bargaining (big mistake, they cost around 40-50 in Delhi's Main Bazar)... When I asked him how old is he, he said without thinking: "Today is my bithday, I am turning 15... will you give me a birthday present?" What can I say?? He is a real character!

What really made me like this kid even more, was the fact that, without any obligation, after I had given him his "birthday present", he ran and made up a small rug elephant puppet and offered it to me as a gift. Nothing much but the gesture was very nice! Someone who knows how to give and not only how to take is a winner in my book!

His show takes place every day from 5-6:00 pm onwards at the Mughal Sheraton reception area.

The tomb is of special interest because it looks much to the Taj Mahal, although a little bit smaller . It's worth visiting it .. Because it's quiet smaller than the Taj Mahal it's also known as Baby Taj. It was the first Mogul construction in marble and besides that also the first which made elaborate use of the pietra dura-technique as later with the Taj Mahal. From here you have also a nice view on the Taj Mahal.

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The forgotten city of India ! As from the beginning the waterprovision was poor and so people left this city!
The architecture is unique - a mixed of Moslim/Hindoe an Persian influence.
In the center of this village you will find a "Chess place" - the figures were at that time living ladies of the Harem - manipulated by Akbar himself.

In front of every hotel in India, you find rickshaws. We hired one for an afternoon (less than 1 USD !!) to travel to some shops. Not the tourist-ones but the ones where local Indians go to buy there stuff. Better prices, good products and a smell of local commerce... Crowded places, dangerous traffic,... an experience not to forget !

Take a few minutes trip from Fatehpur Sikri to the Jami Masjid just north to see the 54-m Buland Darwaza gateway.

Just infront of the emperor's sleeping quarters is a pool with 4 walkways to a platform in the middle.