Places to See in Agra - Day 2: Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri

The post continues from here. Taj Mahal is something that neither needs any introduction, nor any history lessons! The place is so so popular that there may be a situation that you may not even be able to enter the site since it is flooded with visitors! And that is what exactly happened with us :(. The number of people waiting at the ticket counter were far more than the total crowd at the Delhi Slut Walk! In general I would advise against visiting the place on a Sunday or public holidays. And if at all those are the only days you have, you should go in the morning.

Timings: The Taj Mahal is open from 6am to 8pm. Tickets are sold till 5:30 pm. It is closed on Fridays.

The Experience: After the failure to enter on Sunday, we headed there early morning on Monday. The cars have to be parked 1km from the site and you have several transportation options thereafter. You can walk, take a horse cart or even an electric auto. But beware of the tourist guides! They would always tell you there's a huge queue and they would get you in quickly, but they lie most of the times!

We had a smooth entry. No food/ tripod allowed! The place was beautiful but quite crowded even at 8:30 am! Ofcourse it was the Independence Day. The Taj Mahal is one of those places that a photographer must visit at least once! And the weather was perfect, a little cloudy but not hot at all. We spent almost 1.5 hours there, roaming around and taking pictures.

From there we headed towards Fatehpur Sikri, 40 Km away from the Taj Mahal. Fatehpur Sikri is a far more peaceful place. But let me warn you, the tourist guides are very annoying here! Just shove them away. It is also very huge. The complex includes royal palaces, courts, the dargah and the Buland Darwaza. In fact if you are interested in some history, you should take a guide along! They don't cost you much. Alternately, you can take Wiki print outs with you.  By now however, I had an overdose of red :).

The drive back was absolutely horrible. We were directed to some road via Bharatpur and it was the most broken road I have ever traversed on! Finally we reached after driving for 9 long, difficult hours!

Now here's my journey through my photographs.

The First View of the Taj Mahal! 

I almost wanted to run to see more of it..

The Gate to the Taj Mahal

Finally..the Taj, A Complete View

Any trip to Taj Mahal is incomplete without this pose :)

One of the Minars

The Red Sandstone Boundary and The Yamuna

A Monkey taking a Leisure Walk by the River Bank

A little bit of a Discrimination :(

People, People Everywhere..

Thingsto Buy from Agra

Fatehpur Sikri

Dargah

On our Way Back Home..

Hope you had fun being a part of my journey :)

Places to See in Agra - Day 1: Akbar's Tomb and Agra Fort

This was a long weekend and we decided to drive down to Agra. I had seen the Taj Mahal, but that was long ago! I could barely remember anything. So it was time to refresh some memories.

The 190 km drive was to Agra was not too bad, but definitely not the best one. The weather was by our side thankfully, it was cloudy and pleasant. We reached our destination in about 5 hours. On our way, we made two haults at a Dhaba and then at Akbar's tomb. I have always been very excited about eating at road-side dhabas, they serve you the tastiest and truly authentic food.

Akbar's tomb was on the way and not really planned. It was a nice and peaceful monument, not overly crowded.

After checking in our 'Grand Hotel', we headed to see the Taj Mahal. Agra as a city is not very appealing. It's not very clean, and the 'guides' really really get on your nerves'. They would almost run after you everywhere. Unfortunately we went there in one of the busiest possible days and all the tourist places were super-crowded! We actually stood in the ticket queue for Taj Mahal for an hour, while they had shut the counters to control crowd. The queue to enter the Taj Mahal was more than a kilometre long. It was sad how they could mismanage a world heritage site like that! We and many others gave up and went to the Agra Fort.

Anyway, a bit of my usual History lessons (Courtsey: Wiki) before we proceed to the photos!

Akbar's Tomb
The Tomb of Akbar the Great is an important Mughal architectural masterpiece, built 1605-1613, set in 119 acres of grounds in Sikandra, a suburb of Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Akbar himself commenced its construction in around 1600, according to a tradition to commence the construction of one's tomb during one's lifetime. Akbar himself planned his own tomb and selected a suitable site for it, after his death, Akbar's son Jahangir completed the construction in 1605-1613.

Agra Fort
This is located on the bank of Yamuna, 2.5 Km from the Taj Mahal.  It is one of the most important and robustly built stronghold of the Mughals, re-constructed by Akbar on the remains of an ancient site known as Badalgarh when he he made this his capital in 1558.

It was only during the reign of Akbar's grandson, Shah Jahan, who built Taj Mahal, that the site took on its current state. Unlike his grandfather, Shah Jahan tended to have buildings made from white marble. At the end of his life, Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son, Aurangzeb, in the fort. It is rumored that Shah Jahan died in Musamman Burj, a tower with a marble balcony with a view of the Taj Mahal.

And now some pics..

Break for Breakfast @ Milan Dhaba

Gate: Akbar's Tomb

Inside the Site

A Tomb

Deer Posing for a Snap

Agra Red Fort

 

Red Fort: Diwan-e-Aam (Hall of Public Audience)

Red Fort: Diwan-e-Aam (Hall of Public Audience)

Red Fort: The Other Side

And, he was on top of the world!!

Finally made it to the Taj at 8:30 the next morning! I will post the pictures soon!

Courier Took Out Contents of the Package and Replaced with Something Else!!

I wanted to bring this to everyone's attention as in the beauty bloggers fraternity, we often send things to each other via couriers! But please be careful about the courier you chose, and keep tracking! This is what happened with me!

I had ordered gift vouchers worth Rs 5k from Amex Gifts. They dispatched it by Aramex courier. I have ordered from them a couple of times earlier, and it was quite hassle free. But this time I did not receive it for a while. On tracking they showed 'Delivery failure due to incorrect address'. This is ridiculous since I receive everything at my office address including one from Aramex itself the last week. After innumerable calls I was able to get in touch with the delivery boy and finally he delivered my package in my office mail room at 6:30 in the evening yesterday.

When I finally went to collect the package, to my shock it had been tampered with. It had actually been opened from one side. Inside there were no vouchers, instead they put a rakhi roli, almost laughing aloud at me. They actually took out my vouchers worth 5k!!

I have been trying to contact Aramex, they have been of little help. In fact because of the long weekend, people are not even available. On calling up the delivery boy, he obviously refused that any such thing could happen. The issue is currently under investigation.

Hoping I will not lose my money! Please don't ship through Aramex!

Himalaya Neem Foaming Face Wash: Review and Why I'm Loving It!

This is the first foaming facewash I have ever used. When I saw this bottle, there were two things that tempted me to buy it.
1. It was a 'foaming' face wash. Till now I only knew about shaving foam.
2. It had a pump. I somehow immediately fall in love with everything that can pump ;), the convenience is immense. By the way, the normal Himalaya Neem Face is also available in a pump now, but when I had bought this.

The Pump

Product Details
Product Name: Himalaya Purifying Neem Foaming Facewash
Price: Rs 195 ($ 4.5) for 150 ml
Key Ingredients: Azadirachta indica (Neem), Curcuma longa (Turmeric), Veiveria zizaniodes (Vetiver - an Indian grass used in perfumery and aromatherapy)

Product Claim
'It is a soap-free herbal formulation that gently removes impurities from skin and prevents pimples. Enriched with Neem, Turmeric & Vetiver.
Neem, well known for its anti-bacterial, antiviral and germicidal activities, helps to control acne, pimples and their recurrences. Turmeric is also known for its antiseptic activity and soothes skin. Vetiver provides coolness and refrigerant activity. It also has antibacterial activities.'

My Experience
I have used the Himalaya Neem Facewash in the past and the feel after using this foaming face wash is no different. It is a nice, refreshing, herbal facewash, gentle on the skin. But as I have already mentioned it's the foam part that I'm totally in love with. The only difference between the regular facewash and this one is that you don't have to open the cap, pour it and then lather for 2 seconds, instead you can directly pump it on to your palm just once and apply on the face. But somehow that one difference makes me feel pampered :). I was also excited about the fact that this was the first foam facewash I was using. Here's more of my review.

What I like about Himalaya Neem Foaming Face Wash

• Ofcourse the foam part...
• It is herbal and hence I always prefer this over those with strong chemicals.
• It's really gentle and refreshing. Does not cause any dryness. In summers you can easily go without applying a moisturizer.
• The pump and foam combination makes it very convenient to use. My bottle is over now, and the pump was able to take out even the last part left. 
• It's got a very mild and pleasant fragrance.
• It is reasonably priced. 195 for 150 ml is not bad. It's a generous quantity.

What I don't quite like about Himalaya Neem Foaming Face Wash

• Well, I really like this product but one thing that it claims but does not quite do is prevent is pimples. I don't have a major pimple problem as such, but I continued getting my usual pimples once in a while in the course of use of this product.

Would I recommend this? Definitely, it's a nice break from the usual face washes.

This Rakhi, Pamper your Sister with some Great Promotional Offers from the Nature's Company

Celebrate an unforgettable Raksha Bandhan with The Nature’s Co.

Indulge your sister with some holistic products

The Nature’s Co. presents a special offer this Raksha Bandhan to help you pamper your caring sister. Stop by any of The Nature’s Co.outlets and purchase mainline products, worth Rs.750 or more, and get a luscious lip balm worth Rs.225 along with delightful chocolates absolutely free. What’s more The Nature’s Co. will have all these gifts packed in a specially designed attractive packaging as well.

To further enhance the entire experience, The Nature’s Co., is also giving out 15% discount hair cut vouchers for a renowned salon ,to the first few customers.

So come down and let The Nature’s Co. and make this Raksha Bandhan a truly memorable indulgent experience your sister will never forget!

Offer Valid from 10^th – 15^th August 2011 . T & C apply.

Available at all The Nature’s Co. outlets-

For further info you can visit: www.thenaturesco.com

- Hide quoted text -

Mumbai Store Address:

Unit No. S-15, 2nd floor Block No. 34/14B,

"Palladium" Phoenix Mills Compound, 462,

Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel,

Mumbai - 400 013

T: +91 22 32211771

E: helpdesk.mumbai@thenaturesco.com

Store timings:

Weekdays / Weekends: 11.00 am to 9:30 pm

Delhi Store Address:

Shop No S-12(b), 2nd floor, Plot No. A-3,

Select CITYWALK,

District Centre, Saket,

New Delhi - 110 017

T: +91 11 46150600

E: helpdesk.delhi@thenaturesco.com

Store timings:

Weekdays: 10.30 am - 9.30 pm

Weekends: 10.30 am - 10.00 pm

Chennai Store Address:

Shop No. S-012, Ground floor,

Express Avenue, 50L, Whites Road, Roypettah High Road,

Chennai - 600 014.

T: +91 44 31900070

E: helpdesk.chennai@thenaturesco.com

Store timings:

Weekdays: 11.00 am - 9.30 pm

Weekends: 11.00 am - 10.00 pm

Ahmedabad Store Address:

127, Ground Floor, Iscon Mega Mall,

Sarkhej Gandhi Nagar Highway,

Ahmedabad - 380015

E: helpdesk.ahmedabad@thenaturesco.com

Store Timings:

Weekdays: 11am - 9.30pm

Weekends: 11am - 10pm

Kolkatta Store address:

Unit no. - S010,

Ground Floor, South City Mall,

375, Prince Anwar Shah Road,

Kolkata 700068.

Store Timings:

 Weekdays: 11am - 9.30pm

Weekends: 11am - 10pm

Pune Store Address:

Unit NO. F-38, 1st floor,
Phoenix Market City Pune,
Viman Nagar,

Pune-411014

Store Timings:

 Weekdays: 11am - 9.30pm

Weekends: 11am - 10pm

Review: Revlon Beyond Natural Skin Matching Makeup..What's Your Favorite Foundation?

To start with, I don't own this product but have used this on a couple of occassions. In fact  I like it and amthinking of purchasing it.. And that is where I need your opinion :). Here's my review followed with questions for my blogger friends.

Product Details

Product Range: Revlon Beyond Natural - Foundation

Price: Rs 1050 for 30 ml

SPF Protection: Spf 15

Shades Available: Medium/ Deep, Medium, Light

Shelf Life: 36 Months :)

Product Description

• "A lightweight foundation with breakthrough, exclusive ingredients that adjust to match your exact skin tone.
• With this innovative formula, the right shade is as simple as your own skin.
• Super-lightweight formula starts off white and adjusts to your exact skin tone to cover imperfections.
• Seamless coverage makes skin look naturally flawless.
• Enriched with SPF 15"

My Experience

• The product is indeed lightweight and blends very well into the skin. Does not feel oily.
• The coverage is pretty good and again being lightweight it is good for everyday use. But obviously you cannot expect it to hide very dark spots/ marks. It is a little sheer for those.
• There are 3 shades available and it should more or less cover all the Indian skin colors. I liked the medium.
• I like the fact that it gives a matte finish. I am not too fond of a shiny finish. Also does not leave any powdery/ whitish patch.
• The tube is small and sleek, easy to carry in your handbag.
• The SPF 15 is a plus, I only wish it was a bit higher.

However, the price is a little bit of a turn off. To be honest, I rarely use foundations. For me it is serious make up and hence I use it only when I attend some engagement or wedding parties. Compared to the Colorstay Compact cum Concealer, which has a little powdery finish, I think this is better. I currently use a Revlon new complexion makeup foundation which is almost 3/4th full and the product is nearing its expiry. But now I wanted a light weight product for daily use. For starters I was looking for something in the range of 600-700.

So please help me make up my mind...

My Questions for my Makeup Lover Friends

• Have you used this product? How do you like it. Would you recommend a buy?
• What's your favorite foundation/ compact?
• What would you suggest for a light, daily wearable foundation/ compact in the range I specified: Rs 600-700
• I won't mind spending a higher if there is a wonderful product. Have you found something that nice?

Shopper's Stop Sale August 2011: Overview

This was one sale I was waiting for.. I love the fact that they accept gift vouchers even during sale and this time I had a lot of them in stock! Though I ended up picking some items on which there was no sale, I did spend quite some time there hunting. Here is a brief overview.

Offers on Make Up Items
I don't the brands can't keep a discount on any purchase. I was disappointed about the fact that most of the brands had gifts on making a purchase of a certain value. Here are a few offers.

Revlon
Buy any three items and get a gift. This is still better than having a value associated with the purchase for a free gift. I mean if nothing then buy 3 nailpolish bottles may be ;). Well not sure if that would qualify.

The gifts however were not that attractive. There were 3 choices.
1. A bath set (comprising of a loofah, pumice stone, back scrubber, a massage aiding thing (I don't know if I am missing anything here). This was the best of the gifts, but not something I would die for :)
2. A make up pouch, empty of course
3. Another make up/ toilettories pouch

Maybelline
Shop for 1500, get a lip balm free. Really sad..Recently in the Pantaloons sale they had a 10% off, which was far far better than this! Probably they oversold and ran into losses ;)

Chambor
Again, there was some gift on a purchase of 1500, but I didn't feel like asking what :(

Other brands like Lakme etc also had similar (and not so useful) offers. I did not explore the higher end brands though. I will keep updating this section.

Offers on Women's Clothing

• There was 10%-40% off on mix and match salwar kameez as well as pre-assesmbled sets.
• Van Heusen, Allen Solley, Arrow, Wills Lifestyle also had upto 40% off, in facts quite a lot of items in the 40% range. Unfortunately I did not like anything!
• Remanika, Noi had upto 51% off and I think most of the items were flat 51%.

Offers on Lingerie

• Most of you would be aware that this is one section in which there are hardly any offers during sale. Most items were still on the MRP. 
• B'witched was one brand that had 40% off on a few items. They also were giving away a voucher of Rs 250 on purchasing things from the nightwear section.
• The other offers were mostly on unsold and unusual sizes. There was no offer on Lovable or Triumph (except some items for 299) or Jockey.

Most of these had an additional 5% off for Golden Glow members.


Offers on Bags
There were the usual 10%-40% off on bags too. Rocky S had some interesting stuff. In fact planning to pick something up from there.

Conclusion
Overall the sale isn't bad at all....They have enough discounts of enough items. It was unfortunately not my day :(. I was a little disappointed with the make up section offers though.

So what are you waiting for, the sales on for everyone from tomorrow, August 6, 2011... and so is the weekend.. It definitely worth a visit.