2010 India Trade Mission

The trade delegation visited Agra, India today.  Agra has a substantial industrial base.  Many manufacturing plants and industry related wholesale markets are prominent here.  In addition to learning about these economic contributors, we were also able to see first hand how the city handles tourism and its impact on Agra's economy.  We were able to visit one of the seven wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal, also known here as "the Taj."

The Taj Mahal has a very important role in the economic viability of Agra.  This magnificent masterpiece attracts from two million to four million visitors each year.  More than 200,000 of those visitors come from overseas.

The Taj Mahal was built by Emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his third (and favorite) wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died during the birth of their 14th child.  Construction for the mausoleum began in 1632 and was completed in 1653.  It serves a reminder of the great love story between Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal and what a beautiful reminder it is.

The mausoleum is made completely out of white marble.  The marble is translucent so that, depending on the time of day, it either reflects a pink or white hue.  Within the mausoleum, there are beautiful flowers and vines made up of precious jewels which come from all over the world.  When light hits the flowers, you can see all different shades of red, orange, yellow, green and pink.

The Taj Mahal is built along the banks of the Yamuna river and has two smaller castles on either side.  It is amazing.  I am astounded when I think of the amount of labor and craftsmanship it took to create this piece of art.

On our way to Agra we visited remote areas of India, which have a completely different standard of living than the large cities.  There are wild monkeys everywhere.  When we were at a stop sign or toll road, the monkeys would climb on our vehicle.  There are also wild boars and cows walking around.  Along the rural streets we saw things Americans are used to seeing inside of a home: sleeping, eating, taking a bath, shaving, washing clothes, getting a haircut.  There are a lot of vendors on the street who sell fresh fruit and vegetables.  Refrigeration isn't common in the rural areas, so the street vendors play an important role in supplying fresh produce.

The rural areas also don't have running water.  They use water from the rivers for their daily needs.  It's a very hot time of year and the rivers are very low.  Because of that, you can actually see the trash and pollution in the water.  That was very sad.

In some of the mid-sized cities, cows are in the middle of the road.  We had an interesting experience when a man came up to our bus playing his flute.  He was charming a snake to come out of its container.

I've blogged about some of my thoughts about India and its culture, but I also want to include comments from a few of my fellow delegates.

Bryce Bennett:
The delegation went to Agra today to look at tourism and how the economy can be improved by creating opportunities for employment in the tourism industry.  We saw the different sides of India along the way, from the grand Taj Mahal to the poverty in the slums and the unfortunate living conditions to the environment that has been spoiled along the Indian highways.  It has been a very rewarding experience to learn more about the Indian culture.  We look forward to bringing the ideas and thoughts that we have generated from our trip back to Indiana, and Indianapolis in particular, for the benefit of our citizens.

Sanjay Patel:
We took a trip to Agra today, leaving Delhi around  6 a.m.  From a large city, the nation's capital, we drove through the rural agricultural areas.  We saw the big city lights and were able to compare it to the rural life and heart of Indians working day in and day out just to make it.  We ended up at the Taj Mahal.  I've seen it twice before, but it was much more special this time.  As an adult I can appreciate the true history and architecture of it and the work that went behind it.  We've had the opportunity to really take in what this country stands for.  My parents are from India, so I've been here several times.  This particular trip has opened my eyes on the economic opportunities we can bring back to Indiana.