The Long Awaited Visit to the Taj Mahal

The wonderful mum Taj Mahal.

The Emporer of Shah Jahan built the Taj as a resting place for his wife. It is named the 'mum Taj Mahal', or excellent crown palace. She died at 39 years old, while in childbirth of the 14th child. 

Let's do it!

Entryway to the 'workers'' quarters.

Julie captured this beautiful reflection pool shot.

We don our footies to enter the interior of the Taj Mahal.

Set on the side of the River Yamuna, which flows from Delhi!  The Red Fort is in the smog in the background.

The mosque which sits beside the Taj Mahal.

Sadly, only 3 years after construction, his son placed him under arrest at the Red Fort across the River Yamuna for eight years. When he died, his daughter placed his body beside the wife in the Taj, and the tomb is the only asymmetrical item in the Taj Mahal.

This artwork is typical of the inlay inside the dome. There are over 14,000 flowers such as this, each having 64 petals each, inlaid with precious and semi-precious stones. That's almost a million tiny petals! (Photography is not allowed inside the dome. This picture is for reference, not from inside, as photos aren't allowed therein.)

Typical of the intricate inlay inside the Taj.

Exterior wall inlays.

The Taj Mahal required 22 years for construction, and the marble was mined 360 kilometers south of Agra in Makarana. It was transported by the king's 1,000 elephants. Can you even imagine the logistics of just this conveyance?

 

Ajay, our tour guide turned TEAM MEMBER!

Rotary Zone 34 Polio Warriors.

 This evening, we begin our separate journeys back to our individual homes, but the relationships we have forged together as the Rotary Zone 34 Polio Warriors will touch our hearts and memories for decades to come!

The Day After - Mop Up!

Thresholds are marked to verify immunizations therein.

After yesterday's nationwide National Immunization Day, the same volunteer teams mobilize again to go into the streets, home to home, with health workers to look for children who do not have a 'purple pinkie' from yesterday. The Rotary Zone 33 & 34 Polio Warriors were no exception.  

Join us herein for a pictoral display of our walks through the neighborhoods, administering drops as we go, and painting pinkies purple!

Two members of our team, Joyce & Gary, had to return home before the NID due to a family emergency.  Our first two drops administered on the NID, by Mary, below, is given in honor of Gary, Joyce, and their mother.

Two magic drops with a smile!

No monkey business with the Polio Warriors.

Marking our visit.

Creative Insulation.

Yuck...

A lady and her cows.

Gotta Praise the health workers as they dutifully make their rounds.

Polio Warriors Unite!

Couldn't help but muze over the satellite discs.

Just two drops changed this child's life, forever!

Selfie with the boyz!

Tag Teaming!  Go Karen and Jeanette.

All Honor & Praise to these Health Care Workers who immunize daily!

A Dream Come True - End Polio Now!  What more needs to be said!

It takes us all working together to make the circle complete.

If Mama's Happy, the entire Zone 34 Polio Warriors Team is happy!

It's ALL about the Children!  KEEP INDIA POLIO FREE!

 Several more days of our visit in India, but today was definitely the apex of the trip for our Team of Rotary Zone 34 Polio Warriors!  We'll have more blog posts as we wind down and head back home to the United States, but we do hope that you are/have enjoyed being with us, and that you will reach out to us to join us in the next round of National Immunization Days in India.

It takes us all working together to make for a better world. Join us as we KEEP INDIA POLIO FREE!