Traveling with Parents: Amritsar and Agra

You know you’re aging the moment you meet your parents, it holds true for those who stay away from home and don’t get to see their parents quite often. The guilt of not being around them may daunt us but we can always compensate it by vacationing with them. I know, the thought of traveling with parents may not sound very appealing but it is one of the best ways to spend some quality time with them and create some precious memories. Also, if you have parents like mine who get ecstatic with the thought of exploring new exotic destinations then try to backpack with them at least once a year.  

Mom & Dad

Last year, I traveled to Amritsar and Agra with my parents which led to an impromptu family get together as well. Traveling with parents gives you an opportunity to bridge the gaps which build over the years of staying away from them. E.g. I never knew that my father had a desire to see the Taj Mahal on a full moon night or my mother loved exploring local markets as much as I do. Now, I know why I am bitten by the travel bug and have a constant urge to shop. I concur; it’s all in the genes. 

"Rare" Family Picture

Coming back to our two beautiful destinations: Amritsar and Agra, selected very carefully keeping in mind their distance from Delhi as we made the national capital our base. Amritsar being our first destination, we took Shatabdi express from New Delhi to Amritsar. We reached Amritsar at night and retired to our hotel rooms booked via OYO. In the morning you got to do the first thing first so we visited the Golden Temple. I have never seen any holy place so enchanting, peaceful, well managed and clean like the Golden Temple. My happiness doubled when my parents expressed the willingness to visit the Golden Temple again. It just reaffirmed that the destination was absolutely apt for them. Words fall short to describe the serenity of the Darbar Sahib. The Golden Temple is an amalgamation of Hindu and Islamic architectural styles uniting our cultural diversities. Inside the temple, on a jewel-studded platform, you can see installed the Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred scripture of the Sikhs. The golden temple is surrounded by Amrit Sarovar from which Amritsar gets its name. The priests and musicians sing and chant verses continuously from the Guru Granth Sahib which makes the environment absolutely captivating. Before exiting the gleaming Darbar Sahib don’t miss to take the “Pinni” Prasad which is undeniably a delight for your taste buds.   

Bullet scars on the walls of Jallianwala Bagh

Near the Golden Temple was our next destination - Jallianwala Bagh. We all know the significance of Jallianwala Bagh in the Indian Independence movement. It is well maintained and still has the scars of bullets all over the walls, the sight of which will make you numb. Once you step out of Jallianwala bagh visit local markets around it for phulkari dress materials, shawls and shoes etc. The local markets are full of phulkari work at an affordable price. Tired of shopping? Satiate your appetite at a local dhaba with Amritsar style chicken, fish curries, naan, kulcha and my favorite - lassi. 

Wagah Border

By afternoon, you can strike off all these activities from your list and start for the Wagah border. Just a piece of advice because you may not find it anywhere else, if you know someone in the armed forces, try to get VIP passes for the Wagah retreat so that you get comfortable seats and can enjoy the Wagah border retreat ceremony. Unfortunately, I didn’t know this although my wise father advised me of the army having a VIP pass which I refused politely as google didn’t mention about it. The Wagah border ceremony is absolutely free of cost and you get the seats on first-come, first served basis and this makes the arrangements very chaotic. 

Wagah border ceremony on giant LCD screen

Thousands of people across India gather at the Wagah border to rendezvous the Wagah Border Flag Ceremony which is a complete treat for eyes and soul. Towards the end of the Wagah retreat, you will be overwhelmed with the feeling of patriotism and a lot of respect and admiration for the Indian armed forces. The day was hectic but I was glad to see my parents enjoying every bit of it. We had sumptuous dinner and retired to bed after a long day as we had a train to Delhi in the morning.

We returned to Delhi and the family affair had to dismantle a bit as my brother joined office and sister went back to her loving husband. 

Love at the Taj

Mom, Dad and I had been planning to visit Agra since long so we thought it was the right time to check off the Taj Mahal as well from our bucket list. We decided to keep Agra as a one day trip but as I mentioned earlier my dad desired to see the Taj Mahal on the full moon night along with Vrindavan and Mathura. Hey! Wait a minute, when did we decide Vrindavan and Mathura? Be prepared for the googlies your parents might throw at you (pun intended).  So we did Agra and Mathura and with a heavy heart had to skip Vrindavan. The road trip from Delhi to Agra via the Yamuna Expressway is an absolute must-do. The Yamuna Expressway spans a length of 165 km which links Delhi to Agra and is enamored with some really sophisticated devices and cameras of which I have no idea. All I know, we were penalized for exceeding the speed limit of 100 kmph, I mean who in India does that? Anyway, thanks to 6 or 8 lane expressway, we reached Agra within 3 hrs. After arriving in the city we spent 45 minutes driving across the city to find parking. Finally, we could park our car and took a chariot ride from the parking to the main gate of the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal, an enormous mausoleum of white marble is so mesmerizing that you can’t take your eyes off from one of the wonders of the world. It is indeed the monument of love; you can’t stop yourself from falling in love with the Taj Mahal. I wonder at times where the love has gone which had the power to build a monument like the Taj Mahal; it’s an architectural delight which tells the story of an undying love of the emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz. 

Me on the famous bench :)

The scorching heat made us exit the Taj soon and proceed towards our next destination – Sheroes Hangout, a café run by the acid attack survivors. If you plan to visit Agra in foreseeable future, include Sheroes Hangout as a must in your itinerary. The café is not only designed to give confidence and identity to the acid attack survivors but it also helps them in earning their livelihood. The women of Sheroes, marred with the scars of acid attack on their face, body and soul encourages other victims to believe in themselves. It’s unfortunate that things like acid-attack still exist in our society but I am happy that there are organizations rehabilitating these victims and spreading awareness about such heinous crime.

Kulhad chai - my favorite :)

Our last destination was Mathura – Shri Krishna Temple, after which we were drained out of energy even to have a dinner. We headed back home tired but relatively content reflecting on a productive day. My parents were quite impressed with my driving skill on the expressway but were a little concern as I didn’t allow vehicles to overtake me. 

Amritsar and Agra have given me fond memories and pictures to cherish all my life and I am sure my parents were delighted to see me as a decision making, risk taking adult who could handle all the adversities with a smile and it was for the first time they were happy to follow me. So plan a vacation with your parents as soon as you get an opportunity because there is ain’t any deal better than this.