Early morning pickings - Bank of River Yamuna - Agra

This morning (12th June) got up early for my usual photo promenade. Went through the park that's infront of the Taj through the West gate, and shortly came across in excess of 1OO children playing games of cricket in the sandy breaks in the trees. God knows what time they strarted, maybe around 5 a.m.

Then proceeded down to the West entrance of the Taj, and already the doors were open for visitors. The Taj itself being open 7 days a week, but only for 2 hours on Friday for muslims to visit.
Then headed down one side of the Taj along a dusty track to the Yamuna river, passed a small temple where 2 burly looking Hindu's offered me a massage (they would have broken every bone in my body). Continued upstream sometimes on the littered banks and sometimes amongst the grazing water buffalo. At one point I had to climb up the bank where I found myself in a quiet grey area only occupied by a pack of dogs, and scavaging amongst fire remains. It then dawned on me from what the dogs were eating that this was a place where the dead were cremated. A poignant area if ever there was one; especially as there were the remains of some 40 fires, some still smouldering.
Feeling, slightly disturbed but also curious, continued my walk and returned through the park back to my accommodation. Would return later.