To be included as one of the seven wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal has to be something amazing and on our drive into Agra (the town the Taj is located) I wasn’t sure what to expect. The fine detail on all the buildings and sites in India, that we had seen so far, were exceptional so I wasn’t sure how the Taj was going to exceed that.
Agra is approximately 3 hours from Delhi, however our driver was a little slow so it took us around 4 and a half to get to there. We started our journey at 6am, and while the roads are quieter than usual, this is the time you can really understand the caste system in India. During the first two days I didn’t think the poverty was too bad, however on this morning we were able to see that most of the Rickshaw drivers are homeless. During the day they are working so I never realised they were all sleeping under their rickshaws at night, until we drove past them at 6am. Its interesting to see that even these people who don’t have homes or anything other than their rickshaws, are always happy and are always smiling and willing to help you. This place definitely makes you think about things very differently.
The drive from Delhi is quite pleasant and you get to see the outskirts/ richer areas of Delhi and the agricultural side of India. In Delhi you don’t see many cows on the roads and I know when I think of India, this is the idea I have in my head, but our driver said for the 2010 Commonwealth Games they collected all the cows and removed them from the city centre so they wouldn’t bother the tourist. They haven’t returned yet so I was so excited when we finally started see cows on the streets in Agra.
Agra is a smaller town, and tourist flock to this city to see the main attraction – the Taj Mahal, however there are also some other sites in Agra to visit –
The Agra Fort – the prison where Emperor Shah Jahan – He built the Taj Mahal as a memorial for his 4th wife, was placed once he was overthrown by his son.
The Itimad-ud-Daulah – nicknamed the mini Taj Mahal – It doesn’t have the same beauty as the Taj but it was the first Mughal structure to be build completely of marble.
And Mehtab Bagh – A lovely park on the opposite side of the river from the Taj Mahal. This was our first glimpse of the Taj and the sheer size and finer detail of the Taj Mahal is impeccable.
We decided to visit the Taj Mahal at sunrise, as we were told this is the best time for less crowds and the refection of the sun against the gems is suppose to be amazing. This gave as the afternoon/evening to go into the Taj Ganj area. This is located on the south gate of the Taj Mahal, and through small and winding alleyways, has some cheap and delicious rooftop restaurants with beautiful views of the Taj. We arrived just in time for sunset and stayed for drinks and dinner (at a total cost of $12) at Shanti Lodge Restaurant.
The next morning we woke at 6am to view the Taj Mahal at its finest. We were only around the corner from the ticket booth and had a free transport bus to drop us at the East Gate. Men and women had to line up in separate lines to get in and after 20 mins we were free to explore the beautiful grounds. We hired a guide to talk to us about the building and he knew where all the best photo opportunities were, well worth the 500 rupees ($10).
The Taj Mahal (meaning Crown Palace in Hindu) is in perfect symmetry made of marble (with exquisite cravings and semi precious gems from around the world) and as mentioned above was build in 1632 by Emperor Shah Jahan for his fourth wife, who died in childbirth with their 14th child. The Taj was completed in 1653, not long before the Emperor was overthrown by his son in 1658 and he had to watch his master piece through the windows of Agra Fort until he died in 1666. The Taj Mahal itself (where the tombs of the Emperor and his wife lay) stands on a raised marble platform and has 40 metre high white pillars (purely for decoration) on each corner. These pillars are designed to lean slightly outwards in case there’s an earthquake and they wont fall on the main building. Being on the raised platform allows for the sky to be its only backdrop.
Around 10,000 people visit this site every day and the majestic feel and beauty of the building is felt throughout the entire town of Agra. Once we arrived at the Taj Mahal the song Shine bright like a diamond by Rihanna popped into my head and I think this is the prefect song for it. This amazing monument stands within a town mostly of poverty and third world conditions (except for the tourist trade) and stands so tall and prefect against it. This was truly an amazing experience and I would recommend it to everyone to see this beautiful site and this amazing country.
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