The Taj Mahal, beautiful as it may be, can also serve as a distraction from it surroundings. Practically every foot of the gardens and the Taj Mahal itself can be found covered in tourists, cameras a flash'n. But look left of the white marble palace and one might discover a less famous masterpiece, with a more peaceful setting.
An obvious must-see when in Agra. It does get a little chaotic with all the tourists, but try and zone them out and take in the history and beauty of the place.
The Agra Fort, built by rulers of the Mughal empire, is a sight to behold. It's sandstone walls and white marble interior will hold you in awe. But before you go, be sure to find your way to the back of the Fort and catch the view of it's sister monument, the Taj Mahal off in the distance.
The Taj Mahal might be one of the world's most beautiful labors of love. Thousands of people flock to the intricate cenotaph every year, but only a few lucky ones are able to take in the fleeting sound of the vibrating air moving through the ventilated dome. It's an eery echo that made our visit truly memorable. Some even call it a spiritual experience. To experience the Sound of Infinity for yourself, get to the Taj Mahal at dawn before the gates even open. Once you're inside, sprint to the cenotaph chamber and wait until it's completely empty. Fight the urge to capture your touristy Taj Mahal pictures until later. The view from outside will wait for you. Once inside the chamber, wait until you are alone or at least with a silent group. You should be able to hear the vibrations almost immediately. It's a deep-felt harmonic that seems to reverberate though your entire body, and leaves an eery quiet once it's gone. As soon as someone walks in and begins to make noise, it's gone.
A group of Indian men admire the fine architectural detail in the Taj Mahal complex.
I knew before visiting the Taj Mahal that I wanted one "classic" shot of the structure from the front. What I did not realize is how blissful the marble reflects the early morning light from behind. After taking a couple of shots of the front I quickly jogged to the back of the complex to be greeted with this view.
Like many architectural wonders in India, the Agra Fort presents it self best under the setting sun. As the light fades, so go the turists, affording the the straggling spectator an opportunity to fantasize a life of power and beauty in a world long since past.
After a long road trip from Delhi, spending all day gape-mouthed at the sight of the breathtaking Taj Mahal, and driving back in the blinding January fog that is classic of northern India that time of year, the crew and I were ravenous. Unwilling to travel any further than our hotel once we arrived safely, we sauntered into the restaurant only to find ourselves in thali paradise. Thali is best described as your own tableside Indian buffet. Our eyes were bigger than our stomachs for we all ordered our own plates and had enough left over to feed the Mughal emperor's army. Just like the rest of India, the colors of the food made it look almost too good to eat. That thought lingered no longer than a few seconds before we stuffed ourselves silly.
Travel for me is exploration. I think at some level, I'm still pretending to be a little boy playing in the woods "discovering" everything there was to see down by the creek where I grew up. As an adult, I'm more interested in food, people and places but with an engineer's mentality, understanding is key to enjoying my travels. Normally this is aided by slow travel: spending enough time in each place to understand them beyond a superficial level (and this is why the only travel magazine I subscribe to is AFAR!) The photo above, which I took in 2007, was made possible thanks to taking a gruelling, overnight non-stop bus to Agra and skipping both meals and hotel in favor of heading straight to the Taj Mahal at 5am. I wasn't quite sure if I was going to arrive in time for Sunrise but the push was worth the effort. With incredibly few people present, this mesmerizing, almost empty scene was made possible while the sun slowly warmed the marble of the 17th century mausoleum. Beginning a cool blue, the first rays of sunlight made the dome and minarets turn pink until the broad morning daylight revealed the bright white color (along with the crowds). Little sleep, grumbling stomach and a grouchy tuk-tuk driver were all worthy sacrifices for such an amazing morning on the banks of the Yamuna river.
The opposite side of the Yamuna River is a good place to view the Taj Mahal in peace and quiet. My visit was only disturbed by a persistent postcard seller who chased me across the muddy flats at the side of the river for quite some time before abandoning his pursuit. There's a garden -Mehtab Bhag – which supposedly contains the remains of the apocryphal “Black Taj” and just before the entrance a trail leads off to the right, down to the river. A rickshaw can take you over there, and there are also apparently boats which go back and forth not far from the Taj.
Traveling the backroads between Jaipur and Agra India, we drove through many small towns that just seemed like spots along the road. Each one seemed to have an area where folks would gather and set up their carts and sell their fruits and vegetables. For all I know these markets may have been there since the town began or they set up the market in a different spot each time! Truckers seemed to converge on these as well, as there was usually a chai wallah nearby as well. I'm still not brave enough to eat anything from the side of the road....
Traveling through India is everything everyone tells you it will be. Beautiful, shocking, inspiring, exotic, humbling. Of the most memorable thing was just how happy & accepting the people are, regardless of their situation. The universal acceptance of any given situation seems to allow everyone to get by in a way that we may not experience in the US. Even the poor help out those who are less fortunate than them - everyone contributes to the communal effort. The man in the photo was sitting quietly at the end of a long hallway at the temple at Fatehpur Sikri-- an abandoned city. It was serene to see him sitting all alone, hand extended but no one around. He was so peaceful that I began to think he may not be asking for anything at all, but instead, actually offering something.
I took this photo of the Taj Mahal from the patio of my room in the luxurious Oberoi Amarvilas. My son and I awoke in this dreamy place when our travel plans were destroyed the day before. After touring the Taj Mahal in blistering 114 degree Fahrenheit afternoon heat, we had planned to take a train to Delhi to meet up with our traveling group and catch an international flight the next day. That did not happen. We got lightheaded and dizzy from the brutal heat. I redirected our taxi to take us to the Oberoi and negotiated a day rate so we could rest in air conditioning and recover. While I was registering, my son got sick all over the exquisite marble lobby floor. That expedited the process of getting us to a room. We ended up staying the night and awoke rested and well. The sight of the Taj Mahal was sparkling at the foot of the bed and the previous day’s fiasco was behind us. We had to hire a car, but we got to Delhi in plenty of time to catch our flight.
Agra is home to the marble wonder called Taj Mahal. A tours to Agra allows travelers to experience the architectural glory of the past. While touring the city of the Taj, you must visit its three UNESCO World Heritage Sites - Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. Taj Mahal It is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Taj Mahal “the essence of love”. A monument of beauty beyond measurement. The beauty of this outstanding monument is such that it is beyond the extent of words. Located royally on the banks of River Yamuna, the Taj Mahal tour is synonymous with love and affection. It is supposed that the name “Taj Mahal” was derived from the name of Shah Jahan’s wife Mumtaz Mahal and it means “Crown Palace”. The purity of the white marble, the superb embellishment, expensive gemstones used and its charming location, all make Taj Mahal travel add a place amongst the most admired ones. However, unless and until, one knows the love story behind the Taj Mahal of India Tours, Taj Mahal will come up as just a gorgeous building. But, the affection and love behind this terrific memorial is what has given a life to this monument. Travel Blog by :- http://www.easytoursofindia.com
If you're planning to visit Taj Mahal, here are some things to remember. Even for cameras, we were told that no camera bags were allowed. So if you have a DSLR, you can only go in with one lens.
If you are in Delhi India, a trip to the Taj Mahal is a must! You could take a train (http://www.shatabdiexpresstours.com/delhi-agra-overnight-tour.html) which is only a few hours. However, I suggest hiring a driver and enjoy the sites, sounds and smells on the trip (4-5 hours). You never know who you might meet (like the gentleman in my picture).
Located not too far from the ever-popular Taj Mahal, the city of Fatehpur Sikri is a UNESCO World Heritage site that was once the capital of the Mughal Empire. The quiet, deserted city is also a shining example of the Mughal architecture that reigned supreme during that time period and continues to be one of the most unique styles to date. Roaming around this beautifully detailed city is an experience that one should not do without knowing the story of the emperor Akbar and his multiple wives. The history and stories bring what would otherwise be just an empty monument to life.
One night while reading a travel magazine, I saw an ad for India. It's a glowing picture of the Taj Mahal at sunset all golden pink and orange. The image and longing for such a sight seeped over and popped me in the heart. I jumped. I know with as much knowing as I've ever had about anything – I have to go to India. This picture was taken my first week in India, manifesting my dream at sunrise in front of the Taj Mahal.
As I was making my way out of Fatehpur Sikri, I locked eyes with this man. Something about the look on his face drew me towards him. I noticed the basket at his feet. I didn’t know what he had in the small bags so I leaned down to take a closer look. It was popcorn. There was a quiet dignity about him. I don’t remember him ever speaking. I know he didn’t try any sales tactics on me. He just sat quietly while I contemplated on how many bags I wanted; I knew could not walk away without buying from him. I held up a finger to indicate one bag. Using his fingers on one hand, he wrote out a number on the palm of his other hand. I gave him twice as many rupees and walked away with two bags. It wasn’t the best tasting popcorn I've ever had but it was definitely the most memorable popcorn buying experience for me. It’s been almost five years since that day and the look on this man’s face still draws me in.
While at the Taj Mahal, we encountered the typical humongous crowds so synonymous with India. Everyone has these peaceful visions of visiting the Taj Mahal, but that is totally wrong. You must get by the hawkers, fake tour guides, security and then the photographers to see the Taj Mahal. With mom wearing her Salwar Kameez we passed by many of those with no problem. After like 3 hours of wandering around the complex, we sat down on a bench overlooking the Yamuna River. A large Indian family came up to us and asked where we were from. Answering back "Amreeka" they immediately were surprised and wanted to take our picture. I've never seen such excitement towards two simple, quiet people. They huddled around us and put their arms around us, making joking faces and peace signs. Afterwards, I said to mom "I think we just broke some stereotypes with them," and that's exactly what I intended to do on this trip.
While still flying high after an early morning visit to the Taj Mahal, I stopped at the Tomb of Akbar the Great located in a suburb of Agra named Sikandra. I had the huge complex almost entirely to myself and explored the quiet exotic grounds with the occasional sounds of peacocks to keep me company.
Believe it or not, there is actually more to do in Agra than just see the Taj Mahal. An hour outside of the city you will find Fatehpur Sikri, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I took a harrowing one-hour cab ride to see one of the best-preserved structures of Mughal architecture in India. Ironically enough, the entire structure took 15 years to plan and build, and was abandoned shortly after its completion due to scarce water resources and some encroaching social unrest in a nearby region. The photo above is from within the Tomb of Salim Chishti, which resides in the center of the courtyard.
The Taj Mahal is beautiful. Not so spiritually charged, but a beautiful site. You would think that the Taj itself would be the most photographed object when you're visiting the Taj in Agra, India. But seriously, I felt like I was on display. I timed it. Less than every 2 minutes, I had someone asking to come take a photo with me! Me. Just random white girl. I wanted to roll the jet black windows of my Escalade up to avoid the Paparazzi. LOL! These two girls were so curious. Talk about beauty. I just love their expressions. They marveled at the photos we just took and lingered for a little bit. We laughed awkwardly. Not much to say as I didn't speak Hindi and they didn't speak English. But what a lovely exchange.
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