Wah Taj!
As cliche as it may sound, the above title seemed the most appropriate for this post. After twenty some years of having lived in India, I had never seen the Taj Mahal in person.
Earlier last month, I finally made a trip down to go and see one of the most photographed and talked about wonders of the world. The epitome of love. Mar(b)elous beauty. Her whiteness shone bright in the rays of the rising sun. We braved the soaring June heat to have a tour of the much talked about wonder.
I was awestruck at first. It looked exactly like I had seen it in movies, making me feel like a part of the 35 mm screen. 7 am and it was over flowing with tourists like myself. I managed to click a few shots without people getting in my way. We took a tour ourselves as advised by our friendly taxi guy.What really stood out to me was the empty space marked off for the Black Taj Mahal on the other side of the river Yamuna, where Shah Jehan had wanted to be laid to rest, right across from his lady love - Mumtaz Mahal. Of course, it never was built once his son, Aurangzeb came to power.
I could see quite a few love stories blooming there. Young couples walking hand in hand, taking selfies. Of course, it was tough for us (i.e. me) to resist taking pictures as well. As grand as the Taj Mahal is from the outside, it is equally humble inside. Stark white walls, minimal stone work and small prayer rooms is what you encounter inside.
The beautiful Mughal gardens must be a delight to walk around in, on a cool winter evening.
Till next time!
