“To say she was attractive would be an understatement. Calling her 'attractive' would be like calling the Taj Mahal a marble grave.”
-Mallika Nawal
-Mallika Nawal
On the last day of my Delhi trip, I took the 3 hour drive east to Agra, the city that is home to the Taj Mahal. It felt almost like a right of passage that could not be missed: When in Indian, One must go to the Taj Mahal.
The drive was hindered by the fog that is common during the winter months in Delhi, therefore it took a bit longer to arrive in Agra. Finally around noon we arrived and parked and began to walk towards the gates. You pass by lines of camels and men attempting to entice you with a ride in the "camel car", however it is about a 3 minutes walk and not really worth the hassle, but the camels were fun to photograph.
For foreigners, the ticket costs 750 INR, and for Indians it costs 20 INR. I suppose I am used to the common practice of exploiting foreigners in India, but I really didn't mind paying around 12 USD to see one of the wonders of the world, plus I got a free bottle of water with it... its all about that silver lining! The structure itself is absolutely breath taking, with the ponds and mirroring rows of trees that draw your eye all the way up to the base of the mausoluem from the moment you step out through the long, narrow entrance hall. I am sure there is not much that I could say that has not already been said about the Taj Mahal, but something that struck me was the fact that absolutely no painting was done at all throughout, rather all the colors come from gem stones laid into the intricate carving and detailing featured throughout the structure. It is incredible to imagine that the Taj Mahal was built in pursuit of one man's love for his wife, a love that would draw people from all around the world for generations to come to bask in its glory.
The drive was hindered by the fog that is common during the winter months in Delhi, therefore it took a bit longer to arrive in Agra. Finally around noon we arrived and parked and began to walk towards the gates. You pass by lines of camels and men attempting to entice you with a ride in the "camel car", however it is about a 3 minutes walk and not really worth the hassle, but the camels were fun to photograph.
For foreigners, the ticket costs 750 INR, and for Indians it costs 20 INR. I suppose I am used to the common practice of exploiting foreigners in India, but I really didn't mind paying around 12 USD to see one of the wonders of the world, plus I got a free bottle of water with it... its all about that silver lining! The structure itself is absolutely breath taking, with the ponds and mirroring rows of trees that draw your eye all the way up to the base of the mausoluem from the moment you step out through the long, narrow entrance hall. I am sure there is not much that I could say that has not already been said about the Taj Mahal, but something that struck me was the fact that absolutely no painting was done at all throughout, rather all the colors come from gem stones laid into the intricate carving and detailing featured throughout the structure. It is incredible to imagine that the Taj Mahal was built in pursuit of one man's love for his wife, a love that would draw people from all around the world for generations to come to bask in its glory.