Agra and the Taj Mahal

Even after seeing hundreds of photos of the Taj Mahal over the years, my breath was still taken away at the first glimpse of this amazing piece of architecture. What makes it even more stunning, I believe, is the fact that it is surrounded by mayhem. Tiny streets and alleyways surround the entrance gates. As you make your way through these dusty streets, barely wide enough for two rickshaws to pass each other, shopkeepers and rickshaw drivers try to lure you to them.

You know that the Taj is just beyond a gated area, but you’re unable to see it.

Once in the compound that includes beautiful gardens, however, you round a corner and this iconic marble beauty comes into view. It’s stunning and humbling.

The Taj Mahal is actually a mausoleum built in the mid 1600’s as a memorial for Emperor Shah Jahan’s wife, who died giving birth to their 14th child. Unfortunately, today, the marble is beginning to show wear and is becoming discolored due to pollution and acid rain.

We made the mistake of carving out a few days to spend in Agra, expecting to take in the Taj a couple of times (sunset and sunrise had both been suggested), as well as some other sites on the outskirts of town. We discovered, however, that visiting the Taj should be done as a day trip from Delhi (express trains leave Delhi in the mornings and return at night). There was so much smog in the area, that we didn’t see much of the sun at all (except for brief appearances), let alone as a backdrop to the Taj at dawn or dusk.

In addition to the smog, nothing prepared me for the full-on assault by rickshaw and taxi drivers, hotel clerks, shop keepers and anyone else with a service to sell. Worse than the aggressive behavior we encountered in Jaipur, the locals in Agra seemed desperate and with desperation comes persistence that’s sure to wear down the hardiest of travelers.

In general, I actually felt unsafe in Agra and was so put off by the persistent (and shouting) rickshaw drivers that we cut the trip to one night (expecting to spend as many as three) and got the heck out of dodge as quickly as we could. Rather than waiting for a train, we called a taxi service to pick us up and bring us to Delhi.

Happy Travels!