Exploring India 2009 – Agra (Taj Mahal)
Oct 11
Oh my god. I can’t believe I am finally here. As soon as I check-in to my room, I rushed to the roof top of my guest house to catch a glimpse of Taj Mahal. However, it was too dark to see anything. So I woke up the next day at the break of dawn and I was rewarded with this view;
My first view of Taj Mahal
That’s how eager I was to see the greatest monument ever built for love. Together with a lively and funny French couple, Ben and Ariane, we savored the magical sight until the opening time of Taj Mahal which was around 6am. In my haste to beat the morning crowd, I forgot to leave my portable tripod in the room. You see, all visitors are not allowed to bring in any food, electronic devices and tripod. Phones are allowed but it has to be switched off. In the end, I had to rush back to my room not once, but twice because they didn’t allow me to bring in my Ipod Touch which I tried to convince them that it was an Iphone. Damn, they didn’t buy it. To make it worse, I haven’t had any breakfast. I began my tour in Taj Mahal exhausted and hungry. Luckily my guesthouse was just a stone throw away.
Even though I had to pay Rs 750 (the single most expensive entrance fee I ever paid in India), it was worth it for every first timer. The Taj is located inside a huge and well maintained courtyard surrounded by high walls. Stepping into the courtyard was like entering a different World. The surrounding was so peaceful and beautiful; a sharp contrast to the chaotic city outside the walls. There were nothing much you can do inside there other than marvel at the magnificent Taj and take tonnes and tonnes of pictures to your heart’s content. We spent whole morning in Taj Mahal and left around noon for very late brunch. We continued our journey to Agra Fort, yet another UNESCO World heritage sites. However, it wasn’t as impressive as Amber Fort in Jaipur. Before we end our day, we went to Mehtab Bagh; a garden on the Yamuna riverbank directly opposite the Taj Mahal around sunset for one last view of the Taj. Somehow the view of the back of the Taj is quite stunning. Best of all, it is free.
Ah… I can die peacefully now.
-
- My first view of Taj Mahal
-
- Rs 750, the single most expensive entrance fee I ever paid in India
-
- It is not heavy, it is my Taj Mahal
-
- I have made it to Taj Mahal
-
- From left: Ariane, Ben and another Ben
-
- Unlike in Slumdog Millionaire, visitors can wear their shoes but have to put on this shoe cover
-
- Shadow of Taj Mahal on the Mosque
-
- Quranic verses on the walls
-
- Patterns made from semiprecious stones
-
- The tomb
-
- Hahaha... some side show at the Taj
-
- The Mosque beside Taj Mahal
-
- Wonder what is Freedom Fighter?
-
- Agra Fort
-
- The entrance to Agra Fort
-
- This squirrel is everwhere
-
- Free view of Taj Mahal behind Yamuna River.
-
- 2 Bens doing the jump
If you love this post, then you might love these:
came to your site while I was googling for Taj. Great pictures you hav! I was at Taj too last year. Nice to meet ya
Thanks. It was amazing isn’t it?
yeah… everything was amazing…
hello there… you said tourist cant bring in electronic devices… so did u hid ur camera n bring in?
You can bring in your camera.
thanks for your reply. i went for backpacking to India tis yr March fr north to south. it was a good experience
.
Glad you survived it. Lol.
ya man! tell me abt it
. will be planning 4 a 2nd backpacking trip to India… different parts of India. Ur blog helped us alot… to get us prepared! thanks a bunch 
.