Home » India » The Blinding Beauty of the Taj January 14, 2001

One night in Agra is more than enough. I'm reminded of the line from the cheesy '80s song "One Night in Bangkok": "You've seen one crowded, stinking, polluted city, you've seen 'em all..." No, it's not all that bad. Certainly no worse than any other Indian city. But we both feel somewhat ill. My allergies are nasty (the travel books don't warn that the pollution can make your nose run), and Thomas' stomach remains upset. And neither of us slept well.

The Blinding Beauty of the Taj January 14, 2001

Ttrealtravels
2005-12-26 16:23:38

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One night in Agra is more than enough. I'm reminded of the line from the cheesy '80s song "One Night in Bangkok": "You've seen one crowded, stinking, polluted city, you've seen 'em all..." No, it's not all that bad. Certainly no worse than any other Indian city. But we both feel somewhat ill. My allergies are nasty (the travel books don't warn that the pollution can make your nose run), and Thomas' stomach remains upset. And neither of us slept well.

However, we did get to see what is inarguably The Most Beautiful Building in the World yesterday. Yes, the Taj Mahal is indeed all that and a bag of chips. It's literally blindingly beautiful. No matter how many postcards and other images you've seen of it, nothing compares to seeing it in real life. My jaw dropped, and I couldn't believe I was actually seeing such an amazing creation. It's unreal...

And it's undoubtedly the single most popular spot in all of India. Sunday it was teeming with people (hmmm... how many times have I thought of the word "teeming" when describing something in India?). Indians and Westerners alike flocked and swarmed around every inch of this superlative testament to love and mourning. But even hordes of people couldn't spoil the wonder and majesty of the Taj.

White marble shone in the sun, accented with colorful inlays of precious gems. Pools reflected the perfect white dome. Lush gardens surrounded all. Thankfully, the Indian government restricts gas vehicles within a 2km radius of the Taj and does not allow any buildings to be built behind it -- so the Taj remains picture perfect in unobstructed blue skies.

Of course, this still being India, the air is not totally perfect. As Thomas commented, it smells like feet inside. Everyone has to remove their shoes before ascending to the marble platform on which the Taj itself sits -- just imagine thousands and thousands of bare and socked feet in the enclosed space of the inner mausoleum... Even the smell can't diminish the beauty of the tomb of Shah Jahan's beloved.

Inside the grand dome, every surface is decorated with inlaid flowers and vines and Arabic writings from the Koran. Black marble, onyx, topaz, jade, sapphire, ruby, coral, lapis, gold, and so many other gorgeous stones are laid with pristine precision in the white marble. None of the decoration is painted -- all is inlaid beautifully.

We took tons of pictures. How can you not? The Taj Mahal is a Kodak moment from every single angle. Not a corner is unattractive. Not an inch is boring or plain. In every direction, beauty reigns supreme. Viewing the Taj in person makes the troubles of the trip seem petty and small. This really is a Wonder of the World.

Agra Fort

After the Taj was Agra Fort, where the Taj's builder, Shah Jahan, spent his final years imprisoned by his son, viewing the Taj across the plain.

More marble, more inlays. Nothing compares to the Taj, but it was still quite nice.