The exquisite Taj Mahal, Agra

From a speed of 100 km/h we slowed down to a snail’s pace of 20km/h….From vast spaces of nothing, speeding cars zooming past ours, we entered the space where cows, auto rickshaws, bullock carts and honking cars shared the roads with a peculiar sense of understanding. The smell of freshly made samosa and khasta kachori on every other nook and corner along with the fetid smell of cow dung welcomed us as we entered the narrow lanes of the Agra city, once the seat of the Mughal emperors.

We were not here as tourists but on a visit to my grandfathers’ paternal home, to pay our respects to bade Nana (grandfather’s elder brother) and family. However, Agra is incomplete without touring the mystical, magical and magnificent white marble mausoleum, The Taj Mahal. And we squeezed out some in the early sunrise hours to view the enigmatic Taj!!

Sir Edwin Arnold, the English poet has rightly descried Taj Mahal as “Not a piece of architecture, as other buildings are, but the proud passions of an emperor’s love wrought in living stones”.

Here's a tour through my lens...

As we enter (From L to R: Hubby, Pa, Sis, Ma)

The Great gate (Darwaza-i rauza)—gateway to the Taj Mahal

Incised painting in the main gateway

    Calligraphy on the main gateway

     Taj Mahal as seen from one of the gates

Motifs on the main gate

    I found this quite interesting...a kind of balcony on the tower. Taj Mahal and its 

    entire surroundings have been so intelligently designed is proved from the fact that

    these minarets were built slightly offside the plaform so that in the event of any collapse, 

    they would fall away from the tomb

On the west of the Taj Mahal is the mosque. Built entirely in red sandstone, its structure and design is identical to the Taj Mahal. Here you can see the painting on the entrance of the mosque...Beautiful isn't it?

Marble design below the main dome

My Princess

Lil birdie too is looking for its mate :)

The topmost ornament on the dome quite fascinated me as it seems a malgamation of Persian as well as Hindu elements. Do you also see some inspiration in the style from Lord Shiva?

Charbagh Garden

                                                                                                                        

Love is certainly in the Air :) (with hubby)
                                                                                                                           
No image of the Taj, neither in books nor onscreen, can rightly express what one feels in that moment.... Love, solemnity, harmony and purity. One should definitely visit the Taj Mahal to discover all this and more....