Is it worth spending two days and hundreds of dollars to get to Agra and see a single – if amazingly grand – piece of art? That’s the question one must answer before journeying to Agra to see the complex of buildings and gardens known as the Taj Mahal.
The Taj is a mausoleum in the form of a mosque, built by a Mughal emperor in memory of his third and favorite wife. It’s a monument to love and an ode to symmetry. Mughal architecture combines elements from Persian, Turkish and Indian architectural styles.
We got up at 5 AM so that we could get to the Taj before sunrise. It was a hazy morning; the buildings seemed painted on a backdrop. Slowly, the sun rose and burned some of the haze away, adding depth to the structures.
Standing with the main structure in full view and in that morning light, we were awestruck. The buildings achieve their desired effect: they radiated a supernatural glow and we felt transported to an otherworldly place.
The minarets at the four corners of the main building are hugely important. Without them, the Taj is a grand fire hydrant of a building (see photo shot through opening in gateway building). The minarets tilt outward slightly, so that, should one fall, it will not damage the main structure.
There’s little else to recommend about Agra, but we feel lucky that we got the opportunity to experience the Taj Mahal.
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