Basking in the beauty of the Taj Mahal

Throughout our journey, curious Indians have asked if we have visited the Taj Mahal, the crowned glory of India. My answer had become almost canned, ‘we will visit it in a few months…’ So it was quite a surreal experience to finally explore this beautiful monument. It is such a familiar structure that I have seen in so many photos over the years, but I was completely engrossed standing in front of the massive white marble dome and watching it transform as the sun sank lower in the sky. The simplicity of the design, brilliant white marble with beautifully inlayed stones in floral designs, consumed me even more. I never would have imagined visiting the Taj would be such a moving experience. The crowds were constantly moving around the grounds, brilliant saris fluttering in the wind, cameras snapping incessantly…failing to capture the brilliance of the monument. A massive mausoleum built in the 17th century for the ruler Shah Jahan’s favorite wife (who interestingly died giving birth to her 14th child at the age of 40!). Shah Jahan was overthrown by his son and spent the remainder of his life in Agra fort, another of his constructions. He remained in a jail cell which overlooked his beautiful memorial to his late wife. Even amidst all the crowds and chaos around the monument, the Taj Mahal eminates a peacefulness throughout its grounds and is truly magical to experience.