Taj Mahal – India’s Eternal Love Story

Taj Mahal – “a dream in marble” – your first glimpse will remain etched in your memory forever.

We were on Day Four of our “Golden Triangle” Indian tour with Imagine Cruising and was the highlight of the holiday. (The other highlight were the delicious Indian curries we’d been enjoying!)

What to wear

Our guide actually told us that there wasn’t a dress code for entering the Taj Mahal like there was for Jama Mamisjid in Delhi.  But, respecting the culture of your destination is always a good idea.

For the ladies:

Unless you are an Indian lady wearing a beautiful traditional sari I’d suggest:

• ¾ pants, or shorts past the knee
• dress below the knee – with sleeves (cap sleeves are acceptable)
• Skarf for around shoulders if top is sleeveless.
• comfortable shoes or sandals or even thongs/flappers

For the men:

• Shorts/trousers
• Shirt
• Comfortable shoes
• Hats for everyone because the sun is extremely hot

The “Taj”

Commonly referred to as “The Taj” this unbelievable tomb is situated on the right banks of the Yamuna River in Agra – it’s called “a perfect fusion of Indian and Persian architecture”.

No matter what time of the day you arrive, you will be one of many already there to enjoy the majestic white marble creation.   There are 10 million visitors a year who flock to this UNESCO heritage site!

We arrived at 8am (in November) which seemed to be a perfect time – the smoggy morning had cleared and there wasn’t a breath of air so the reflection of the Taj was almost perfect in the water channels leading up to the building.

The dome of the Taj is referred to as “a teardrop on the face of eternity”. 

The Love Story

Shah Jahan (Indian) and his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal (Persian), were inseparable loves.  She proved her dedication by going into battle at his side and at, almost, the same time giving birth to their 14^th child!

On her deathbed she asked her husband to build a monument over her grave as a token of their inseparable love.  The result was the Taj Mahal, sitting on 42 acres of land, that took 22 years and 2,200 men to complete.  (Well deserved I say after delivering 14 heirs to her husband).

The Minarets

At an exact height of 43,02m, there are four minarets surrounding the mausoleum of the Taj Mahal. They are arranged as a frame on both sides of the mausoleum. These minarets are slightly out of character because they incline slightly towards the outside of the terrace.

Reason for this you ask….in case of an earthquake the minarets will fall outwards and not inwards meaning less damage to the Taj.

(NB – minarets are towers that Islamic holy men climbed in order to call out the call to prayer, five times a day. They are tall thin building with stairs inside it (or sometimes outside) and small windows to let in daylight. At the top, there’s an opening for the muezzin to call out the prayers so everyone would know that it was time to pray. Most minarets are near mosques, where men (though not women) come to pray.)

Lady Di’s seat

During her trip to India with Prince Charles in 1992, Lady Di sat on this marble bench, on her own, with the magnificent Taj Mahal in the background. Fast forward 30 years and William and Kate sat on the same seat during their trip to the white marble edifice.

The seat is now affectionately known throughout the world as Lady Di’s seat, and yes the queue was L O N G if you wanted a photo taken!

Cover those feet

Before entering the Taj you will be given shoe covers.

This was a relief because, when visiting Jama Mamisjid in Delhi all shoes were taken off and left in a heap outside the fort.   All we could do was hope that no-else took a fancy to our sandals!

Decorative Marble Screens

The outside of the Taj is close to perfect, however the inside, although incredibly intricate, does need a bit of a spring clean – a daunting task I admit

Having said that the Taj dome, underwent a mud mask that brightened its marble.  The mud covered the iconic dome roof – and other canopies – and was the best way to remove the yellow stains that build up on the Taj due to air pollution and the burning of garbage and dung in nearby Agra.  A clean up inside is still on the forward plan!

Note – photographs aren’t allowed once inside the Taj Mahal.

When you first step inside you will see the tombs of both Shah Jahan (Mughal Emperor) and his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal.  He had decided to join his wife in her monument – again to be together for eternity.

The tombs are surrounded by perforated marble screens with intricate carvings all from one solid piece of marble.

Floral Sprays

Floral sprays are carved on marble and sandstone with the flowers predominantly symbolizing the Garden of Paradise theme.

Exquisite Calligraphy

At the entrance, on the sides and above on walls and pillars, there’s beautiful black calligraphy written in Thuluth script.   The verses are mostly taken from the holy book of Islam, the Quran.

There’s quite a lot of walking when you’re inside, including up flights of stairs, but it’s all doable.

We spent two hours there, but you could easily stay longer and enjoy people watching the masses of visitors from all over the world who flock to see this new Wonder of the World.

Handy to Know:

• Entry fee (as at November 2018) – $22.00 AUD.
• Go with a tour group so you skip the line to the entrance.  Trip Advisor has a lot more information on entry fees and inclusions.
• Imagine Cruising had an excellent Golden Triangle Tour that included the Taj Mahal (and many other icons).
• Always carry a scarf in India – just in case you’ve got bare shoulders and need to cover up for entry into a religious building.
• You need a hat, sunscreen, wipes and antibacterial liquid.
• My other Gypsyat60 travel tips may be handy 🙂

“When planning a trip to India, never leave until you have seen the Taj Mahal

Once seen – never forgotten”