At The Taj Mahal

A detail from a wall in the Taj

Taj Mahal

It’s everything everyone has ever said about it.  The Taj invites superlatives, biggest, best, most artistic structure.  It is luminescent and despite its massive size seems to float on air.  It combines the best features of Mughal architecture and art with elements from the Hindus, Persians, Ottomans and others.

You all know the story of the Taj Mahal. It was built by Shah Jahan in 1641 ( or maybe 1631, there seems to be some dispute)  as an expression of his eternal love to his favorite wife Mumtaz Mahal after her death in childbirth. What is often left unsaid is that she had already borne thirteen children so may have been a wee bit worn out.  Also, I’m not willing to cast aspersions on his motives for building the Taj but often such structures are built not only to commemorate a loved on but also to show the wealth, status and political power of the builder, which I would be willing to bet was part of it.  It took twenty thousand laborers and artists 22 years to complete so was a massive public works project as well.

From a distance and in pictures the Taj looks like a massive white building.  It is that but up close there are many different shades of white marble that are used and there are also intricately carved floral inserts done in semi precious stones of many colors: lapis luzuli, jasper, onyx and many others and tiles with beautiful designs.  There is also an entrance gate and two side buildings done in red sandstone, also with intricately inset art that help to set off the main structure.

Getting to Agra to see the Taj was an adventure.   Initially we were going to do a day trip on the train as recommended by many guidebooks.  Boy, am I glad we didn’t do that.  If we had I think after getting up to catch a six in the morning train, fighting our way from the train station to the Taj and then heading out we would have been too exhausted to appreciate it.   We ended up with a car and driver and headed out of New Delhi in the morning.  Traffic out of New Delhi wasn’t too bad, think normal NYC rush hour.  But Agra was almost totally gridlocked when we arrived.   Still, made it to the hotel, which is virtually steps away from the Taj by mid afternoon.  That left us able to get a good night’s sleep and go the Taj early the next morning when we were refreshed and could sit in the gardens and contemplate its magnificence.  It was a truly spiritual and uplifting experience.

Another pleasant surprise we had was it was not at all crowded.  Maybe because it was midweek and in the morning, I don’t know but there was not line to get in, we just waltzed through security, which surprisingly was not all tight, and we were in. The temperature was also not too high. All that helped make it a great experience.