Taj Mahal (Agra, India)

I used to live in Nepal for five years and what a wonderful experience it was. What made it even more wonderful was that Nepal was surrounded by many other amazing countries, including India. When I heard we were not only going to India, but the Taj Mahal too, in October 2005, I was pleasantly surprised and proud to be going somewhere that was so world famous. I was only twelve at the time so I would be the envy of my classmates. We decided to go at this time as it would have been incredibly hot in the summer, temperatures rarely fell below 40 degrees in India. The Taj was indeed beautiful, but I was shocked by the huge amount of people that ...  Read the complete review

I saw the Taj Mahal on the third day of my first solo backpacking trip abroad. I was 19 and severely culture-shocked and still quite jet lagged! Probably not in the best mindset to see the Taj Mahal but still I soldiered on through the manic streets of Agra and the fought off the extremely pushy touts towards the entrance and eventually managed to get to the ticket booth. And I must say it was quite impressive despite the hordes of tourists, it being sunset and the red glow of the sun was reflecting rather majestically off the white marble, though ultimately it did really feel like a circus and spoil the experience somewhat. But this is the way it ...  Read the complete review

The Taj Mahal. Stuff of legends. There are a few theories about what the name means, the simplest being that it is a Persian phrase meaning 'place of the crown.' I was with a party of twelve very different people when I visited the Taj Mahal. Afterwards as we sat over dinner and talked about the day, it became clear that not one member of our party was not moved to tears by this incredibly beautiful sight. It truly is breathtaking in it's symmetry and purity. I had wanted to see the Taj since being a small child. My uncle was a Royal Marine and sent me postcards from all over the world. One day a postcard of the Taj Mahal ...  Read the complete review

Spring is the loveliest season in which to visit the Taj Mahal, for in the morning the wind is sweet with the perfumes of springtime blossoms and the hot, tropical sun rises high in a burning sky. Bright-winged birds sing in the pines and palms, and the high stone wall, in the centre of which is an arched gate, gleams in the sun. Through the gate and beyond is the fabulous tomb, built by the King of India for the woman he adored, Arjemand, "The Chosen of the Palace". Rising from a sea of fresh, green grass and flowers into a sky intesly blue, the Taj seems to be all the dreams of beauty in the world suddenly come true. It seems not a building ...  Read the complete review

The Taj Mahal stills stands as immaculately today as it did when it was first constructed. So the story goes, it was built by the Mogul Emperor Shah-Jahan between 1631 and 1645 in memory of his favourite wife. The mausoleum, it is said, still contains the crypt where she was eventually laid to rest. The emperor had made plans to build a black marble replica for his own mausoleum on the opposite bank of the Yamuna River, but only the foundations were laid before he was imprisoned at Agra Fort, in full view of the Taj Mahal, by his son. He stayed imprisoned for the remainder of his life, where he eventually died 1666. Recently it has been suggested that the Taj ...  Read the complete review