Taj Mahal

The Taj
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In our last city Rishikesh we found some peace away from the crowds. There would be no such luck in Agra. There are literally thousands of people shuffling around the Taj Mahal everyday but that didn't detract at all from our enjoyment of it. I mean there's a good reason why it's such a massive tourist attraction, because it's amazing! I haven't been to the pyramids of Egypt but I have been to St Peters Cathedral in Rome among other world famous sites and I can safely say that the Taj is the greatest man-made structure I have ever seen.

Us at Taj Mahal
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Above I implied that we were caught in the crowds, though that wasn't exactly true as we decided to avoid them by getting there for the 6am opening time. It was a bit of a struggle as the power was out and we had to buy our ticket by candlelight but it was certainly worth it. As the sun rose over the giant structure it turned first a light shade of blue, then slightly golden and finally brilliant white. It was a sight of beauty only surpassed by nature never by man.

It's actually a mausoleum built by Shah Jahan for his second wife who died in 1631. Broken hearted he devoted the next 22 years to the building of her great tomb which employed over 20,000 labourers, stonemasons and builders.

Entrance way
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Anyone who comes to India as a tourist has to see the Taj Mahal but unliike most of Indias 'tourist attractions' it is no scam. I really loved our visit but Agra is, like a soup diet or sudoku, boring after more than a day. An ancient sex palace awaited us in the tiny outback village of Khajuraho.