Agra

Our journey to Agra was exhausting. We had left Corbett National park on a 10 pm sleeper train and managed to grab a few hours of sleep before we arrived in Delhi at 4 am. We then had to pile into a rickshaw and journey across town to a different train station to catch our 5:30 am train to Agra. Three hours, and a short nap later, we found ourselves in Agra, home of the Taj Mahal. We were exhausted, but there was not rest for the weary. It was Thursday morning, and since the Taj is closed on Fridays we had only one day to see one of the great wonders of the world.
Off to the hotel, quick breakfast and shower, and then away we went. I knew that I should feel tired, but between the chai and my excitement at seeing the Taj I was buzzing. We picked a hotel that was only a few blocks from the Taj Mahal, and the walk there filled me with anticipation. You can’t really see the Taj as you approach due to the surrounding wall, but you know that you are getting closer as you walk down the street loaded with souvenir shops.
The ticket for the Taj Mahal is expensive by Indian standards, 750 rupees ($15) for foreign visitors. When you are used to paying less than that for a hotel room, the price seems exorbitant, but once you have seen it you realize that it is worth every penny (even without the free bottle of water and shoe covers that you get). Locals pay much less, about 15 rupees, which is a common practice in India. It keeps the national treasures affordable for the locals and still provides the government with enough funds to maintain the monuments.
Security is tight at the Taj Mahal. Visitors aren’t allowed to bring in much, no large bags, no guide books, no outside food or drink. Everyone must pass through a metal detector and a personal search before entering the sight. One you walk through the security check point, you find yourself in the outer courtyard. It is a large square courtyard with four gates, three leading out to the city, and one leading in to the Taj Mahal. You still can’t see the Taj from here, and by this point the anticipation was overwhelming. We walked toward the north gate, and through the arch of the wall, you see your first glimpse of the tomb.
The Taj Mahal is a monument to love, built by a maharaja for his favorite wife after her death. It is made entirely of marble, with semi-precious stone inlay. The building itself, and the grounds are perfectly symmetrical, and the complex is meant to represent the paradise as described in the Koran, with rivers of milk and honey. The building glows in the light of the sun, and the perfect symmetry and tranquil atmosphere give the place the feeling of another world. It was so beautiful, it brought tears to my eyes. The story says that the Maharaja was so consumed by grief that he dedicated years (one source said 13 another 20) and millions of rupees to building the final resting place for his beloved wife. His son, outraged at the money that was being spent, ousted his father and imprisoned him in Agra fort, a few kilometers up the river and the king spent his last days staring out the window at the wonder he had built. It is romantic, and tragic, and you feel those things when you are there.
We spent three hours admiring the intricate carvings and stone inlay work. We wandered through the building, and sat in the gardens soaking up the feeling of being in a place so magical. It was late afternoon, and we were hungry and tired, but I left with tears in my eyes, glancing over my shoulder for one last look at something I never thought I would see.
We decided to leave from a different gate than the one we had entered to explore a different neighborhood, and the feeling of peace and happiness was immediately shattered by the crush of vendors that greeted us as we left the gate. We found ourselves surrounded by a mob of young men trying to lure us into their shops. We fought our way through to the end of the street and found a rooftop restaurant serving a lunchtime thali with a view of the Taj. We filled up on rice, a chickpea curry, and dal and then headed back to our room for a little rest. The next day would bring another train ride and we needed all the rest we could get.

Agra