Story by guest blogger Akshat Choudhary. Photo Copyright © Akshat Choudhary.
ENAMORED AND ENCHANTED by one of the most popular tourist destinations of India since I was a kid, it did not take much convincing to get off a couple of stations early on an impulse to finally experience the Taj Mahal.
Taj Mahal, built in memory of Mumtaj Mahal, symbolizes eternal love of the then Mughal Emperor of India, Shah Jahan, for his wife.
Being one of the most celebrated and recognizable structures in the world, as I walked closer to the monument, my first reaction was that of familiarity. It felt like I have been coming to Taj every other year. But as I got closer, the feeling is soon transformed into that of awe and amazement.
There is an aura surrounding this remarkable structure: the magnificent splendor of the white marble and the carvings, its beautiful architecture, and even the gardens around it transport you to another world, another era. And to think that this feat was accomplished in the 17th century, much before the advent of technology.
One can never be prepared for the experience that Taj Mahal truly is. Despite having already been a witness to the magnificence in person, I think I will still be in awe and as stunned when I visit the Taj again.
What I also found interesting is how the Taj has totally overshadowed some other extremely wonderful Mughal monuments. Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri are two other significant and beautiful world heritage sites located in the town of Agra.
Due to lack of time I could not visit Fatehpur Sikri (the first planned city of the Mughals, being the dominant power in the Indian Subcontinent between the mid-16th century and the early 18th century) but am hoping to make it up during another impulsive trip to the town of Agra.
———
Akshat
AKSHAT CHOUDHARY lives in Bangalore, India. He visits Rajasthan every year, and on one such trip, he took a detour to Agra and visited Taj Mahal. Akshat is founder of the WordPress Backup Service, blogVault.
Editor’s note: Akshat agreed to do this story for Milliver’s Travels after being of immense help to this site with his WordPress backup plugin and superlative customer service. Thanks for everything, Akshat! ~ Milli
I’ve only seen the Taj Mahal in pictures, but it is SO beautiful. I can only imagine how much more it was in person…. I would love to hear about the inside on your next post…
I would love to travel to India some day and see this for myself! It looks so peaceful here and the building itself is just a work of art!
Boy, This man really must have loved his wife! I would love to read more about India, if you visit Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri you mentioned!
Great Story!
That’s just what I was thinking, Betsy – wow, that’s a whole lotta love. You could never just give flowers after that.
What a beautiful structure with an incredible story behind it. I’ve never had the good fortune to see it — and it must be amazing to be able to just get off a train a few stations early to see it and be transformed back in time… amazing!
Pingback: What If Your Writing Blog Crashed? blogVault WordPress Plugin Review and Bonus Taj Mahal Story | Fear of Writing