Agra and the Taj Mahal

Our overnight train was three or four hours late and we despaired of ever reaching Agra. We finally arrived and the tuk tuk driver we had arranged for was waiting patiently in the train station for us. I had rented rooms in an inexpensive hotel where the owner arranged reliable tuk tuks and taxis for his guests. This is important in a city such as Agra which is full of very aggressive tuk tuk drivers and touts because of all the day trippers from Delhi and elsewhere. Our driver turned out to be wonderful and organized another tuk tuk besides his own to transport our baggage and us and we went to our hotel to freshen up and leave our luggage. Then we were off to the Taj. I had been here before but it is still an overwhelming sight and photos never do it justice. It just glows.

Mowing the lawns without adding fumes which eat away at the Taj into the atmosphere. The area around the Taj is also off limits to vehicles now.

There are two gorgeous red sandstone buildings on either side of the Taj. The one on the left (east) is a mosque. It is common in Islam to build one next to a tomb. The other one is called a Jawab or answer. It cannot be used as a mosque because it doesn't face Mecca.

The Taj is loaded with intricate carvings, much of which contains semi-precious stones. Some of the stones were pried out by soldiers during successful battles over the centuries.

View of the river in back of the tomb.
Inside the mosque. Beautiful carvings on the entrance to the mosque.



Built in prayer rugs facing Mecca of course.

View of the Taj from the entrance. Repairmen working on a replacement piece.

View of the gardens from the Taj.