Taj Mahal

 Agra - Fatehpur Sikri - Bharatpur - Mathura - Vrindavan

• Given the walk around and marbles that reflect heat, it is best adviced to visit Taj Mahal in Winters. The access roads are blocked for half mile where you need to park.
• Foreigners are charged 20X more than Indian nationals for entry fee. The amenities are almost non-existent and if you go on a weekend, be ready to go through a crawling crowd.
• Book a hotel nearby for a glance at night. People plan their visit on a full moon to see the white marbles glow in the dark.

Taj Mahal is magnificent - a structure unmatched in grandeur across the globe. A rich history and an exquisite location at the banks of Yamuna makes The Taj Mahal a wonder among wonders. My friends who had come from UK were insisting for The Taj. Hence we started early morning in August at 5.30 AM for Agra. Shaun and Nicola were the ones I was giving company. The highway is pretty smooth but the key to trip to Taj Mahal is starting early. We reached Mathura by 8 AM. There is a McD on the highway where we had our breakfast. 

Taj Mahal, Agra 

Moving on, we were at the gates of Taj by 10 AM. It was already warm. Still Taj Mahal leaves no one. I have visited this place several times before and yet a close look at it instills a feeling of awe. What strikes hardest is the giant white structure as a whole. Later, when one gets closer, one realizes the intricate art work and then the location at the side of Yamuna river.

Close view of the majestic Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal is one of the Seven Wonders and anytime you feel questioning this fact, just visit Agra. After investing a good couple of hours at the Taj we decided to move to Agra Fort. It is at some distance and offers a nice view of Taj. It is said that Shahjahan, who made the Taj in memory of his wife Mumtaj, was imprisoned at Agra Fort by his own son and was given a single window to view the Taj Mahal. 

View of Taj Mahal from Agra Fort

Agra Fort is spread in a huge area and it takes time even in taking a complete round. We were able to leave the place by 3 and by that time we were pretty hungry. It was decided that we will have lunch at Costa which was en route. We reached Delhi by 6 PM and it proved to be an efficient trip.