1
2
3
4
5
6
I knew I couldn't leave India without attempting to visit the Taj Mahal. It's funny how things go, I grew up visiting a casino in Atlantic City called the Taj Mahal. I always thought it was the most random thing and never would have imagined I would one day see the real thing. Our day in Agra started well before daybreak as it took about 3 hours to reach the national monument. Just after sunrise, I stood at the front gates as a steady crowd started to trickle in. In front of me stood one of the 7th wonders of the world, flanked by two identical mosques on either side. Walking through the gardens, a dog started chasing some of the local monkeys which led to an all-out ape stampede much like the one in Jumanji. Once you get up close to the marble cladding structure, you recognize the level of detail that makes it such a marvel. Intricately inlaid gemstones form beautiful floral patterns that cloak many of the walls. There were no photos allowed inside the actual mausoleum, but the central chamber of the tombs was an octagonal shape with nearly 3 story high ceilings. It was an experience just standing in that room. From the sound of footsteps shuffling across the marble floors to that of distant voices, the way sound bounced off those walls created an immersive echo chamber that is hard to describe with words. You close your eyes and it's easy to drift off to another place. So all of that is to say you can't deny what an amazing feat of engineering and construction it is to bring to life such an immaculate structure. I would say it is definitely worth the visit if you're within distance because it's one of those things that go way beyond what photographs can capture.