The most evocative views of the Taj Mahal are across the Yamuna
River, and getting to the Taj is part of the magic. Although it is
quicker to take a boat across, taking a cycle-rickshaw through the
village of Katchpura is more atmospheric. In the cool of a pre-dawn
morning, you will pass villagers sleeping on low charpoy beds outside
their small dwellings, often passing so close that they could reach out
and touch you.
On arriving at the fiver you mIght have to share the view with a
fisherman or a small herd of water buffalo, but these merely add to the
feeling of timelessness. From across the river the Taj MahaL is best
seen at sunrise, when the light turns from cold misty blue to any
variation of pink, pale gold or orange. The Taj mirrors these colours,
eventually reaching a soft creamy white, changing, in turn, to a
blinding white in the glare of the midday sun. Those who visit at that
time of day often come away disappointed. It is worth visiting at
different times over several days to appreciate both the might and grace
of the structure as it changes with the light. You'll have to pay to
enter the Taj MahaL and grounds, but it currently costs nothing to view
it from across the river.
The Taj sits on a marble platform with a
marble minaret at each corner, and these minarets actually lean out
slightly so that they won't fall on the main structure in the event of
an earthquake, Each face of the Taj has a giant arch and is decorated
with exquisite calligraphy from the Koran and ornate carvings of flowers
inlaid with pietra-dura mosaics of semi-precious stones.
The Taj Mahal is set in a relaxed but formal garden complex, with
pools of water leading to it from the main gate - a special view that
has inspired a generation of photographers, The distance from the gate
to the Taj is deceptive and the building seems to grow in both size and
stature as you approach.
The Taj Mahal was built in 1632 by
Emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his favourite wife, Mumtaz. Legend
has it that he intended to build a duplicate Taj in black marble on the
opposite side of the river as his own tomb. In recent years the ruins
of foundations and gardens have been discovered there, which seems to
support this theory, but the truth will probably never be known. Shah
Jahan was overthrown by his son and spent his last days locked up in
Agra Fort, just down the river from the Taj.
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Agra can be reached by plane or fast train from New Delhi, although
the latter has a reputation for pickpockets. The bustling streets of Taj
Ganj, just outside the main gate. were once the home of the craftsmen
who constructed the Taj. It is now a backpacker's ghetto with very cheap
accommodation. Other attractions include the fort in Agra. which has
good views down the Yamuna River to the Taj, and also the deserted city
of Fatehpur Sikri a few hours away.
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