Thru the Lens: The Taj Mahal

Agra is home to the most beautiful building I’ve ever seen – the Taj Mahal. Commonly revered as the ultimate testament of love, Emperor Shahjahan built it as a mausoleum for his favourite wife. The entire building is made out of the finest white marble inlaid with precious stones and scripture from the Koran. Other than the faux mausoleum for Shahjahan himself, the entire structure is perfectly symmetrical and utterly breathtaking to look at from any side. The entrance fee is really expensive at 750 rupees for foreigners but it was well worth it to see the most beautiful building in the world. Unfortunately, Shahjahan never saw the completed building from up close, his son overthrew him and locked him up in Agra Fort where he spent the rest of his days with the Taj Mahal in the distant landscape.

Agra is accessible by train and bus. It’s a short tuk tuk ride from the rail station to the backpacker neighborhood called the Taj Ganj, just south of the Taj Mahal. There are lots of cheap guesthouses and hotels in this area and it’s walking distance to the Taj Mahal.