Shirley had set a nice early alarm and kindly made sure I was awake and heading out to the Taj Mahal as the sun was rising, ideally we'd have the tickets in our hands at 07:00 am and in the queue at 07:10. This would mean that there was fewer people as well as all the benefits of morning lighting that could make anything look good in a picture. The Taj Mahals grounds were impressive, the cleanest place I had been for 4 months. I took the usual pictures of the main building, some of the river next to it, snaking through the lush green landscape and managed to snap a monkey passing as I tried to get the light right.
Some history - The building was commissioned by Shah Jahan, to mark the grief he felt at losing his 3rd wife during childbirth to their 14th child, her body is positioned in the main dome in a mausoleum . After the construction Shah was removed from power by his sons, and imprisoned in Agra fort, from the window of his cell, he could see the Taj Mahal, the mausoleum to his beloved wife. Sounds like his kids was arseholes.
A couple of myths to dispel - there wasn't plans for a Black Taj Mahal on the other side of the river, and everyone wasn't killed / mutilated post construction "because he didn't want anything as beautiful made again".
My summary of the visit.... TOO crowded, nice building, but the ticket / one price for you one price for us system is a bit of a piss take. And as for Agra itself.... one of the dirtiest and messiest places I have ever seen. I wouldn't go to Agra to see the Taj Mahal again, but I'm glad I have been. It is ticked off.... next stop, just a couple of short hours later... New Delhi !
The standard picture that you have to take...
No wait... this is the standard picture you have to take...
No wait...
Pull my finger
A monkeys butt...and a nice view.
It is all in the timing of the picture.
The mausoleum.
I like shadows...
Shirley holds her camera in an odd way.
