Agra - Taj Mahal

Day 2 was very productive.

We met our guide at 8:30 am and went straight to the Taj Mahal. The drive was pretty quick, 10 min, and the roads were not very busy.

Arriving at the Taj Mahal, we expected way more tourists, but apparently it's not high season, so we were lucky.

I was initially a little bit disappointed when we entered the first part of the Taj Mahal, where in the past all the Pilgrims and Workers had a place to sleep. It was big, but nothing special. The houses were made of clay which gave it this dark color.

But the main gate leading to the garden of the Taj Mahal was beautiful. The marble around the door had inserted semi-precious stones, that formed a prayer. The entrance of the main gate was perfectly symmetric to the Taj Mahal and the perfectly white marble of the building shined through the door.

It's an impressive building and the guide told us some interesting facts, that I wasn't aware of:

1. The huge garden in front of the palace has nothing to do with its original style. Back when it was built, the garden was designed like the Garden of Eden. It was 5 feet deeper than it is now, as the trees were supposed to be below the eye to not cover the Taj Mahal. Also, the fruits growing on the tree were meant to be in reach, so they would be easily accessible for the people.

2. Looking at the dome of the palace, you can see many hooks in the marble, which is due to the British. After the British people came to India, they tried to dismantle the building, hoping to transfer it to the UK. But the transport was cancelled twice, as they realized that the costs of transportation were too high and they weren't able to afford it.

The hooks are still present, as no one wants to remove them in fear of breaking the marble.

Leaving the Taj Mahal, the guide said some things that really touched my heart;

Talking about his religion he said that Hinduism is a way of life and that he doesn't believe in religion. He told us to love each other and that life is never flat, there are always ups and downs. Everyone needs to be supportive and loving and that it should be in human nature to uplift each other.

No religion tells you to kill. It's the human's false way of interpretation.

Asking about the meaning of the cows in India, he told us the story of their belief. He said that the cows are not from earth, they were sent from heaven to help the humans survive during a horrible drought.

During that period, the people prayed, asking for help. God responded by sending the cows, as their milk would make the people strong and healthy again.

That's why they are seen as holy!

After the Taj Mahal, we made a quick stop at the Agra Fort. This was the home of all emperors. It was massive but beautifully laid out. The emperor who built the Taj Mahal died here, as he was imprisoned by his son. The son was the youngest of three, but believed that he had the right to become the next emperor. With the support and help of the army, he killed his older brothers and imprisoned his dad until his death.

After 4 hours of sightseeing, we jumped into the car to drive back to Delhi, in order to catch our flight to Varanasi, the holy city. Varanasi was the most important city I wanted to see. The Ganges River and all the stories behind their rituals and beliefs fascinated me. So off I went :)