Belbey Blogs: Visiting the Taj Mahal #TravelTuesday

No matter what anyone tells you, you are never prepared for the Taj Mahal.  We’ve all seen pictures of it of course. And we’ve heard the romantic story of how Mughal emperor Shah Jahan was so grief-stricken at the death of his third wife, he spent 22 years building a monument to her memory. But, what’s it like to visit?

First of all, it’s crowded. Lots of hustle-bustle getting tickets and walking through various lines and checkpoints, then suddenly, you are amidst a sea of people all crowded into a dark hallway.

Look up and there it is!

Beautiful.

Then, everyone takes turns taking the classic “Couple Standing in Front of the Taj Mahal” shot.

Then a walk along a reflecting pond with stunning details.

Then taking off our shoes. Then lines.

And more lines.

And more lines.

White marble everywhere. It’s breathtaking of course, with stunning architectural details.

We’ve all seen those too.

But the part that no one ever tells you, is that everyone is so happy!

And playful.

The Taj Mahal is more than a monument, it’s a living celebration.

In Shah Jahan’s words:

Should guilty seek asylum here,
Like one pardoned, he becomes free from sin.
Should a sinner make his way to this mansion,
All his past sins are to be washed away.
The sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sighs;
And the sun and the moon shed tears from their eyes.
In this world this edifice has been made;
To display thereby the creator’s glory.