Taj Mahal Unvisited

Revisiting Shanti Hotel rooftop
 Debs and I stayed in 4 years before...

In April 2008 on my first visit to India with my good friend Deborah Kelly we made headways for a day at the Wonder of the World and the greatest monument to love in the world. The beautiful Taj Mahal. I could wax lyrically about this day but in truth the security guard wouldn't let me take in tampons and we were to spend all day in there so I had to try and explain what a tampon was to an Indian man....heavens! Alas we langished in the grounds from lunch time till well past sunset. Taking in the changing light on the marble masterpiece. And as we enjoyed photos on "Diana's chair" just four days after arriving in India I promised I would come back. To see the Taj Mahal from the otherside of the river...and the Red Fort down the road which looked pretty stunning in the distance.

So here I am four and a half years later standing at the gates of the Taj Mahal - but never to re-enter. I couldn't be happier. I do think that I will return one day with someone I love but  the experience I sought on this solo voyage was the alternative view.

Due to changes in access rules no boats are allowed on the river running just behind the Taj so this was out. Instead I commissioned a rickshaw driver to take me across for £3 and to wait for me as I enjoyed a sunset from the pre-monsoon river bed. But just like the boat restrictions the barbed wire held us back from the river banks themselves. It was a lovely way to see this magnificent structure and to marvel at the life along the river it shares with funeral pyres, farmers and commercial Indian life. I was told to come back in 2 weeks for the best reflections but with the Olympics beckoning I had other ideas!

To continue my alternative view of the Taj I took to the streets of Agra the city that surrounds and breathes with the tourist trade provided by the Taj Mahal. Here I enjoyed walking down back alleys talking to folk usng cast irons and working carefully to create Taj-esq marble works, dusting off the lime to show me their intricate designs and craftmanship. Book binders and tailors, carpenters and replica Taj Mahal  marble carvers. I met Slumdog Millionare characters and we compared stories of movie stars and their love of Bollywood. It was pretty sweet and made me content in this fiercly touristy town.


What I really came to see was the Red Fort also known as Agra Fort. Its a beautiful example of Mughal 16th century architecture and housed the imprisoned creator of the Taj Mahal, Shah Jahan, when his son took control of the region. The marble works were beautiful and getting lost in its myriad of passages was a great way to spend a day. I would definitely recommend visiting here when in Agra - either a day each at the Taj and Agra Fort or morning at the Fort and sunset at the Taj. They have an excellent audio guide too...but the view from the Fort over to the Taj Mahal itself was something very cool....FB has these photos. It really is quite lovely to see how a mughal was imprisoned by his son in harsh surroundings of marble overlooking the shrine to his favourite wife and amongst some of the most sumptuous materials which have lasted the last 4 centuries rather grandly. And having a private mosque with inlaid marble work facing west for prayers to Mecca. Life is tough at the top.

BACKPACKER WARNING - the Taj Mahal costs about £10 to enter....its not like the rest of India! But they do offer you a bottle of water for your troubles and you skip the hour long line Indians have to endure for their 10 Rupee entrance fee.