• Wednesday 18 May 2011

The best views of the Taj Mahal are to be seen across the Yamuna river, and the journey over to the Taj itself is enchanting. The most efficient way to get across is the boat but I would advise any cultural enthusiast to take a cycle rickshaw through the village of Kathchpura as you can feel more immersed in the Indian ambience of the place. This way you will pass the local villagers in their small dwellings going about their daily business such as making roti for lunch a wheat based bread or the children playing their own little games along the streets. You feel as though you have suddenly been absorbed into a whole other world. Like most of the world best views, the Taj Mahal is best seen at dawn. The Taj reflects the morning colours of misty blue and purplish ping and orange of its white stone walls eventually the Taj take on a blinding white colour in the searing heat of the Indian midday sun. In fact the colour of the Taj seems to transform so I often that I would recommend you visit it many time at different times of the day on different days just to experience the different moods of the Taj depending on the instance you pay visit to it. It is well worth it especially as it is free although you will have to pay to enter inside. The Taj is in itself an architectural tour de force. The building itself is sat upon a marble podium surrounded by a marble minerats on either side. The minarets lean out slightly which may seem slightly odd but in fact this was a sensible decision by the engineers of the building in order to ensure they do not collapse on the Taj itself if a violent earthquake were to hit the area. Every face of the Taj has a beautiful enormous arch enscribed with religious writings from the Koran along with beautiful carving of flowers. The surroundings of the Taj are formal but laid back in a huge garden complex with extravagant pools of water guiding your journey up to it from the main gate. As you enter the Taj may seem close but as you walk towards the Taj you understand the shear scale of the garden complex as it takes you much longer to reach the building than you initially would have estimated. The Taj would be a perfect place to visit on a honeymoon with its romantic history. It was built originally by the great Emperoror Shah Jahan with the purpose as serving as a sepulchre for his favourite wife – Mumtaz. Many Historians believe he had planned to build a similarly gargantuan structure across from the Taj in Black marble as his own crypt but one can not be sure. However in recent years the remains of ancient gardens have been discovered on the supposed site of where this large dark crypt was supposed to be to support this theory. Agra is accessible by plane or fast train from new Delhi. If you like your comforts the Amarvilas hotel in Agra is a must with all the views of the Taj you could possible want. If you are on a budget the the streets of Taj Ganj once home to the craftsmen who constructed the Taj offers good cheap accomadation. Other sights to see here include the abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri a few hours away and the Fort at Agra itself which also has excellent views of the Taj. Check out India Holidays from Travel247