{"id":18306,"date":"2016-10-11T18:39:37","date_gmt":"2016-10-11T10:39:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/randomrepublika.com\/?p=18306"},"modified":"2016-10-11T18:39:37","modified_gmt":"2016-10-11T10:39:37","slug":"india-travel-series-day-3-beyond-the-splendor-of-the-taj-mahal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/randomrepublika.com\/india-travel-series-day-3-beyond-the-splendor-of-the-taj-mahal\/","title":{"rendered":"India Travel Series (Day 3) | Beyond the Splendor of the Taj Mahal"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

SPORTING MY ALL-WHITE KURTA PYJAMA, I gave an early salute of zealous anticipation to\u00a0India and its gods right before sunrise. The east gate of the\u00a0Taj Mahal\u00a0<\/strong>was only five minutes away from my\u00a0hotel\u00a0(Radisson Blu\u00a0Agra Taj East Gate)<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>and the overwhelming presence\u00a0of the Taj’s\u00a0majesty\u00a0roused me from my morning slack.<\/p>\n

While dawn was still settling in, there were herds of\u00a0other tourists (mostly Caucasians) already queuing up at the east gate ticket booth as early as 5:30 a.m. All of us waited for about 20\u00a0minutes more\u00a0before the Taj’s magical gates finally opened, and when it did\u00a0\u2014 my heart began its unexplained euphoric leaps.<\/p>\n

\"taj-mahal-east-gate-entrance-fee\"<\/p>\n

\"taj-mahal-east-gate-entrance-sunrise-tour\"<\/p>\n

\"taj-mahal-sunrise-saturday-morning-agra-india\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Built in 1632 by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan\u00a0<\/strong>as a mausoleum for his favorite wife,\u00a0Mumtaz Mahal,\u00a0<\/strong>this remarkable white marble masterpiece located in Agra, India has become the nation’s most iconic landmark.<\/p>\n

It looks\u00a0stunning from afar, but it’s even more impressive up close.\u00a0The yellow sun rays leave a mesmerizing glow on its tiled arches and\u00a0striking shadows on\u00a0its\u00a0Quran caligraphy-designed walls. When you take a closer glimpse at this Persian-Mughal architecture, you will discover inlaid semi-precious stones stylishly ornamenting the monument. As\u00a0photo\/video taking is\u00a0not allowed inside, I was unsure whether it was a good thing or not. All I know is that these precious moments personally\u00a0seeing the Taj from the inside was mine, and mine alone, forever.<\/p>\n

\"taj-mahal-with-pilgrims-local-indian-agra-india-visitors\"<\/p>\n

\"taj-mahal-agra-india-garden-walkway-entrance\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"taj-mahal-agra-india-walkway-gates-and-garden\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"taj-mahal-agra-soldiers-beggars\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In most recent years, the Taj Mahal and the city of Agra has been facing issues of pollution and possible building\u00a0erosion. To keep its structure\u00a0intact, the local government of India initiated a 2010-issued\u00a0law that bans vehicles from within 500 meters of the monument. Tourists are encouraged to either walk from the entry gates or take one of their local e-public transport alternatives.<\/p>\n

To keep the mausoleum’s interiors clean, it’s a requirement to cover your footwear upon entering the premises with the piece of cloth the staff provides at the entrance gates:<\/p>\n

\"taj-mahal-cover-shoes\"<\/a>
\n<\/a> \"taj-mahal-edited-gate-entrance\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"taj-mahal-front-tower-reconstruction-2016-agra-india\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Unknown to some travelers such as me, the Taj Mahal has two other impressive red sandstone structures standing on both\u00a0sides: one made as a mosque and the other as a guest house. Also seen from a distance, across the River Yamuna, are the mystical remnants of the Black Taj Mahal, a legendary almost similar marbled mausoleum that Shah Jahan planned for himself.<\/p>\n

\"taj-mahal-side-mosque-agra-india\"<\/p>\n

\"taj-mahal-gate-garden\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"taj-mahal-gate-sky-morning\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"taj-mahal-ivory-marble-walls-corners-facade\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"taj-mahal-mumtaz-history-india-agra-wonders-of-the-world\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"taj-mahal-side-mouselouem-agra-india-tomb-sun-rays\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"taj-mahal-visitors-front-photo\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"taj-mahal-visitors-wonders-of-the-world-agra-india\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"taj-mahal-with-clouds-morning-sunrise-india\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Outside the monument, some of the tourists decided to just lay flat on their backs\u00a0on the white marbled floors, while they gaze\u00a0up and enjoy Agra’s blue morning sky. They all had a look of contentment on their faces; the same look of bliss that appeared on my own face. After all, we were all travelers to India with probably the same objective in mind: to\u00a0visit\u00a0this classic masterpiece.<\/p>\n

I indulge further in the Taj’s rich splendor\u00a0\u2014 obsessed with its colorful past and enamored by its beautiful present. I realized, this no longer was just an elusive dream \u2014 the Taj Mahal is right in front of me.<\/p>\n

\n

For an obsessive-compulsive\u00a0traveler like me, detailed itineraries and\u00a0maps are my bible whenever I visit a new destination. It\u2019s almost second-nature to me to plan ahead for my trips\u00a0\u2014 by creating a dozen pages of daily\u00a0schedules; developing comprehensive street maps and public transport points; and drafting a list of must-see, must-do, must-eat, and a myriad of other must-tries.<\/p>\n

But why did\u00a0I dare take a solo adventure \u2014 without itineraries and not having properly research about the place at all \u2014\u00a0to a distant, foreign country\u00a0such as India?<\/p>\n

For some people, they call it \u201cbravery.\u201d Yes, I traveled solo. But technically, I also didn\u2019t. I was\u00a0actually\u00a0traveling with a concierge.<\/em>\u00a0The concept may sound foreign to some travelers my age,\u00a0especially for people who are used to backpacking and traveling free-and-easy. Being escorted by a professional local travel companion\u00a0makes all the difference.<\/p>\n

I wandered in\u00a0India with Ravishing India Holidays,<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>a luxury tour operator headquartered in\u00a0Singapore which specializes in travel concierge services in\u00a0this rich, beautiful South Asian region. With a personal concierge who will help craft your itinerary even before you arrive and who will customize it depending on your mood and requirements while you are on journey, everything became\u00a0easier and more fun than I expected it to be.<\/p>\n

\n

Check out the\u00a0Travel Video Diary of my trip to India: \u201cA Letter from Agra\u201d (What Does it Mean to Travel Solo?):<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n