After the colourful chaos in Varanasi, we reached Agra — the last destination of our month-long trip to India.
Devansh had promised his friends that he would visit the Taj Mahal and show them a picture, so there we were to see the marble mausoleum.
As soon as we got off the train at the Agra Cantonment Station, our first impression of the city was that it was big, ugly and modern.
But like countless other travellers, we made the long journey to see the symbol of undying love, and one of the most beautiful buildings in India, with our own eyes.
We only had one day to spend in Agra, so as soon as we reached our hotel we got ready and hired a tuk-tuk to visit one of the seven wonders of the world.
The Taj Mahal is carved from stunning ivory-white marble and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Mughals were at the peak of their power and wealth during Mughal emperor Shah Jahan’s reign and it is believed that over 20,000 stone carvers, masons and artists were employed to build this monument of love.
Built by Shah Jahan in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj Mahal stands in all its beauty on the south bank of the river Yamuna.
As we reached our destination, there was a huge crowd.
Pushing and getting pushed we passed through the entrance gate to see the awe-inspiring construction before we were again met by long queues and endless photobombs. But we still managed to get our perfect Taj Mahal photo.
The marble building is pristine; the main entrance is carved with Koranic verses, and the walls are inlaid with semi-precious stones.
The whole complex is a masterpiece, and while the details are phenomenal, the story makes it even more magical.
To enter the mausoleum one needs to wear protective shoe covers and we managed to bargain and got them at a very cheap price.
As we passed through the giant gate leading to the Taj Mahal, we were awestruck.
After two hours of admiration for the massive structure and the surrounding gardens, it was time for us to leave.
Agra can be a bumpy experience when it comes to hopping between attractions.
There will be hordes of keen autorickshaw drivers and souvenir peddlers who can sometimes be bothersome, but it helps to ignore them and just walk out.
Apart from the monuments, another thing with which the identity of this city is associated is the famous Agra Petha.
Although this soft candy is made in many parts of India, its essence here is unique.
Petha is made from ash gourd (winter melon). There are a variety of flavoured versions of this sweet dish in the market such as angoori (grape), cardamom, chocolate, gulab laddu, doda barfi, paan and saffron, just to name a few.
We then went to a leather factory because Agra is also well known for leather purses, jackets, shoes and many other things.
Fashion is a statement you set for yourself, and you can choose to stay in style with a varied and vast collection of good-quality leather.
After a shopping spree, we headed to the last sight on our itinerary — Agra Fort, a commanding 16th-century red sandstone fortress.
It is a walled city surrounded by a moat on three sides and a river on the fourth side. This strong Mughal fortress manifests a fairytale-like maze with palaces, courtyards, halls and gardens that are spread out over 38 hectares.
High walls that surround the area are designed to keep invaders out.
You need to hire an official guide, (available outside the main gate), to appreciate the stories behind the various buildings.
We loved all the architectural details, the jigsaw puzzle patterns of the Anguri Bagh (Garden of Grapes) and all the decorative arches, which are a feature of Islamic architecture. This also included the Jahangir’s Palace and the Khas Mahal.
The view across the distance to the Taj Mahal is also impressive.
After this visit to Agra Fort, the tiring day was over. We had dinner and went straight to our hotel to pack our luggage and rest before we had to leave for New Delhi and catch a flight to our home — Gisborne.
