Day 4 29th March 2011 The Taj Mahal

An early morning start to beat the crowds of tourists and to see the Taj as the sun rose in the sky.

I had butterflies in my tummy and felt quite emotional & tearful as we walked the stretch towards the main gate.

As so often, pestered by young boys (7 – 9 yrs old) and men trying to sell us cheap souvenirs and jewellery but getting quite good at ignoring them.  Occasionally, one child tears at my heartstrings but what can you do….Kate, Hen & I worry about who is ‘managing’ these poor little ones and what their lives are like.

A small queue to get into the grounds and the first view of the Taj through an archway - the light is hazy, the sun just rising. Am I actually here? I burst into tears. The girls laugh but are also emotional and we give each other a hug as we stand there in awe.  Through the arch and there in front of us is that famous view.  The sun continues to rise, brightening the right hand size of the Taj.  It sparkles in the sun shine.

Then the ‘Diana Moment’!! On THE bench for a photo or two. Unreal…..

Sharju our wonderful and very knowledgeable Guide led us round the grounds and the building telling the story of how & why it was made (I shall either assume you know or you can ‘google’ it yourselves).

A little chap asks if we would like a photo taken of all of us.  He is ‘suited and booted’! Hair slicked with a precise parting.  Shoes at least 4 sizes too big for him and turning up at the front.  Trousers also  huge and prevented from falling down by a belt fastened tightly at the waist.  A freshly pressed shirt.  He ushers us to an archway ‘Please stand there. Closer please Maam. Perfect. Smile please’.  More photos.  He alters the aperture, the focus.  He’s done this before, we think!!  We give him a generous tip - it’s not enough he tells us.   We gladly give him more.  Again we worry about who’s behind him and what his life is like beyond being a photographer at the Taj…

We leave reluctantly, taking one last glance over our shoulder as we go. It glistens majestically and magnificently in the sunlight.

Later that day we are still star struck and feel that somehow we were so in awe that we didn’t really appreciate our time at the Taj so we decide that if we get up at 5am we will be able to visit one more time determined to absorb the beauty of the amazing structure.

And so it was, up at the crack of dawn and off to The Taj Mahal.  Fourth in the queue for tickets and one of the first through and sitting on ‘that bench’ as the sun rose once again.  Then we just sat, the three of us in our own worlds enjoying the beauty and serenity of our early morning pilgrimage…..