The Most Beautiful Building In The World

It looks like it's floating. That's what I kept thinking to myself as I walked through the garden towards this building that I have fantasized about for so long. There's something about this oasis of pristine marble, unparalleled cleanliness and divine symmetry in a city as filthy and poor as you can imagine that makes experiencing it as close to an out of body experience you can get. The Taj Mahal is one of those few places in the world where your extraordinarily high expectations will be undoubtedly met. 

There was something intimidating about the whole build up I experienced prior to finally laying my unworthy eyes on this masterpiece of mankind. A four hour drive from Jaipur across the country was largely uneventful, and our arrival into the city of Agra was met with cloudy skies and humble vibes. We were tired from waking up at the crack of dawn and dealing with the constant honking and swerving along the way (nothing against our driver, there is simply nothing you can do on the wonderful roads of India). And in a weird way I guess my whole energy and excitement for seeing this building that I have lauded for decades (I'm 20 now, so TECHNICALLY I can say that) was subdued. 

Entry gate to the Taj Mahal, perfectly hiding and simultaneously framing this UNESCO World Heritage Site

Agra is not drastically different than Jaipur, at least from the few minutes we drove around the city. But once we turned a corner, like a sun rising over the horizon, the faint silhouette of the beautiful marble dome of the Taj Mahal appeared, welcoming us and reminding us of its grandeur in the most Indian way possible. What I mean by that is there was no aggressive shove into my line of vision-there was no dominance exhibited by this building which by all means has earned the right to do so. The juxtaposition of looking directly to my left and seeing a woman pouring a bucket of water over herself to clean off the constant dirt lining her body versus looking straight, over the trees, and seeing the most famous, opulent piece of architecture barely making its presence known against the foggy sky was profoundly imposing. 

We made a pit stop at the Oberoi Amarvilas in Agra, located just minutes away from the Taj Mahal, to refuel. It's a stunning resort, organized in a way where the Taj Mahal is always in your line of sight. The last time my dad visited this resort, he was hanging out poolside with Mitt Romney, so that should give you a good enough understanding of how high-class this hotel is. But with that said, I felt like the service felt much more brand-like than at the Oberoi Rajvilas in Jaipur. Maybe that's because they were aware that we were not guests of the hotel, or maybe because it was more of a city hotel. Regardless, it's still a world class hotel, and our brunch was fantastic, complete with Indian and Western options, which was good for me because by this point in the trip, my stomach was getting quite upset with my lack of regard for its feelings and emotions. 

Oberoi Amarvilas entrance, complete with a beautiful set of water fountains welcoming you to this wonderful resort

Once we finished lunch, we met up with our guide and hopped on one of the private golf-carts owned by the hotel. We took a private path, away from the main entrance of the Taj Mahal and much more subdued and isolated than the typical way to enter the gardens. It's nice in the sense that you don't have to deal with the dirt and vendors constantly in your face, but at the same time there's an inherent quality to that real side of India that you miss out on which slightly bummed me out. I was excited to see the real India, even if it was in another tourist spot, but regardless, I was not complaining. 

We were whisked through the lines and into the gardens, where we walked up to the first gate. At this point, the Taj Mahal was hidden, and only when we entered the gate was the most beautiful building in the world put into a perfect frame, showcasing its other-worldly symmetry. Going through this gate, you see why the Taj Mahal is so beautiful. It looks like it's floating, like a perfectly painted landscape. Except there is no way a building of this perfection can be painted. There is almost no way a building of this perfection should even exist in the first place. It's almost too perfect. 

The gate almost teases you, manifesting an incredible allure pulling you towards the Taj Mahal

I had the chills walking though the gardens. The hordes of tourists disappeared in my eyes, and the only thing I could see was the building. But that does bring me to another point. It is seriously crowded. Like one of the most crowded places I have ever been to. After all, it WAS a holiday, and the weather was outstanding. But regardless, do whatever you can to make sure you get a pass to skip the line like we did, otherwise you will spend at least an hour or two waiting in line to see the interior of the Taj Mahal.

Boom.

So the Taj Mahal was built between 1631 and 1648 by Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, a Persian princess by the name of Mumtaz Mahal. It is a Mausoleum which houses both his wife and himself (their tombs are the only things in the entire building that are not symmetrical, which was done by design-be sure to impress your guide with this knowledge). The inside of the building is equally as beautiful, and the detailing of the white marble with the gemstones only adds to its awe. We saw the tombs, explored the rooms of the interior, and did so without waiting in any line at all, which was fantastic. 

An alternative view of the Taj Mahal, around the back side of the mausoleum.

And somewhat anticlimactically, the tour of the Taj Mahal came to an end. We explored more of the grounds, enjoyed the views out over the river, including the site where they were supposedly going to build another mausoleum, and checked out the symmetrical mosques flanking the mausoleum on either side. We walked back along the sides of the garden, where there were beautiful, long, hypo-style hallways which made for great photo-ops. And once we hopped back into our car, our day in Agra was over just as quickly as it had started. 

I can't say whether or not it is worth it to stay in Agra. I really didn't see much of it. But I can say that taking a day to visit the Taj Mahal from Jaipur was a very enjoyable experience. Sure, the car ride is long and grueling, but the merit that comes with staying in the same hotel and not having to pack everything up and move is huge. But no matter what you do, visiting the Taj Mahal is an absolute must when you go to India. My dad said that this is his third time seeing the same building, and he would go a fourth because of how beautiful it is.