Embedded Files
The group walking in through the West Gate entrance.
Our guide, Raj.
July 10, 2025
We arrived in Agra last evening. The city is home to the Taj Mahal, commissioned by the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, as a mausoleum to honor the memory of his wife (well—one of them), Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to their fourteenth and final child. For this reason, Agra is often called “The City of Love.”
Our day began early, with a 4:45am meetup in the hotel lobby for a sunrise visit to the Taj. The mausoleum’s white marble changes appearance depending on the time of day and weather conditions, as it interacts with light—part of what makes each visit feel unique.
Thanks to yesterday’s rain and more rain expected later today, the morning temperatures were relatively mild (in the 90s), and we enjoyed a pleasant walk in through the West Gate. We weren’t the only early risers—runners, yogis, and meditators were already there, beginning their days at this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Joining us for the tour was Rajiv—"Today you will see the Taj with Raj!"—a former math and physics teacher turned guide. Inspired by travels across India with his father when he was child, Rajiv earned his guide license and now leads tours across the country. His favorite region is the Himalayas, but he still finds something new each time he visits the Taj.
As he shared the site's history, Raj encouraged us to look beyond our cameras and really take in the details: the intricate inlaid marble, the harmony of Hindu and Muslim symbolism, and the way the Taj, in his words, “looks like a painting in the sky.” I was instantly taken back to vivid images of the Taj in an old DK world history book I had as a kid—now, here I was, standing beneath its marble minarets, Quranic inscriptions captured in onyx, and looking out over the sacred Yamuna River, the second-largest tributary of the Ganga.
Raj told us there are two kinds of people in the world: those who’ve visited the Taj and love it, and those who haven’t been and still love it. While the clouds kept the morning sun from lighting up the marble, and monsoon rains loomed, we can now count ourselves as part of the former group.
Continued below...
The Palatial Gate
The North gate (or maybe it was south?)
Palatial Gate photo taken by Anne Wade.
Walking through the Palatial Gate.
Check out that inlaid marble!
After breakfast back at the hotel, Raj took us to learn more about marble carving from artisans who are 13th- and 14th-generation descendants of the craftsmen who worked on the Taj. Of course, we were also presented with the opportunity to do a little marble shopping. When I asked one of the salesmen who their primary customers were, he replied, “You are! Americans are our biggest customers.” To his disappointment, I would not be a big customer.
We also visited an emporium to learn more about zardouzee, an intricate form of metal embroidery with roots in ancient Persia. Just as we were preparing to leave, the rains came. Fellow TGC participant Kim and I shared an umbrella as we dashed a couple blocks down the road toward the bus, dodging traffic, calf-deep puddles, and massive raindrops. Motorists passing by, unfazed by the rain, seemed to enjoy the spectacle.
We left Agra that afternoon. One of the gentlemen who has accompanied us on every bus ride asked the driver to stop at a small roadside shop. He ran inside and returned with a box of petha—a specialty sweet from Agra made from candied ash gourd—so we could have a final taste of the city before departing.
On the drive back to Delhi, I enjoyed the passing pastoral landscape: farmers walking through fields with cows, men carrying bundles of wheat, others resting beneath trees. We passed indigenous straw structures used for storing rice and wheat harvests—small glimpses of rural life outside the city.
This marked our last day with our bus driver and his assistant. Upon returning to the Imperial, we gathered for a group photo to commemorate our time traveling with them. We’ll spend one final night in Delhi before heading off to our host communities—the heart of this experience.
Kolkata, here I come!
Learning about the process of inlaying marble.
13th- and 14th- generation artisans demonstrating their craft.
Driving through Agra
Beautiful street art throughout the city.
Artist at work - picture is from the bus, so couldn't get a great shot.
Learning about zardouzee.
Stunning examples of zardouzee that took years to complete.
This one took the artist 9 years. The proprietor tells us his family's shop has been visited by many dignitaries, including Prince Charles and Jackie O.
Peacock at the hotel on our way out.
Gift of petha from bus assistant.
Beautiful flora at a public convenience.
Roadside on the way into Delhi.
Back in Delhi - group photo with our skilled, patient, and very kind bus driving team.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse