The Taj Mahal In Agra, India Was A Breathtaking Sight Of Awe And Beauty

The Taj Mahal in Agra, India was truly a breathtaking sight of awe and beauty, it was both bigger and smaller than what I had imagined.

My last full day in India was spent at the Taj Mahal. It truly was one of the most incredible structures I have ever seen. As it came more and more in view I was in awe. When I walked up those stairs onto the platform it sits on, I felt for the first time in my life, breathless.

History Of The Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal literally means “Crown of the Palace.” It’s an ivory-white marble mausoleum located on the edge of the Yamuna river in the city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1632 and was fully completed in 1653 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is also the tomb of Shah Jahan himself. The tomb is the centerpiece of a 17-hectare (42-acre) complex. The complex has a mosque, a guest house, and is surrounded by formal gardens. It cost an estimated $956 million in 2020 dollars to build. The construction project employed about 20,000 artisans under the guidance of a board of architects led by the court architect to the emperor, Ustad Ahmad Lahauri.

This is one of the entrances to the Taj:

The size was smaller and bigger than I thought it was, I know that doesn’t make sense. I imagined it was really tall like a pyramid or a skyscraper but it’s not. What you don’t realize is how detailed intricate it is. When you step back to see the detail all over a huge stone building. It becomes bigger and bigger as you look at it.

This was the perfect last day in India, I could have not ask for of an amazing month. My time in India has changed me and I’ll never forget that time of my life. I’m eternally grateful to Rotary International for giving me this incredible opportunity.