As a traveler I love travel in
India because…I have learned to appreciate the simple things in life and it is
a land of a billion smiles. Only in India. My name is Ravi Santhalia and
I began travelling almost ten years ago. I started writing blogs simply to
share my travel experiences with the hope to inspire people to start travelling
too. I get to see physical
evidence that God is omnipresent and in every form; be it a stone, a tree, a
cow, a person possessed by spirits, the small shrine in the middle of
crossroads or even autorickshaw meter! I love to travel in india because here
it’s a celebration always. It’s full of colour and diversity. It’s like a
mountain valley in spring when the land explodes with life in myriads of hues and
colours. The beauty of India lies in the spontaneous, un-manicured experiences
you get while travelling.
A
journey to Taj Mahal
Agra, aside for the Taj Mahal,
brought me back to a disheartened state. With all the money this grand marble
structure brings in, it was heartbreaking to see the poverty and pollution
surrounding it. You’d think that some of the site’s earnings would go to the
community, or that there wouldn’t be trash flooding the streets; but alas,
that’s not the case.
As I snuggled up into the stained
sheets of my crusty hotel room, I yearned to escape my discomfort. For a coffee
shop that felt warm, for a bed with clean blankets. I wasn’t expecting to find
Brooklyn in India, but I wanted something, anything, that made sense.
Iconic, beautiful, and jaw
dropping — words can never be enough to describe the beauty of this landmark of
eternal love. Taj Mahal in Agra, one of the most-admired seven wonders in the
world is a classic tale of declaration of love by a Mughal Emperor Shahjahan
for his wife, Mumtaz. The artistic masterpiece was built by Shahjahan after the
demise of his wife during child birth, as an apparent token of love in her
memory.
Tourists visit all day, but I
would recommend the dawn session. If you’re lucky enough to get a good sunrise,
the colours of the sky really transform the Taj. It’s also the quietest time to
visit, with the majority of tourists arriving later in the day. You can experience the Taj during sunrise on both
a private tour by car and an overnight tour.
The palace is serenely positioned
in front of a river, which creates an aura of peace and tranquillity… it also
means that visiting at dawn makes you a part of the mozzies’ breakfast buffet.
Don’t forget to wear your bug repellent.
The experience of arriving at the
Taj Mahal can be a little overwhelming. A great guide will not only help you
navigate the ticket queues, but they can also make sure you get the best out of
your visit. There is plenty to learn about the rich history and craftsmanship
behind the monument, so it’s worth getting an expert to tell you the whole
story. If you’d like to find out more about organising a tour to the Taj Mahal,
we can help. Reality Tours offers private and group tours of Agra for all price
ranges.
I heard many people grasped at
the beauty of the Taj Mahal as they approached. Hell, I even mumbled
"wow" without know it. This place is just freaking beautiful. This
place blew all the other monuments I visited and hands down one of the most
memorable experience I ever had traveling alone.
