The Taj Mahal tops any number of must-see lists. And not
without good reason. It is iconic, a majestic, beautiful structure, renowned as
a tribute to love eternal. Its marble inlay that covers the arches and gateways
is delicate and precise.
It is also India’s biggest tourist trap. At 750 rupees
(roughly $13.50), its entrance fee is more than double that of most other
historic places of interest. For perspective, that’s more than our nightly
budget for a hotel room.
And of course it doesn’t stop there. The city of Agra is a
veritable sales pitch played on loop. Tuk tuk drivers encourage you to stop at
shops, stay in hotels where they get a commission. Vendors don’t understand
that sometimes, no matter how low the price, you just don’t want what they’re
selling. Everyone wants a cut, a kickback, a couple more rupees.
But, every once in a while fortune shines bright on our
little trip through Nepal and India. First, our timetable landed us in the
Buddha’s birthplace on the Buddha’s birthday. Then, we found ourselves in
Varanasi on the day when the newly-elected (in a landslide) Indian Prime Minister
was visiting the city.
Turns out, in Agra we got lucky again.
We arrived on the last day of a three-day holiday honoring
the death of Shah Jahan, who built the Taj as his wife’s mausoleum. During said
holiday, the 359th Urs (deathiversary) of the Mughal emperor, the
cenotaph chamber, which contains the graves of both Shah Jahan and his wife, is
open to the public. Also, entrance is free.
Of course, free entry and a major holiday are not without
their downsides – specifically the massive crowds that push and pulse their way
through the gates. The line to get inside the Taj and view the tomb (opened
once a year during the holiday), even during the height of an Indian midday in
summer, was more like a mob four people deep, wrapping all the way around the
outside of the mausoleum. Needless to say we only saw the outside of the
building.
In the end it was a bit like a postcard, only far more
crowded. Magnificent structure. Check on the ol’ bucket list. Happy we didn’t
have to pay to see it.
