I took over 150 photos of the Taj Mahal and many of them are pretty good, if I do say so myself. I have the Taj Mahal from every angle, from inside and out, from the mosque, and from the other buildings surrounding it. Nevertheless, the best photo remains the one taken when you enter through the gates (picture-worthy themselves) and first set eyes on Taj Mahal.

A little history…

The Taj Mahal is not a mosque, though there is one next to it. The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum dedicated to the third wife of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Her name was Mumtaz Mahal and taj refers to a crown. The British didn’t believe the Taj Mahal was very impressive and actually let it fall into disrepair and even to be defaced by British soldiers.

Disappointingly, the Taj Mahal is not lit at night. This is to protect the delicate white marble. Cars are also not allowed within 500 meters of the Taj Mahal, again to protect it from the corrosive effects of the pollution. Agra is polluted, nonetheless, and I doubt this ban has had much of an effect on protecting the Taj Mahal.

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