The Taj Mahal

Surprise. Surprise. The Taj Mahal is touted as the splendour of the Moghuls.It is a great testament as to what men will do for love.

It does not disappoint. From any angle it is a masterpiece and a testament to the Indians' great creativity.

( Never mind if it is a bad lesson in gratitude….the man who designed it was reputed to have been blinded)

It is majestic and awesome and dwarfs you with its excellence and beauty.

The ride from New Delhi to Agra is long and the road takes you past Mathura, reputed to be the birthplace of Lord Krishna.

On the way you can occupy yourself to the Indian creativity which is even evident in their traffic signs. I liked the one that read , " Judge before you budge."

But the driver told me , as we approached the Taj Mahal that he couldn’t bring me all the way up to the Taj as all buses and cars have to be parked at a carpark about 500m away. I asked him why. As he understood it the exhaust from cars and buses was affecting the Taj Mahal and causing discoloration to the marble.

So at the carpark I paid for a smaller auto ricksha to take me to the Taj. It belched smoke all the way to the Taj.

Talk about the ironies of life.

The Official Photographer.

The man at the Taj wore a badge that read " Official Photographer. " He offered to take photographs for a fee and an additional fee for air mail rates to send the photographs to me in 2 weeks. In return I was given an official Cash Memo which read as follows:

BHAGWATI STUDIOS

29 Ghandi Nagar Crossing Agra 3

Archaeologist Archaelogical Survey of India.

Northern Circle, Agra 1

So after the best poses were made 6 months ago, I still await the photographs.

Maybe the Postal Service uses mules to bring the mail to the airport.

And maybe the camera had a flash but no film.

No prizes for the correct answer.

Postscript : The photographs finally arrived in September (10 months later) after I sent in a letter asking for them.