A Trip to Agra
During the winter holidays our class went to Agra. We visited the famous Taj Mahal—a monument which the Emperor Shahjahan had built in memory of his beloved queen Mumtaz Mahal. Tourists from all over the world come to see this architectural wonder made of white marble and originally adorned with precious gems. Built on the left bank of the river Yamuna it is a proud tribute to the genius of a bygone age and an everlasting symbol of a lost culture.
Agra also has, as a place of interest, its fort where Shahjahan was imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb. When we saw it, we could not help but marvel at its enduring quality.
Agra city is a modern place with a flourishing tourist trade, but it still has its old ‘bazaars’ which do not seem to have changed in the last five hundred years. We walked around, totally fascinated, but when night fell we went back to the Taj Mahal. We had timed our visit to coincide with the full moon, for the Taj by moonlight, we had heard, was a sight not to be missed. And we were not disappointed. As the moon rose and spread its ethereal light over the white marble, the Taj Mahal took on an indescribable glow and we felt as if we had been transported to paradise.
Our trip to Agra was indeed a unique experience. For many days thereafter, whenever we closed our eyes, we could see the beautiful Taj Mahal silhouetted against the sky, in all its splendour and glory.
