Standing in line at the east gate to the Taj Mahal at 5:20am with a cup of steaming hot Chai was an experience I’ll never forget. The anticipation of walking through the gates and being one of the very first people of the day to see the beautiful building was so exciting. As someone who had never given a visit to India a thought until earlier that year, I couldn’t get over my excitement at seeing one of the seven wonders of the world.
It wasn’t the very first time that we would be seeing the Taj Mahal, but it would definitely be the closest. On our tour by the awesome G Adventures, we had already caught sight of the Taj three times from different angles, almost as little teasers to build the excitement for the real deal. The previous night we had seen it from the gardens across the Yamuna river behind it. What was meant to be a sunset viewing turned out to be standing ground in the middle of a sandstorm. It was incredible seeing the sand roll in and then seeing the Taj Mahal get completely eclipsed as the storm raged. That was quite an experience in itself! So there was a tiny bit of me that was worried the impact would be lost. I really needn’t have worried.
Turning right and walking through the archway at the end of the garden was breath-taking. Nothing can prepare you for seeing the Taj Mahal right in front of you with no one else around. Turns out getting up at 4am to go and visit is worth every second of missed sleep! I don’t really know how to describe the feeling of seeing it right in front of your eyes. It’s so strikingly beautiful and in the sleepy morning sunshine at 6am, words truly can’t describe it. It was quite emotional, as it was something I never thought I’d see in the flesh. I never thought I’d have it in me to venture somewhere so completely foreign without being utterly terrified. So for me, standing in front of the Taj Mahal felt like a pretty big deal. And I absolutely loved every second of it.
The gardens were quiet as it was so early so our whole group had the chance to pose on the famous seat where Princess Diana sat and to get photos without hundreds of people in the background. After photos, our fantastic guide came and told us the moving history of the Taj and why it was built. It’s basically the ultimate symbol of love. The Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built it in memory of his favourite wife Mumtaz Mahal whose tomb is situated inside. It’s a highly regarded piece of Mughal architecture and quite rightly. It really is stunning and it was so fascinating getting to walk right around the outside of it and see all the beautiful ornate details on the mausoleum.
As the sun rose, the striking white marble of the Taj Mahal was illuminated and looked even grander. You can wander around the outside of it and go inside to see the tombs of both Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. The inside is beautiful but it doesn’t have the same magic as seeing the outside does.
With the sun getting higher in the sky and the gardens starting to fill up, it was time to leave. With one last glance at the striking, shining white marble of the Taj, perfectly illuminated against the blue skies, we made the walk back to the dusty, bustling life outside the gates.
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