2008 India: 07 Agra - Where Love Never Dies...

"You'll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut..." - Dr Seuss

(The majestic Taj Mahal)

Day 07: 31 December 2008

Route: Jaipur - Agra

Hotel: Pushp Villa, Agra

Morning light filtered softly through our window as we left for Agra, the city of eternal love. The road stretched ahead - 235 kilometres of open plains and scattered villages - carrying us toward the dream of marble that has enchanted the world for centuries.

(A rural landscape - farmfield under the blue sky)

(Cow dung cakes drying in the sun)

(A long way to go)

(Lunch stop at Motel Gangaur)

Along the way, we stopped at Fatehpur Sikri, Emperor Akbar’s red sandstone capital. Built in triumph and later abandoned in silence, its empty courtyards still whisper stories of grandeur. Walking through its carved archways, I imagined the hum of royal life - the voices of courtiers, the rustle of silks, the echo of prayers rising with the desert wind.

(The Royal complex of Fatehpur Sikri)

(The Jama Masjid built in 1571 AD)

(The pillars in the mosque)

(The arches separating different chambers)

(The Tomb of Salim Chisti)

(The crowd visiting the tomb)

(The chhatris - dome pavilions on the roof)

(Old graves at the Tomb Complex)

The city felt like a living poem - its architecture a graceful blend of Hindu, Jain, and Islamic influences, reflecting Akbar’s vision of unity. Standing before the towering Buland Darwaza and the peaceful tomb of Salim Chishti, I felt an almost spiritual calm - as if the past still lingered gently in the air.

(Buland Darwaza or Gate of Magnificence)

(The posterior view of Buland Darwaza - The main gate)

(Jama Masjid - the largest mosque in India)

By afternoon, we reached the Taj Mahal. No words or photographs can prepare the heart for that first sight - the marble glowing softly in the sunlight, reflected in the still pools of its gardens.

We took a local guide who spoke tenderly of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, of love so deep it transcended time. The intricate floral inlays of pietra dura, the perfect symmetry of domes and minarets, the flowing calligraphy - everything felt touched by devotion. Inside, beneath the carved marble screens, the emperor and his queen rest side by side, forever united in silence.

(The Great Gate - Darwaza-i-Rauza)

(The main entrance to the Taj Mahal complex)

(The crowd visiting the Taj Mahal)

(Built by Shah Jahan in memory of Mumtaz Mahal)

(One of Taj Mahal's pillars)

(The beautiful Royal Mosque)

(Taking a rest after a long day)

(The sun is setting at the horizon)

Before sunset, we visited the Agra Fort, a grand citadel on the banks of the Yamuna River. Behind its red sandstone walls lies the legacy of empires - and heartbreak. From the Musamman Burj, where Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son, we looked out at the Taj gleaming in the distance. I stood there imagining the emperor’s gaze - a lifetime of love distilled into that single, distant view.

(The Agra Fort - the historic fort)

By the time we returned to our hotel, Pushp Villa, dusk had softened the city into gold and rose. My feet were tired, but my heart was full. Agra had shown me not just monuments, but the enduring power of love - silent, eternal, and carved in stone.

(The Pushp Villa Hotel)

👈2008 India: 06 Jaipur - The Majestic Allure of the Pink City...

2008 India: 08 Delhi - Where History Whispers and Time Moves On👉