Hello everyone!
Today’s inspiration comes from love. More precisely of Agra, in India, where the magnificent Taj Mahal shows its strength. It is not every day that a story of love between an emperor and his beloved named “the elect of the Palace” gives life to a temple so emblematic that it was declared as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, besides being considered by UNESCO as Patrimony of Humanity.
It all began when they met at random. The princess was only 15 years old and at that moment an overwhelming passion had emerged. By twist of fate, they were five years without seeing each other. When reunited, they got married and had 14 children. She died while giving birth to her last son. The king was inconsolable and cried for two years, the loss of the beloved. It was a sad time and there were no parties in the kingdom. Then, he decided to do a mausoleum as great as his love, so that the world would never forget his queen. And so it happened, The Taj Mahal is a true monument to love. Isn’t this such a beautiful love story?
The mausoleum began to be built in 1631 by a team of more than 20 thousand workers. Imagine that! The work cost a fortune and even caused disagreement between the king and his sons. The king was dethroned and exiled in Agra Fort, where he lived the last days of his life admiring the Taj Mahal by the window. The children buried him beside his wife. However, the intention of the king was to do a mausoleum identical to hers, on the other side of the river, in black marble. It is a shame that it was never built. The so-called “madness of the King” in the name of love today takes more than 20 million tourists to the mausoleum and already returned the entire amount spent on its construction to the coffers of India.
The beauty of the Taj Mahal is impressive. The details are a delicacy. The immense central dome is sewn with threads of gold and surrounded by four smaller domes. Around them has four minarets of 40 meters height and octagonal pavilions perfectly symmetrical. The white marble of the temple has flowers encrusted in precious stones and semi precious stones. A true work of art. In the façade panels, calligraphic designs bring inscriptions of the Quran in quartz. Walls in red stone surround the temple which is located on the edge of a river. You can spend hours admiring without getting tired. Sunrise and sunset are magical moments that have to be part of your itinerary.
A very nice place to stay in Agra is the The Oberoi Amarvilas hotel. A luxury only 600 meters from the Taj Mahal. From my window, I could see the domes of the temple of love. Furthermore, they provide entrance and a golf cart that takes guests before normal opening hours to see the sun rise. Amazing!
I hope you have enjoyed today’s tip! Leave your comments below and I will gladly answer them! Also, come follow my travel journeys through my Instagram @blogviajarpelomundo
XoXo and until next Tuesday!
Claudia Liechavicius
