The Taj Mahal

March 29 Saturday

Our last day of scheduled anything, barring the flight home. 

Groaning at the 5:30 am alarm, we made it out the door sans breakfast. Yash drove us and Gopal the  guide to the Taj in five minutes. It took another 45 minutes to navigate the line to buy tickets where an altercation broke out-some shouting and pushing which just added to all the excitement. (There is a line for locals and one for foreigners who pay more.) 

Then the15-minute walk to the entrance - we had the option of a two-wheeled camel-pulled cart. Then separate lines for men and women where we gracefully submit to a pat down by security.  

It was a fun crush. Gopal dragged Dennis down the men's line squeezing around others because some ticket holders had jumped the queue. Like driving in India, you cannot be passive or patient, because you will not get anywhere.

What can I say about the Taj Mahal - it's spectacular. Gopal guided in a steady stream of English of which we only understood half - enough to be able to fill in the blanks. He also gave us disposable white shoe covers - the Indians go barefoot. We weren't given an option. 

I do not remember wearing shoe nets when I visited with my family in the 60's. I'm not sure we even took off our shoes. I do remember a lot of standing around while my father waited for his tripod and camera affair to take the longest photo in the world to capture the sunset over the Taj. 

I remember I sat on the side of the reflecting pool and dangled my feet. And creeping around the white marbled dome imagining a man who would spend a fortune and 22 years building me a tomb. What had I done to deserve that? And what kind of measure of love was this epic edifice. Obviously, it was about him.