The Taj Mahal and more at Agra.

The Taj Mahal, described by the poet Tagore as 'a tear on the face of eternity'. It is the classic visual symbol of India. This mausoleum was built over 20 years, with translucent white marble inlaid with 35 types of precious stone, by the Moghul emperor Shah Jehan in the 17th century, as a response to his dying wife's request that he build a memorial to the beauty of their love. So much has been written to describe this monument to love, so many photographs taken and yet each time the Taj surprises us by its enigmatic quality that is difficult to define. While at Agra we visit the museum and the mosque at the Taj and another UNESCO World Heritage Site, the magnificent Agra Fort which was built by four generations of Mughals, on the banks of the River Yamuna. Shantum helps us understand the different historical, architectural, artisanal and spiritual dimensions. We spend time in meditative silence watching the changing moods and colors of the Taj as the sun sets so as to touch that 'elusive quality that makes the Taj the most magical building in the world?'.