The Long Awaited Visit to the Taj Mahal

The wonderful mum Taj Mahal.

The Emporer of Shah Jahan built the Taj as a resting place for his wife. It is named the 'mum Taj Mahal', or excellent crown palace. She died at 39 years old, while in childbirth of the 14th child. 

Let's do it!

Entryway to the 'workers'' quarters.

Julie captured this beautiful reflection pool shot.

We don our footies to enter the interior of the Taj Mahal.

Set on the side of the River Yamuna, which flows from Delhi!  The Red Fort is in the smog in the background.

The mosque which sits beside the Taj Mahal.

Sadly, only 3 years after construction, his son placed him under arrest at the Red Fort across the River Yamuna for eight years. When he died, his daughter placed his body beside the wife in the Taj, and the tomb is the only asymmetrical item in the Taj Mahal.

This artwork is typical of the inlay inside the dome. There are over 14,000 flowers such as this, each having 64 petals each, inlaid with precious and semi-precious stones. That's almost a million tiny petals! (Photography is not allowed inside the dome. This picture is for reference, not from inside, as photos aren't allowed therein.)

Typical of the intricate inlay inside the Taj.

Exterior wall inlays.

The Taj Mahal required 22 years for construction, and the marble was mined 360 kilometers south of Agra in Makarana. It was transported by the king's 1,000 elephants. Can you even imagine the logistics of just this conveyance?

 

Ajay, our tour guide turned TEAM MEMBER!

Rotary Zone 34 Polio Warriors.

 This evening, we begin our separate journeys back to our individual homes, but the relationships we have forged together as the Rotary Zone 34 Polio Warriors will touch our hearts and memories for decades to come!