Taj Mahal: Visiting 385-year-old love monument

The journey to Agra in Uttar Pradesh State, India, where the Taj Mahal is located, from Eros Hotel, Nehru’s place in New Delhi, the capital of India, was memorable in all spheres. There was no dull moment.  The trip, organised by India’s Ministry of External Affairs as part of activities for the 30 African journalists […]

The journey to Agra in Uttar Pradesh State, India, where the Taj Mahal is located, from Eros Hotel, Nehru’s place in New Delhi, the capital of India, was memorable in all spheres. There was no dull moment. 

The trip, organised by India’s Ministry of External Affairs as part of activities for the 30 African journalists who were in the country for a two-week workshop tagged, “Writing and Reporting for Print and Electronic Media,” started on Sunday, March 19, 2017.

From New Delhi to Agra is about 230kilometres. There were no potholes, no accident and less traffic, yet the journey lasted for over three and a half hours, no thanks to the snail pace of the driver. The trip started at 7.30am. 

Intermittently smoking his cigarette, the driver maintained his 85kmph throughout the trip as his god (a statue of an elephant bearing flowers), which was placed at the middle of the car’s dashboard, patiently watched. At a point, Della Russel Ocloo of the Daily Graphic, Ghana, queried, “What is wrong with this driver?  Is this how we will get to Agra?” 

Less than 30 minutes into the trip, a pungent odour ravaged the air. It wasn’t from the car; it was the smell of a community on the outskirt of the country’s capital. Twice we came across smelly communities during the trip. In India, it’s not abnormal to notice an unpleasant odour. In fact, some communities are recognised by their odour. 

At 8.35am, just over an hour into the trip, the driver stopped at a place named ‘Highway Masala’ (in Hausa, Masala means trouble), where those who were pressed visited the public convenience. The place also housed restaurants, tea and souvenir shops. Bikers who had sped past us also had a stopover at the place. We were told that they were on a weekly bike race. 

Throughout the trip, it was observed that no land was left uncultivated on both sides of the road. Farmers were seen on their lands doing what they know best. Their houses were also located around their farms. It was summer, so the land was green. 

There was no road safety official was on the way, yet drivers adhered to traffic rules. However, this is unlike what obtained in the country’s capital, where reckless driving was in vogue. At intervals, there were traffic warnings that read: “Over-speeding will invite prosecution; beer and petrol don’t mix well; don’t drink while driving.” 

Among the lovely places we came across during the trip were Greater Noida City, Jaypee Sports City, Noida and Galgotias universities, as well as Jaypee Polytechnic. It was a lovely view. We looked left and right to catch a glimpse of the cities and villages. 

At 11.04am, we arrived at the vicinity of Taj Mahal and the ministry officials handed us over to a tour guide who introduced himself as Ramesh. From that point, we boarded a battery-powered car which conveyed us to the main entrance of the mausoleum, where there were security operatives. On both sides of the road, which was less than a minute drive from where our bus parked, to Taj Mahal, souvenir shops were everywhere. 

Horse-drawn vehicles were all over the road that led to the mausoleum. Tourists paid a stipend to operators of the vehicles to get to the main gate of the Taj Mahal, which became one of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO’s) World Heritage sites in 1983. 

A long queue welcomed visitors to the place. Indians and nationals of other countries were in high numbers. While Indians paid 40 rupees (N280), non-Indians were made to pay 1000 rupees (N7, 000) as gate fee. 

After a thorough security search, as guests of the state we were ushered in without paying the gate fee.  We also entered the place without joining the long queue. No handbags, jotters, laptop, tablet and other gadgets were allowed in, except mobile phones. 

The sight of Taj Mahal, a 17-hectare complex housing a mausoleum, chambers and various rooms that are closed to the public, excited us.  Ramesh told us that the structures were built by the emperor in honour of his late third wife and that it housed her tomb. 

It was learnt that Taj means crown while Mahal means place. Although Taj Mahal is translated as crown place, Ramesh said there was no crown in the building and no one lived there. He said 8million tourists visited the place annually, generating about $20m for the Indian government. He added that on a daily basis, 30,000 people visited the tomb between January and September, while over 80,000 visited in October, November and December. 

“The late emperor married many wives, but he had special love for the third wife, Arjumand Banu Begum, famously known as Mumtaz Mahal. Their marriage lasted for 19 years and led to the birth of 14 children. Complications arising from the birth of the final child led to Mahal’s death at the age of 39. Worried by her death, he decided to immortalise her with the tomb, “he said. 

The construction work began in 1632, a year after Mahal’s death and lasted till 1653.  The project employed 20,000 artisans under the guidance of a board of architects, led by Ustaz Ahmad Lahauri, the palace architect to the emperor. According to him, Lahauri is now the name of a town in Pakistan. 

“It was built here (Agra) because it was the capital of India in the 16th century.  The construction started in 1632 and was completed in 1653 with 20,000 workers. The workers didn’t understand one another’s language, but they built this. About $1 billion is said to have been spent on the project, but some have said the place is priceless,” he said.  

The materials used for the construction of Taj Mahal were transported from different parts of India and environs, yet there were no trucks and other vehicles. The materials were conveyed by thousands of horses, elephants and other animals. 

Ramesh said SuratulYasin was written in calligraphy to protect Taj Mahal from attacks and that the AyatuKrusi written inside it was also for security reasons. 

Few years after the completion of the project, the emperor was sent to prison by his own son. “He sent his father to prison, describing him as insane and wasting the country’s fortune in building a tomb. The emperor died in prison in 1666 at 74,” the tour guide said.

After the briefing, the journalists moved from one strategic location to another for photographs, after which they were ushered into the mausoleum. At the entrance, it was boldly written that photographs were not allowed.  However, despite police presence, photos were taken. 

In all, the African journalists spent two and a half hours there, but the journey will remain fresh in their minds forever. It was a lifetime experience. 

The complexion of Ms. Asunta Alith Mayen of the Juba Monitor, South Sudan, made her a side attraction of sorts at Taj Mahal.  

“I did not enjoy the place. ‘Can I have a picture with you?’ That was what everybody was asking me. Over 50 people came to me for photos. I think it’s because of my colour,” she said. 

Before leaving Agra, the officials of the Ministry of External Affairs offered us lunch at the Gateway Hotel. It was from there that we were taken to a store where a team of three craftsmen made souvenirs of the Taj Mahal. Inside the shop, various souvenirs on the structure were on display for sale. But none of us could buy one because the prices were on the high side. 

Indeed, Taj Mahal is a story of love and death. The emperor built it in honour of his wife, but his son sent him to prison to grieve over it.  

The trip back to New Delhi was smooth but slow as the driver maintained the tempo of 85kmph. We returned to our hotel about 9pm.