Taj Mahal By Arun Mehta on Apr 08, 2008 - Updated Oct 15, 2011

I had the pleasure of visiting Taj Mahal, a few days back. I had always longed to see it. As everyone knows it is a is s mausoleum located in Agra, India that was built under Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is one of the finest buildings in world. You simply cant imagine to look away from it while you are there. is considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Persian, Turkish, Indian, and Islamic architectural styles. In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was cited as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage. It is better to visit Taj in the early morning or before 8.30 am maximum, or else there will be exodus of people coming in in tour groups! I thought we were late when we reached there at about 7.30am, but luckily not many people and we had a great time taking the horse cart to reach the entrance. It was a fun ride. As soon as we walk through the archway to the entrance I totally became captivated from its beauty. From the moment I did step through the outer courtyard and get my first glimpse of the infinite pools and the silhouette of the Taj you I was dumbstruck by the magnificence of its perfection. The Mughal architecture is symmetrical in every way and the qualtiy of the workmanship beyond compare. The landscaping has been returned to the original condition as designed by Shah Jahan and are also about the cleanest gardens I have seen in India. Renting a guide makes sense and enhances the experience, but can be offset by the annoyance of the sheer number of them touting for business. Anyways, I was enjoying the view and was soaked up in the history, the beauty and the sheer simplicity that make this place world famous and something to remember until you die. It would recomment it as a must visit to each and every tourist.