My First View of the Taj

Well, what am I going to share with you is technically not about the day I had first seen the Taj Mahal. I had been to Agra when I was in school with my dad, mom and younger sister. That time I had read about the Taj in my History Text books and I had also read the story about Shahjahan building it in the name of his deceased and beloved wife Mumtaj. For me, it was just a tomb then. I had asked my mother, why the Mughal Emperor had spent so much money to build just a tomb. My mother had just laughed.

This time, I had visited the Taj with my husband merely after 20 days of our marriage. We entered the premises from the western gate. We took snaps of the grand door of red stones and then I saw the monument of love. The white colour of purity that still stands as the symbol of love, the Emperor of the Mughal Dynasty had felt for his wife, affected me so much that I was dumbfounded for a few minutes. I was feeling that I am very fortunate to be an Indian at the same time.

During my growing up years, I had always thought that there is nothing mystical in the Taj Mahal. I was just proud of the fact that the Taj Mahal is amongst the Seven Wonders of the World. This time, when we were planning to visit the Taj, I was not much enthusiastic about it. I had not realized at all that the first view of the white marbled structure would jolt me so much that I would like to praise its beauty. It was like seeing the moon after many days of dark cloudy nights. I felt as if a peaceful breeze is cooling me. Even though I had been here before, this time I could not think of the Taj as a mere historical monument. It was hypnotizing me.

There were foreigners, some A.B.C.Ds. (American Born Confused Desis), some intellectuals, some road side Romeos, couples like us, and many vacationers visiting the Taj that day. I was wondering what was going on in everyone’s mind, however, to read everybody’s mind I will have to be born as God himself. But looking at the rush and heavy crowd, I really wanted to know, what does Taj seem to everyone? Everyone was clicking their fancy mobile phones, digital cameras and some were also flashing their most expensive gadgets to take pictures. We had also taken several snaps but the picture I took with my eyes will remain with me till my last breathe.

All my life, I had believed that white is the colour of peace and red is the colour of love. And looking at the construction, I thought of something which I wanted to share with the world. The four gates surrounding the Taj are built with red stones and inside is the Taj built in white marble. I was thinking, why is it considered to be a symbol of love? I guess, red is the colour of your heart that makes you love somebody and being in love will give you inner peace symbolized by the white colour. At the moment, the thought stuck me I saw a white pigeon sitting in one of the pillars. I signalled my husband to look towards that direction but he said there was no white pigeon. Maybe it was a figment of my imagination. So, I just smiled at him. My soul had found a solace.