It has been called the most beautiful temple in the world, despite the fact that it was built at the cost of much human life. The Taj Mahal is a real monument of one man's love for his woman. The story is a sad one, told many times. But it never hurts to tell it again. In 1631, when his wife died in childbirth, the emperor Shah Jihan brought to Agra the most skilled craftsmen from all Asia and even Europe to build the white marble mausoleum that is the Taj Mahal. He intended to build a black marble mausoleum for himself and the link between the two was to be a silver bridge. A fantastic plan which suffered a dramatic and permanent setback when the Shah himself died.

Its stunning architectural beauty is beyond description, particularly at dawn and sunset when it seems to glow in the light. On a foggy morning, it looks as though the Taj is suspended in mid-air when viewed from across the Jamuna river.

This is of course, an illusion, in fact, the Taj stands on a raised, square platform with its four corners truncated, forming an unequal octagon. The architectural design uses the interlocking arabesque concept, in which each element stands on its own and perfectly integrates with the main structure. It uses the principles of self-replicating geometry and a symmetry of architectural elements. If you don't want the huge crowds to distract you from your view, try arriving just as it opens or is about to close. A few minutes alone in the perpetually echoing inner sanctum will reward you far more than several hours spent on a guided tour. Especially if your Tour Guide is Murbat Singh, who makes it his job to find a new comic slant on the Taj Story every time he tells it.