Day 33 Sunrise at the Taj Mahal 15 February 2026

Описание: Sunrise at the Taj Mahal - Love, Marble, and Morning Light

My young guide, Sapna, arrived just after 6 am on her motorbike and met me at my homestay. From there, we walked toward the East Gate of the Taj Mahal, a little over a kilometre away. Even at this early hour, the paved street was already filling with people heading in the same direction. It took us less than fifteen minutes to reach the entrance.

Sapna explained that only electric vehicles are allowed near the Taj. No petrol or diesel cars, no auto‑rickshaws, and no polluting industries are permitted within the protected zone. This is part of a long‑standing environmental effort to preserve the Taj Mahal’s white marble.

The Taj is protected by a strict environmental buffer known as the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ) - a 10,400 sq km area established after a landmark Supreme Court ruling in the 1990s. The court ordered hundreds of polluting foundries and factories to shut down or switch to cleaner fuels because emissions were causing the marble to yellow.

Key protections include:

• No polluting vehicles within 500 metres of the Taj
• Industries restricted or relocated outside the TTZ
• Green belts planted to absorb pollutants
• Electric buses and golf carts transporting visitors from parking areas

Despite these measures, the Taj still requires periodic “mud‑pack treatments” using Fuller’s Earth, which draws out impurities and restores the marble’s natural sheen, a kind of spa treatment for the monument.

The Taj Mahal is inseparable from the love story that created it. Commissioned in 1632 by Emperor Shah Jahan, it was built in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631 giving birth to their 14th child. Shah Jahan’s grief was so deep that chroniclers wrote his hair turned grey almost overnight. Construction took 16–21 years. The mausoleum was completed by 1648 and the entire complex by 1653. Over 20,000 artisans and 1,000 elephants were involved. The marble came from Makrana, Rajasthan. Semi‑precious stones for the inlay work (pietra dura) came from across India, Persia, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka

Shah Jahan intended to build a matching black marble mausoleum for himself across the Yamuna River, but he was deposed by his son Aurangzeb in 1658 before he could begin. He spent his final years imprisoned in Agra Fort, with only a distant view of the Taj. When he died in 1666, he was buried beside Mumtaz, their tombs lie in the lower chamber, while the ornate cenotaphs above are symbolic.

The Taj later fell into neglect. During the 1857 uprising, British soldiers pried out precious stones. It was restored under Lord Curzon in the early 1900s, and in 1983, UNESCO declared it “the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of world heritage.”

Yesterday evening I saw the Taj from Mehtab Bagh, where Shah Jahan had envisioned his black marble twin. But nothing compares to standing before it at sunrise. The soft morning light made the marble glow like pearl. I sat on the famous Princess Diana bench, now a classic photo spot, and felt genuinely moved. This was the highlight of my Indian journey so far - a moment I wished could have lasted longer.

I had initially declined the services of a professional photographer, but he found me again while I was taking selfies. This time I agreed - after all, this is a once‑in‑a‑lifetime experience. All the photos will go into my YouTube video, with a few here.

At the gate, we were given shoe covers and a bottle of water. Photography is not allowed inside the main chamber, which preserves the sanctity of the space. The marble screens, the pietra dura inlay, and the symmetry of the architecture are breathtaking.

When we finished, we took one of the electric shuttles back, saving time and allowing me to return to the homestay for breakfast before the next part of the day.

A magical morning - serene, emotional, and unforgettable.