The Taj Mahal, one of the wonders of the world, is not an easy monument to access. Numerous security checks, loads of guides hassling you, and if you manage to dodge the first wave, you then have to face the music from the hawkers. Both Radhika and I have seen the Taj before and we were keen on experiencing the Taj from the point of view of a brilliant photographer we both admire, Raghu Rai. His images of the Taj from where the Yamuna flows are absolutely unique and breathtaking. We went around the back to escape the crowds but to also discover what drew Raghu Rai to this location.

Following a parallel track across the river, we arrived and walked the last two hundred meters by foot and when the tree cover broke, we were faced with a view of the Taj that very few people get to see…. The unhindered view of the Taj with the river Yamuna flowing beside it.

The Taj is much more than just a monument. The tourist who comes there might view it as such but the locals realize that the city of Agra is built around it. Agra exists because of the Taj. Life around the Taj is just as interesting as the Taj itself. Lives still depend on this monument that was built so many centuries ago. It has a power that cannot be comprehended and an economy that runs around it. Apart from the obvious, there is the unusual. Looking at the life that slowly appeared before our eyes- the cow herd bringing the buffalos back home, the boa that was sliding through, locals sitting by the banks enjoying the view without all the chaos that accompanies the regular entrance, a group of water birds that were using the river as a feeding ground- we found this invisible thread that connects all of the life around the Taj. 

Did we manage to reach the spot where Raghu Rai had photographed the monument? Times have changed, visitors are no longer allowed near the banks of the Yamuna. The ripple effect of the Mumbai terror attacks 26/11 can be felt through out the country and this place is no different.  But the next time anyone travels to the Taj take time out to travel to the back, away from the madness and you’ll get a feel of what it is to see the Taj free of the chaos and get a sense of how it nurtures the city of Agra.

Points to remember when visiting: Only a basic camera is allowed in. No extra batteries, no food or water bottles, no music players and other electronic gadgets, no books. Especially no books. 