Agra Day 1 - 5/19/2026
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
We got up early this morning and left the Oberio in Dehli headed for the Oberoi Amarvilles which overlooks the Taj Mahal in Agra. We took a somewhat round about route out of Dehli since it was our only day there and they wanted to show us some of the monuments and landmarks in Dehli and New Dehli before we left. The bus ride was about 4 hours with a short rest area break but overall not too bad. When we arrived at the Oberoi in Agra we were greeted by a handful of hotel staff who welcomed us, put a balm on our foreheads and then hung flower necklaces around our necks. We had a buffet lunch at the hotel restaurant and then got the keys to our rooms. The lobby of the hotel has a view of the Taj Mahal in the distance and the grounds and pool are beautiful.
We took some photos of the grounds and then instead of going to a nearby jewlery factory we decided to stay and use the pool which was beautiful. The service at the Oberoi is exceptional. When you go to the pool you literally just walk down in your bathing suit and within a minute you've been seated in chairs, have sunscreen, towels, cold water and whatever else you need.
After we finished at the pool we went back to the room to get ready for our sunset visit to the Taj Mahal. We were driven the short distance to the entrance in electric golf carts and dropped off at the gate.
We all went together with our guide who was very knowledgeable and very easy to listen to. He shared lots of information about the woman who the Taj Mahal was built for and her husband - The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal in 1632 as a magnificent mausoleum to honor his favorite and beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. She tragically died in 1631 while giving birth to their fourteenth child, and the grief-stricken emperor commissioned the monument as a symbol of his eternal love and devotion.
The Taj represents A Vision of Paradise: According to Islamic tradition, the tomb’s complex design and expansive gardens were built to replicate the paradise (Jannah) described in the Quran, creating a resting place befitting his queen. According to historical accounts, Mumtaz Mahal made Shah Jahan promise on her deathbed that he would take care of their children, that he would never marry again and that he would build her a tomb more beautiful and grand than any the world had ever see.
The grounds were quite crowded but we did our best to see as much as we could and get some good pictures. As we walked around an older man with only a few teeth keptstopping to show me the best spots to take pictures from. I knew that he wanted a tip but I had no money, and I told him so but he kept kindly showing me the spots. He wasn't agressive and we talke a bit was we walked around.
Before we left the little man showed up again looking for a tip and I told him I would bring something for him in the morning when we came back.
We headed back to the hotel and had a shortdemonstration of traditional dancing and then a buffet dinner. We have a very early wake up to see the Taj and Sunrise so we headed off to bed.