You’re flying to India just for the weekend?
— Conversation with a friend
Yeah. I’ve always wanted to see the Taj Mahal.
That’s how my Sydney colleagues learned about my... unconventional travel style. Clocking in nearly 35 hours in airplanes for a weekend getaway may sound absurd, but for me, it was about finally standing before one of the world’s greatest architectural marvels.
No elaborate tour. No checklist. Just me, a camera, and the Taj Mahal.
When the Sky Turned to Smoke
I didn’t check the weather. I didn’t check the season. I didn’t even check the Air Quality Index—until I landed in Delhi.
And yeah… not great.
Early November brings post-harvest crop burning in northern India, and with it, a thick, soupy haze that clings to everything. The AQI was above 400. I took a screenshot like a true traveler making poor decisions.
But somehow, that eerie golden mist added a surreal layer to the journey—like walking through a memory instead of a monument.
Delhi to Agra: A Surprisingly Smooth Ride
India’s trains have a reputation—some deserved, some exaggerated. But the Vande Bharat Express from Delhi’s Hazrat Nizamuddin station? Total game changer.
Executive class was $15. Fast, clean, efficient. I’ve ridden trains across Europe that weren’t this nice. Three and a half hours later, I was in Agra.
The Taj, at Sunrise
I’d read that sunrise is the best time to see the Taj Mahal, so I was at the East Gate by 5:30am—along with about a hundred other people. By 6am, there were thousands behind us.
Pro tip: don’t go on a Saturday before Diwali during a World Cup season.
Security was tight (no tripods, no big bags), and I got delayed because of my lens. But none of it mattered once I walked through that main archway and saw it.
There it was.
White. Still. Symmetrical. Glowing through the fog.
Why It’s Not Just a Monument
You can read a hundred guidebooks and see a thousand photos, but nothing prepares you for the real thing.
The Taj Mahal was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died during childbirth. It’s not just a mausoleum—it’s a love story in stone. An empire’s grief made permanent.
Yes, the architecture is mind-blowing. Yes, the marble shimmers. But what gets you is the emotion. The stillness. The weight of it all.
The Photographer in Me
I came armed with a 24–70mm and a 70–200mm lens but, honestly, the former would’ve been enough. There’s something deeply satisfying about trying to shoot something that’s already been shot a million times.
I tried to avoid the obvious angles. I walked around the side buildings. Caught reflections. Looked for the stories in the shadows.
The haze? It became an unexpected gift. Soft light. Golden glow. The kind of imperfect atmosphere that makes a place feel alive instead of postcard-perfect.
The Classic Shot (and a Little Trickery)
Eventually, I made my way back to the famous central spot with the reflecting pool. It was packed. Everyone jockeying for that “one clean shot.”
I hung back. Waited.
A tour group from Mexico was kind enough to let me jump in for a few seconds. I got the shot. Just one frame. I didn’t even need more.
I could Photoshop the crowd out, but I won’t. The people were part of it. That’s India—alive, crowded, chaotic, beautiful.
A Few More Frames
I lingered. Caught the southern gate reflected in the water—ironically, the only frame without a single person in it.
Snapped a final few pictures on the way out. A kid sitting on a step. A couple holding hands. The dome in the background fading into the morning haze.
Then I put the camera down.
And just stood there.
Was It Worth It?
Yes. Yes, even with the smog. Yes, even with the crowds. Yes, even for a weekend.
— Andy
It reminded me of the first time I saw Machu Picchu. You stand there and something in your chest just... quietly clicks. Like your body knows you’re in the presence of something immense, something eternal.
The Taj Mahal isn’t just a place. It’s a feeling. One that lingers long after the last shutter click.
A friendly traveler from Okhla, Delhi was kind enough to snap a photo of me with the Taj Mahal in the background.
— Andy