Pictures of the Taj Mahal from the inside

Quick introduction to the Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal made of ivory-white marble was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his wife Mumtaz who died giving birth to their fourteenth child, is located on the banks of the River Yamuna in the city of Agra. The four minarets framing the monument are leaning slightly outwards are perfectly identical and mirrored to provide an optical illusion. Passages from the Koran and ninety-nine names of Allah can be found as calligraphic inscriptions on the tomb. The gemstones embedded in the walls were ripped during the British rule. It is a must visit when you are in India.

FACTS ABOUT THE TAJ MAHAL

Taj Mahal pictures from the inside

Everyone can recognise the Taj from the photos. Have you ever thought what it looks like from the inside? When you visit the Taj you will soon realise that it is not allowed to take pictures of the inside of the Taj. There are a few pictures available but it’s quite basic. To be honest there is not much to see inside anyway. The outside is what matters the most. Here are a few pictures  and videos of the Taj Mahal from the inside.

The false tomb of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal in the main chamber

Taj Mahal as we know from the outside

Some videos showing the inside of the Taj Mahal

Picture of the week - an old cow herder

Do you feel sorry for this old man who almost looks like Mahatma Gandhi?

Mahatma Gandhi upon arrival from South Africa to India in 1901 decided not to wear cotton clothes made in the cotton mills of Manchester (UK). The cotton grown in India was being shipped to the cotton mills in Manchester where it was spun into clothes and brought back to India to be sold. This completely destroyed the cottage industry and crippled the Indian economy. More on Indian history and what Indians wear.

However, unlike the Mahatma (meaning great soul) who refused to wear any clothes made by the British in protest, this man may or may not have enough clothing, I can’t be for sure for certain. Perhaps it was a hot day and he preferred to be in his ‘cloth’. He is most likely a cow herder. The stick caters for two purposes; walking and herding the cattle. What do you think?

Picture of the week - walking on the rope street performance

The first “picture of the week” is a photo of a young girl performing “walking on the rope” trick in the city of Leh in Ladakh. I think the performance requires a lot of skill. You can see that she has a set of pots (I can see four) on her head and she is able to walk on the rope effortlessly with the assistance of the stick for balancing. There is a plate under the rope for spectators to leave money for her performance.