AGRA THE ТАЈ AND BEYOND

Look away from its most famous icon and find a city of art, craft, culinary traditions and great architectural beauty, says Neha Prasada. 

- Neha Prasada

Much before you get to the Taj Mahal, you realise the city has appropriated it in more ways than one. Vendors are selling mini replicas of the Taj; hotels are boasting of the "best view"; stop to chat with an old-timer and you will likely hear how their forefathers worked on the tomb; and shops, regardless of what they sell from mithai to bathware-are proudly branded Taj.

And then when you walk through the ornate red sandstone gates, into the Mughal gardens, you truly realise what it means. Almost like a rising moon, the Taj grows bigger and bigger till you are craning your neck to take in the enormity of its central dome and towering minarets. Amita Baig, executive director, World Monument Fund, has worked on the restoration of the Taj Mahal along with other monuments in the city. "Without a doubt, Taj is the pinnacle of Mughal architecture in India," she says. "But despite its beauty, it is tragic to make Agra a one-point destination."

A CITY OF MONUMENTS