Our first glimpse of the Taj Mahal took my breath away. We were seated at a rooftop restaurant when a quick glimpse to the left revealed the structure in silhouette as the last daylight faded. For me this is akin to coming face to face with a celebrity. “I know you so well. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

One bite of pappadam.  Look over my shoulder. That’s definitely the Taj Mahal. One sip of rosewater lassi. Another quick check. Yup, Taj Mahal’s still there. It went on like this for a while.

Early in the morning we queued for the close-up and I can verify that the building stuns at all distances. In spite of the burgeoning crowds as the day wore on, the Taj Mahal continued to enchant. That’s just what it does.