A Visit to the Monument of Love

(11-02-2010 to 14-02-2010)

        Only God’s love is eternal. No human beings can make their love eternal whatever way they try to do so. However when one comes across the Tajmahal of Agra, one is tempted to think that even human beings have a desire to make their love eternal even they don’t exist eternally. Tajmahal simply keeps the love story of Mumtaj and Shajahn ever alive.

           Though I was born hardly 80 km. away from this monument of love, but whenever I visit it, it gives me always a new insight and new meaning about love. This was a coincidence that we were there on the eve of the Valentine’s Day and what more special can be on this occasion than to be near the world known monument of love. Though our train was late by four hours but our enthusiasm and excitement was not reduced. We stepped down at Agra Cant station at 8:30 in the morning. The bus was ready to receive us. Straight we headed to the Pastoral center of Agra situated at Wazirpura road. There we were fascinated to see the old church built by the emperor Akbar around 600 years back. It is known as Akbar’s Church. After quick breakfast we moved to the great monument. Since we were quite early so we didn’t have to stand in log queue. Each time I go to Taj I find the number of visitors increasing. Everyday is like a festival there. We see people of different languages, different countries, different cultures all together different background. Seeing such a scene one can with ultimate firmness say that love knows no boundaries. All admire it.

           After exploring this beauty we moved on to another beautiful monument the Red Fort. We got a guide here to explain things about it. He told us many things and very interesting to know. After seeing the Red Fort, we came back and had our lunch and immediately moved to Fatehpur Sikri. It is another monument about 40 km away from Agra. It is actually the tomb of a Sufi sage Chisti. Here also people from all faiths come. It was here that Akbar built a mosque, a church and a gurudwara. It was here that he founded an ideal religion known as deen-e-elahi, a mixture of all the prominent religions of India. It is said whoever makes a wish wholeheartedly on this tomb, it is always granted. But those who have direct contact with God don’t need a mediator. After seeing this historical place we came back, had our supper and moved to the railway station. Indeed it was a memorable tour.

- B. Johnson Maria