Whether it’s Katy Perry-Russell Brand, Julia Roberts and hubby Daniel Moder or more recently the French President Nicolas Sarkozy and wife Carla Bruni, a visit to the marbled Mughal monument of love Taj Mahal has always figured high on the list of “must see”. And even global icons don’t miss a photo-op at the love tomb. Even
centuries since it was built, the Taj Mahal continues to attract couples and a trip to India remains incomplete without the mandatory picture of the Taj in the backdrop.
According to youngsters, one of the main reasons why this monument is such a huge draw with visitors is because of all the literature, expressions of love and the history behind it. “Where else in the country does one find a monument that has such a wonderful story behind it? That apart, the Taj Mahal has been the ‘face’ of India for years and is even one of the seven wonders in the world,” says Meha Shah, an English literature student and model.
“There are so many places like the ruins of Hampi, the Golconda fort, the Charminar, the Meenakshi temple and the list just goes on. But it is just that these places don’t have a story that is as dramatic or romantic as that of the Taj,” explains Dr Srivalli Narasimhan, a history research scholar and reader.
Another reason is, of course, the way in which these architectural wonders have been marketed. “For anything related to India, there’s always an image of the Taj Mahal, this is possibly why for foreign tourists a trip to Agra is a must. Yes, there are a number of people who want to visit the South, but that is always to get a taste of the culture or to buy authentic silks,” adds Vignesh K., a tour operator, who says that this wonder is always on the top of tourists’ list along with Ajanta Caves, Goa and the palaces of Rajasthan.
No doubt the Taj remains one of the Eight Wonders of the World, and hence the interest, but it is also time our tourism departments start intelligently promoting other monuments.