Agra: Of Taj Mahal, Pethas and More!

40 Cities, 17 States, 65 Days: Follow the entire My Way On Highway road trip here.

Like all good things, the My Way On Highway Road Trip would be coming to an end as Day 65 hits dusk. I will dwell on the feelings of us two nomads on the last day of our ‘travel pilgrimage’ later. So keeping up with the tradition of writing my travelogue, here’s sharing my daily chronicles from Day 65 of our long odyssey across India. This is how the day went…

First glimpse of the Taj

Countless works of literature have been penned describing the beauty of the Taj Mahal. As a natural consequence, the traveller’s expectations are hitting the roof and mind you, all of them are met fair and square. The white marble spectacle was created back in 1648 at the whim of a forlorn husband, Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, who wanted to commemorate his love for his deceased wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

The ethereal Indian Muslim architecture displayed here was famously described as a “teardrop on the cheek of eternity” by Rabindranath Tagore. Legend has it that the hands of the artisans, who crafted the Taj Mahal, were cut by the end of the construction so that none could replicate the aura of the original symbol of love, but that’s another story altogether. Despite having visited the Taj Mahal several times before, we included it in our itinerary for there just couldn’t have been a more poetic end to our adventures on the road.

Open from sunrise to sunset daily with the exception of Friday, this most photographed edifice in the world attracts admirers from every corner of the earth, clearly making it India’s most recognizable symbol of heritage. Counted among the Seven Wonders of the World, it also enjoys being a UNESCO World Heritage site in addition to its other family members – Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri located not too far. Be prepared to be enamoured by the immaculately manicured lawns and mirror water pools and for the many touts and vendors who would be more than eager to escort you around. Honestly, you can have a more fun time exploring without their help. Though taking the horse carriage to the Taj Mahal from the car parking is not such a bad idea.

A word of caution: Do not park your car anywhere but in the government authorized parking at the Western Gate because Agra is quite notorious for car thefts.

Don’t forget to empty your pockets of any sharp objects, chargers, pens etcetera lest you will be denied entry. I had another strange experience convincing the ticket window to allow me entry even after showing my PAN card to them. Apparently, they selectively ask for Voter ID/Driving License which incidentally I was not carrying. Stand your ground with calm and logic and you will have your way.

One look at the ‘Crown Palace’ and voila! All your woes are dissipated. If given the opportunity, do try to get a sight of the monument of love on a full moon night when it is open for public viewing. Mind you, we will be going back for that in the future.

Searching for the Agra ka Petha

Another extinguished offering that the historical city of Agra brings to the erstwhile tourist is the Petha. A sweet Indian dessert lovingly prepared from the surprisingly coarse ash pumpkin, the best petha comes from a brand named Panchchi Petha. Don’t be surprised if you see hundreds of these shops, leaving you confused about one is the authentic store.



Let me put your worries to rest, for we discovered the original mithai shop that is located in Sadar Bazar, right below Pawan Hotel. Serving the famous sweet delicacy to its patrons across the world for the last 90 years, Panchchi Petha has created a tempting menu list of 15 delicious flavours. We couldn’t resist picking boxes of Paan Petha and passing on the Trip Stop recommendation to them.

A late brunch had delicious Dal Kachori and Sabzi in store for us at a humble eatery called Brajwasi in Sadar Bazar.

The Road Back

With afternoon came the realization that it was time to head back to the place where the road trip started from. We took the most popular route via the Yamuna Expressway and reached Gurgaon by 5 pm. It would have taken less than 3 hours but we decided to make a stop in Noida to meet a dear friend. As we hit NH 8 it suddenly dawned on us that the trip was indeed about to end.

But let me confess what a life changing experience being on the road to travel and self-discovery has been for us. I can safely say this for my husband Tariq and me: We are not the same “having seen the moon shine from the other side of the world”. There are such valuable life lessons we have learnt and experiences that will one day be stories for our grandkids. And here I would take the liberty of urging you to take that vacation you have been long planning. After all, “you can always make money but you can’t always make memories, so take a vacation and go as many places as you can!”