A lone boy and his camel waiting for tourists wanting to be photographed on his camel with an amazing backdrop.  

Behind the camel  funeral pyres are burning.

Next morning we were at the East Gate as the Taj opened.   It was a beautiful dawn.  The entrance fee at that time is quite high so there are fewer visitors and it is by far the best time to go. This first image was taken from what now seems to be called Diana's bench  The fountains down the center of the Hawd al Kawthar (Tank of Abundance) are turned off so as not to disturb the reflection. 

In 1631 the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan was grief stricken by the death of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal during the birth of their 14 child.

He began construction of her mausoleum the following year and it was completed in 1648.

A friend visiting recently (November 2009) tells me since the terrorist attack at the Taj Hotel Mumbai there has been an increase in security at the Taj Mahal and that it is no longer possible to buy your ticket at the East Gate and enter.  Tickets have to be purchased ahead of time from an office in town.

As the sun climbs higher the colour of the semi translucent white marble goes from pink to cream to sparkling white.

By the time the Taj was at it's most dazzling white and the sky it's most brilliant blue the crowds were flowing in and we were ready to leave.