January 7th, 2018
Today, we had the honor of visiting one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal. We traveled approximately four hours by bus to the city of Agra which is located on the bank of the Yamuna River. It is a major tourist attraction due to its many Mughal built sites such as the Taj Mahal as well as the Agra Fort. Described as "a teardrop of love on the cheek of time", the Taj Mahal is made entirely of white marble and was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to honor and house the tomb of his most beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal who had died giving birth to their 14th child. The construction of the entire complex took a little over 20 years. The Taj is a symbol of love. Built strategically, on the four corners stand 4 minarets, that which we learned were built at a 95 degree angle facing outward. In case of an earthquake, these enormous structures would never fall in the direction of the main structure housing the tomb and cause any damage. Not long after the completion of the structure, Shah Jahan was imprisoned and overthrown by his own son in order to take over his rule. For years, Shah Jahan was imprisoned in Agra Fort, only able to view the Taj Mahal from afar. Jahan was buried next to his wife at his time of death. 
After the Taj Mahal, we visited a place called Sheroes' Hangout for lunch. Sheroes is far more than a restaurant. Founded by the victims of acid attacks, these women united together to form a community of survivors and a positive environment for all to enjoy. These women had suffered debilitating blows to their health and self esteem, yet were able to get themselves together to fight for their cause and their rights. The amount of fear and pain they must have faced is simply unimaginable.
Anyone can come in to their establishment to eat and there is no set menu pricing. They only request that you contribute whatever you can no matter how little the amount. This was the most touching part.
Following Sheroes, our final visit for the day was to Agra fort, a short ride down the road. This fort is a symbol of power, strength and resilience as it still stands strong after hundreds of years today. Built as the main residence of the Mughals, the fort contains many different palaces and halls, most of which we were not able to see and do not have access to because it is still in use. Still, what we saw was tremendous and as previously stated was once the site of the imprisoned Shah Jahan.
After our visits we headed back to the hotel. Tonight, the traffic finally showed us a little mercy! 10 pm Pizza Hut delivery has also become my best friend. Looking forward to our next adventure tomorrow.
Katie Miras
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