Agra's seat of Love

The famous Taj Mahal attracts thousands of tourists from the country as well as the globe. A perfect picture at the 'lovers' seat' inside the premises of the monument is something no one likes to miss, says Vijay Upadhyay.

It may sound a little absurd, but ask any tourist who has visited the Taj Mahal in Agra and he will tell you that a visit to this monument of love is not considered complete without a picture taken at the "lovers' seat" at the central tank there.

The attraction of this seat, which is also called the "premier seat" or "VIP bench" of the Taj Mahal for having seated hundreds of dignitaries like the kings and queens in its over 350 years history including emperor Shah Jahan, the creator of the Taj Mahal and also Lady Diana.

Though the tourist cameras start clicking as soon as a group enters the monument, probably the highest number of photographs of the monument are taken at the central tank, with couples jostling with each other to get an opportunity to get photographed on the "love-bench" with the magnificent Taj Mahal in the backdrop.

Folklore has it that this particular bench, carved out of the same white marble blocks that were used in constructing the Taj Mahal, holds the essence of love that forms the basis of the Taj Mahal's construction. Both married and unmarried couples sit at this bench in a bid to cherish long-lasting moments. It gives them a glimpse of the eternal love that had bound the lives of Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal.

May it be former US presidents Dewitt Eisenhower or Bill Clinton, Jaqueline Kennedy or thousands other dignitaries, including former Miss World Aishwarya Rai who arrived in Agra in the post-independence era, all have shown interest in getting photographed at the Taj Mahal, sitting on this marble bench and most of these pictures now form a part of the collection of the monument's photographers who flaunt them as their own treasure-trove.

Why this over 350-year-old slab white marble is called the "love-bench" is not hard to imagine as believers in the mythical value of this bench claim that by sitting on it, couples reinforce their love under the shadow of the Taj. As a proof to this belief, locals often cite the example of the late princess Diana who was photographed alone at this seat while visiting India with Prince Charles in 1992, an image that haunts the British media as the first public indication of the failing marriage between the two given by Diana.

But getting photographed on this seat is not a privilege restricted to celebrities alone. A normal day at the Taj begins with tourists making a mad rush to reach this seat at the earliest to avoid waiting in a queue for just one lucky picture.

Everyday, people crowd the bench, waiting for an opening to slip in for a keepsake photo, hurrying in as soon as the previous couple stands up. Photographers can be seen standing in large groups on the platform of the central tank clicking pictures of their clients who pose for the priceless shot, charging them close to Rs 100 for a set of classic poses at the bench, including "The Pinch" (creating the illusion of pinching the top of the dome), "The Jump" (leaping off the bench), and "The Princess Di" (men and women lying back on the bench in a seductive, or regal pose.)

For a history buff, it is easy to guess the reason for the insatiable charm among the tourists for a minute at this "premier seat". All one has to do is just look for a white-clad youngster who will guide you through the monument for just Rs 50. According to the absolutely preposterous claims made by some of these "guides", this was the seat where Emperor Shah Jahan and Mumtaz used to spend their evenings though they fail to realise that the Taj Mahal itself was constructed years after the death of Mumtaz.

Probably due to this continuous misinterpretation of history by local guides, the Archeological Survey of India has now banned the entry of untrained guides into the monument.

Dr D Dayalan, superintending archaeologist, ASI Agra, says that the ASI had been receiving complaints from tourists against such guides who apparently had learnt their history the wrong way and the entry of all "unapproved" guides has now been banned at the monument.

But even the bursting of this fictitious bubble cooked up by the guides does not lessen the romantic aspects of this seat and the fact that this is the best location to capture the Taj Mahal in its full ambiance and that the photographers are not allowed beyond this point also adds up to the myth of the "love-bench" that has now become a part of the Taj's history.