AGRA US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump spent nearly an hour at the Taj Mahal in Agra on Monday during their two-day visit to India. They were accompanied by daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Trump and Melania held hands as they walked at the Taj complex. They were also briefed about the history and importance of the monument.
‘The Taj Mahal inspires awe, a timeless testament to the rich and diverse beauty of Indian culture! Thank you India’, they wrote in the visitors’ book after touring the Taj premises.
Trump and his wife stood in front of the Diana Seat, but did not sit on it as is usually done by VVIP guests.
The Trumps walked into the main mausoleum that houses the grave of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan who created this ‘marvel in marble’ in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal (whose grave is also in the main mausoleum).
“President Trump and his wife Melania were patient listeners. They wanted to know about the love story of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal, the architecture and symmetry of Taj Mahal,” said Nitin Singh, who guided the most powerful couple on the Taj premises.
“They enquired about the inlay work and from where the marble came. The US President’s wife asked about the story how Aurangzeb kept his father and creator of Taj Mahal, Shah Jahan in prison,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“They enquired about the inlay work and from where the marble came. The US President’s wife asked about the story how Aurangzeb kept his father and creator of Taj Mahal, Shah Jahan in prison,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}The Trumps appeared pleased with their trip to the Taj Mahal. Ivanka Trump also asked for her photograph with the mausoleum in the backdrop.
Earlier, UP governor Anandiben Patel and chief minister Yogi Adityanath and welcomed the guests who landed at Kheria airport in Agra at 4.15pm. Around 300 artistes gathered at the airport to present cultural programmes, including ‘mayur dance’, depicting Braj culture.
The US President lauded the ‘cultural welcome’ by clapping along with wife Melania.
From the Kheria airport, Trump’s convoy of over 30 vehicles drove towards a hotel near the Taj Mahal complex. From there, the President and his family and members of high-level delegation accompanying him moved into eco-friendly golf carts to travel into the monument premises, said officials.
Over 15,000 school children lined up on both sides of the 13-km route from the airport to Taj Mahal holding US and India flags and cheered the US president as his motorcade passed.
Police personnel were stationed all along the route with some stationed on roof-tops with binoculars.Tight security measures were in place with the deployment of 10 companies of Central Para Military Force and 12 companies of PAC besides a dozen teams of National Security Guard (NSG).
Cutouts of US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and massive billboards bearing greeting messages dotted the 13-km convoy route. Stages were set up on roadsides to present cultural events to welcome the VVIP guests.
Barricades were placed on the route connecting the airport and Taj Mahal to minimise public traffic from 1.30pm on Monday while authorities had got the Taj Mahal premises cleared of visitors by noon.
The Agra administration released fresh water into Yamuna, which was viewed by the President and his wife when they went to the rear side of the mausoleum.
The Trumps flew to Delhi later at about 6.50pm.
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