Taj Mahal at sunrise

These shots from the morning show how the light changes over the course of the morning.


there's another nifty optical illusion in the architecture of the Taj--the minarettes--which aren't a typical feature of a muslim mausoleum and would never have been used for calls to prayer, but were lifted from typical (historic) mosque architecture--tilt slightly outward so that they always look parallel with the main building.
Flanking the tomb itself are 2 buildings--a mosque and a mirror image of the mosque that is just for decoration. The mosque has pavers shaped like niches that help the faithful orient themselves toward mecca. While it's no longer used for services, people still do use the mosque for prayers.

By 9 it was almost too bright to look at.