AGRA CONVENTION 2014

Blind Stars Beyond Facebook Bridging The Gap

7th to 9th November, 2014

Taj Mahal Visit – lifetime story …

By Peeyush Bardia / Jaipur // Rajasthan

Taj Mahal Visit – lifetime story for me. Actually on very first day only I came to know that all convention participants will go to visit Taj. It was my stupidity that I was thinking what we will do to visit Taj? I have seen photographs of Taj thousands of time in my sight days & believed that It’s specialty is it’s beauty. It is so beautiful that without seeing it’s counting in wonders of world can’t be justified. What will all people those can’t see see there? Why should I go there when I have already seen photographs of Taj My mind was filled with prejudicialness towards visually impaired. Though, it is going to be my first tourist visit after loosing eye sight.

Taj Mahal Visit – lifetime story… Agra Convention 2014 by Peeyush

We four i.e. I, Chetan Lalit ji & our little guide Bunti get ready to leave hotel room at sharp 6.00 a.m. That day was special as it was our little wonder’s birthday also. He was exciting boy among us. We took our seats in buses standing near hotel to take away for Taj. Everything was managed well as was in last 2 days. We leaved buses before 1 k.m. near Taj, where we shifted in battery operated vehicles.

That was also a new experience for us to sit in a big capacity battery vehicle. We discussed it’s worthiness in contrast of security of Taj as well prevention from high city pollution. This kind of contaminated atmosphere surely dangerous to Taj. When our newly made buildings are being affected with this polluted environments than what can we say for approx. 400 years old Taj.

We arrived at a destination where we cleared security checks & I think got in Taj corridor. It was also a new thing for me when we were walking like a train. We all 5 people, we are also with us Mr. Aftab who is from Delhi & was seated in bus with me. Holding each other’s arm & walking back to back one with Bunti. Here is the time where we got to know desperately to need someone to guide us for further visit. Then, we were fortunate to meet Mr. Volunteer who was here to guide us on this trip. He took our hand & asked to follow him towards Taj. Then we nab him tightly & decided to not to leave till the visit end. Now our actual visit to Taj started.

All we are enthusiastic & our anxiety increasing step by step we are taking towards Taj. We all are cracking jokes on Taj history. Actually Lalit Ji is a History teacher by profession & he was very informative on it & all we are only enjoying cracking jokes on his informations. We reached at Big darwaza where we came to know

It’s specialties. We seen the door & it’s Quran aayatein by touching & feeling with manifestation by our Mr. Volunteer. He construed us about the architecture & height. Here we came to know his name & he introduced to us as Edverd. There chetan cracked a remarkable joke. He said our group Secular Group as, Hindu, Muslim, Christian & Jain (that is Me). Edverd was a very polite, humble & soft spoken. We asked too many foolish things but he was very calm & serving us with full dignity. Then I asked him also the Love Bench where I have seen many celebrities posing for photographs. One of them I remember was Aishwarya Rai’s picture & I asked him where is the bench where Aishwarya has been clicked. All make lol to me but I was curious to se. I know that was a great view for all except us. That was looking a Irony of Life that we want to click pictures but can’t see ourselves.