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there is something about landmarks that brings out the misanthrop in me. i attribute this to the sensation that there is something about monuments that transforms people into monumental fools. case in point: today, i witnessed perhaps the worlds most photographed building and arguably the most deserving of this distinction. we were queued before 6 in order to see the taj mahal in the pink pastel light of sunrise and were among the first dozen to make our way through the metal detectors (the security officials could work as tailors, so thorough was their search). we rounded the pathway, passed through the red stone arches, and saw that iconic scene that embodies a continent.

beautiful. stunning. gorgeous. name your superlative and we can enter it here. the white marble structure sits a bit elevated and the absence of structures behind give the impression that it is almost levitating behind the reflecting pools and manicured lawns. the early morning air almost has a bit of haze to it, giving the sensation that what lies before you is otherworldly. when the sun does change out of its pyjamas and enter the picture, the fine detailing at all elevations becomes apparent and is just as captivating.

but before the sun is seen, the shenanigans are already apparent. it must be disclaimed that i am a tourist and i know that i am a tourist. this doesn't bother me, it just is. but when the camera-clutching individuals become a throng, a certain decorum escapes. a breathtaking work of art becomes the backdrop for people to use depth perception and perspective to take ridiculous photos. multiple people held out their finger to give the impression they were tickling (?) the top of the taj. multiple groups alternated shots where one person would jump and the point-and-shooter would catch them mid-air. are they trying to jump over the taj? what on earth would possess multiple people to have the same ridiculous idea?

i know, i know, it's not that bad. however, a scene that should inspire serenity should not be the platform for grown men to actuallize their id. it's hard to take a moment for yourself, look at the reflecting pools, and have one of those moments of clarity when hiruka and yoshi are trying to spin a centuries-old monument beneath their fingers. as the pictures testify, i certainly had my camera out. it's entirely possible that i stepped into somebodies shot or slowed them in their path. but silence, people. self-restraint. it's pretty damn golden, especially when you're having your once-in-a-lifetime screening of one of the world's most inspiring settings.