In the early morning, when the world is still half asleep, a veil of mist hovers over the Taj Mahal. The marble dome shimmers softly in the first light, as if the monument itself greets the sun. Local legends tell that Shah Jahan, the emperor who had this masterpiece built, returns at this very hour in the form of a bird, fluttering around the minarets to honour his eternal love, Mumtaz Mahal. The silence is broken only by the soft twittering of birds and the rustling of trees, as if even nature keeps the secret of the Taj. For a moment, time seems to stand still, caught in the magic of morning light.