Published on Jun, 2022
We had been planning to visit the Taj Mahal (TM) for a long time. So on our trip to India this time, we decided to take the plunge. Unfortunately, I was not doing quite well during the second half of our trip & was almost on the verge of canceling our visit to the TM. However, my husband convinced me everything would be fine & I decided to take the risk.
It was a four-hour drive from Gurgaon, Haryana, to TM, UP. On reaching UP, our driver stated our Guide, Mr. Sooraj Mani Sharma, would join us in the car. On our drive towards the TM, the driver stopped to pick up Mr. Sharma. On entering the vehicle, Mr. Sharma introduced himself as the official, state-licensed Guide for TM. While he was speaking, I had a feeling he was no ordinary Guide. Mr. Sharms had impeccable manners, spoke excellent English, & even bought the tickets for us online, which we should have purchased before venturing out on our trip. He seemed thorough with the history of TM. While conversing, we learned he is not only the official Guide but also a professor of History at Agra university. Once I knew he was a professor, my respect for him increased tenfold. From the beginning, it was not hard to understand that Mr. Sharma was very educated. During our ride to the TM, he overheard me discussing my meds. Mr. Sharma then comforted us, saying if there were any needs during our trip to the TM to holler out to him & he meant it.
On reaching the TM, I realized almost every TM personnel knew him. He was skilled in making people get his job done through kindness & gratitude. Once at the gates of the TM, he managed to get us the golf cart so that we did not have to walk to the TM in the heat. Once we reached the ticket counter, I saw a swarm of heads of about 200 to 300 people. I almost fainted. He promised me not to worry. He took my bag with all our IDs, passports, money, & everything needed to return to the US. He told me to hand over my bag to him so he would scan it for me & asked me to head towards the security check (SC) for ladies. While at the SC, I did not have to walk, the crowd kept pushing me forward & I reached the SC. After all our SC was completed, I could not see Mr. Sharma. The baggage scanning area was a swarm of heads & at that point, and I was panicking my bag would be stolen before Mr. Sharma could get a hold of it. From out-of-the-blue, Mr. Sharma appeared with a smile & guided me through the crowd to take my bag from the scanning area. He again promised me my bag would not be lost. Through his contacts, the security man got a hold of my bag, spoke to Mr. Sharma & handed my bag back to me.
By the time we entered the main grounds, it was excruciatingly hot with sweat dripping all over my face & body. Mr. Sharma saw the distress on my face & immediately pulled out a hand fan & napkin so I could wipe my face. He told me, “Don’t worry, sister. I will make your time in the TM as comfortable as possible.” During the photo shoots, he happily held my bag so I could take my pictures. He kept us offering chilled water while in the Taj. While others were walking under the scorching heat, Mr. Sharma made the extra effort to choose all the shady areas so we didn’t pass out.
Once our trip to the TM was over, Mr. Sharma took us back to where the golf carts were & whispered in my ears to jump into the cart in desi (Indian) style. So when the people got down from the cart, I yelled, screamed, & pushed my way to make space for my husband, son, & I. Mr. Sharma sat with the driver, then turned around & commended me on my excellent job. I was so proud of myself.
Mr. Sharma then took us for lunch at Pinch of Spice restaurant. The food was excellent & authentic. We commended Mr. Sharma on his choice of restaurant. Mr. Sharma then stated that he never compromised on his standards. He believes in offering the best customer service, not for others but for himself. His work speaks for itself.
In the end, Mr. Sharma took us to the best handicraft stores supported by the Govt. of India. I have never been brought to such beautiful stores by any Guide before. Mr. Sharma again did an impeccable job. We got to see the unique marble products made by the descendants of the workers who built the TM. We saw the most precious jewel available only in Agra, the Star of India, precious & semi-precious stones. We saw artisans working on handmade carpets that take almost a year to complete. One of the carpets created by those artisans is also in a New York gallery. The owner stated a family from Texas had ordered a Texas Longhorn carpet from their store, which was later securely delivered to their home in Texas.
I cannot tell enough good words about Mr. Sharma. He is an amazing person, a doting father & husband, & hardcore professional. If you ever visit Agra, please choose Mr. Sharma as your Guide. I promise you will not regret your choice.
Lastly, Mr. Sharma is the only person I have met in India so far who covers his mouth while burping! While the others burp so loud, you can hear it from a mile away!
Free Cancellation
English 
Spanish 
French 
German 
Italian 
Chinese 
