Taj sparkles after rain

The Taj Mahal sparkled Tuesday after two spells of showers even as the swollen Yamuna flowed majestically, touching the base of the 17th century wonder.

The water level in the river dropped five feet below the danger mark of 495 feet. And the temperature slid from 40 degrees Celsius Tuesday to 30. Wet weather has been forecast the next few days.

The shower-washed Taj looked sparkling white as tourists made a beeline to keep their date with the monument to love.

"For a change even the Yamuna at the rear of the Taj afforded a magnificent view all the way till the bend along the Agra Fort," said Amit Sisodia of Agra Beat, which organises heritage walks.

"From a sewage canal, the Yamuna has turned into a real river, one that attracted the Mughals to once build their wonderful monuments on its banks," he said.

The Taj Mahal is India's biggest tourist attraction.