india

Updated: Feb 24, 2020 20:39 IST

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday presented a large portrait of the Taj Mahal to United States President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, as the couple departed from Agra for New Delhi for the final and main leg of their two-day visit.

Accompanied by his daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner, the US President had visited the 17th-century monument earlier in the day.

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Assisted by a guide, the couple took a stroll, hand in hand, at the Taj Mahal lawns. They also posed for a picture at Diana’s bench. At the same time, Ivanka and her husband, accompanied by the high-level US delegation, were seen posing for pictures at the 17th-century monument built by Mughal ruler Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal.

“The Taj Mahal inspires awe. A timeless testament to the rich and diverse beauty of Indian culture! Thank you, India!” Trump wrote in the visitor’s book.

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In spite of the long and tiring day participating in a range of engagements, from the roadshow to addressing a mammoth crowd during the ‘Namaste Trump’ event, the US President was seen taking immense interest during the visit to the Taj, noticing minute details, inquiring of them with the guide accompanying the First couple.

The Taj Mahal was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the 17th Century as a mausoleum for his wife Mumtaz Mahal. The structure with white marble domes and minarets became a Unesco World Heritage site in 1983. Regarded as the monument to love, the Taj Mahal attracts millions of visitors every year.

Trump will shortly arrive in New Delhi for the third and final leg of his nearly-26-hour-long trip to India.