Agra – The first foreigner to climb the dome of the Taj Mahal was James M. Andrews, a young American.Taking the risk of his life, he fulfilled his dream in 1927. The question arises as to why he climbed to the top of the Taj Mahal dome is a mystery. It is told that he wanted to see the beautiful view of Yamuna from there. The shocking thing is that how he managed to climb to the top of the steep and slippery marble dome is a wonder to all. It is said that he was able to climb any dangerous places. He was a student of SS Random, the only floating university in the world at that time. The inset shows him in a closer view looking towards the river Yamuna. Watching from the ground below are the local Indian attendants and probably the rest of the foreign crew.
In 1926 the University World Cruise Holland American Line Rindum left New York harbor. On a seven-month round-the-world cruise,he visited 35 countries, including the then British India. In India, he came to Agra by train, disembarking at the port of Bombay or Calcutta.
