Detail of the colored stone inlay in the chamber over the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal. 17th C. The further you penetrate into the mausoleum, the more delicate and rich the decoration becomes. The armed guard stationed to prevent photography inside the tomb instead passively watched me take this photograph and then extorted 50 rupees as "fees." On the way out I noticed a sign warning visitors not to pay fees charged by anyone working at the tomb. Our only other encounter with government corruption was having the armed security guards extort bribes from us as we were screened leaving the country at the Calcutta airport. One of them asked me for a "birthday present," but I felt I'd paid my dues in Agra and refused--the only one to get through to the boarding area free.