Traditional performers greet the US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump in Agra.

Shah Jahan, in prison,” he added.

The Agra administration released fresh water into Yamuna river, which was viewed by the President and his wife when they went to the rear side of the mausoleum. The Trumps appeared to have enjoyed their trip. Ivanka also asked for her photograph to be taken with the mausoleum in the backdrop.

Earlier, UP governor, Anandiben Patel, and chief minister, Yogi Adityanath, welcomed the guests who landed at Kheria airport in Agra at 4:15 p.m. Around 300 artistes gathered at the airport to perform cultural programmes such as ‘mayur dance’, depicting Braj culture.

Trump lauded the cultural welcome by clapping along with Melania. From the Kheria airport, the US President’s over 30-vehicle-long convoy drove towards a hotel near the Taj Mahal complex. The family and membersofhigh-leveldelegation accompanying him left the hotel and got into eco-friendly golf carts to travel to Taj premises, said officials. Over 15,000 school children lined up holding US and India flags on both sides of the 13-kilometre route -- from the airport to the Taj -- and cheered as Trump’s motorcade passed amid massive security arrangements.

Cutouts of Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and giant billboards bearing greeting messages dotted the route. Stages were set up on roadsides to present cultural events to welcome the visiting dignitaries.

Barricades were placed on the route to reduce public traffic from 1:30 pm while authorities had got the Taj premises cleared of visitors by noon. The Trumps flew to Delhi at about 6:50 pm.

NEW DELHI: Pianist Sahil Vasudeva, who claims to be neither an Indian classical musician nor a commercial artiste says he got the shock of his life when he received a call a week ago from Rashtrapati Bhavan, asking him to perform at the state banquet for the US President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania Trump, on Tuesday.

“I am thrilled. I am extremely lucky to have been chosen for the big occasion. I hope my performance will help strengthen the cultural dialogue between India and the US,” Vasudeva said .

The 33-year-old Delhi-born musician who was once a banker in the US, will perform for 20 minutes. After receiving the call, he performed for President Ram Nath Kovind who wanted to “get a feel of what kind of music I play and subtly instructed me on what may suit a big occasion,” he said.

Bridging the culture between two great democracies will be the main theme of his performance. “I will play a few Western classical compositions but in my signature style, which is rooted in India. I’ll also play an improvised version of a composition by Phillip Glass, where I have changed the rhythm and the tempo of the original. I plan to play compositions by impressionistic Western classical musicians who have dabbled in Indian scales.”