Personal touch

It was while feeling the dome of the Taj Mahal that Gonzalez's hands lingered longest, his fingers taking in the model's smooth curves made of the very same Makrana marble as the dazzling white mausoleum in northern India.

"I knew the Taj Mahal was made of marble, but the first thing that surprised me was touching it and how cold it felt, that the model itself was also made of marble," said the 60-year-old, who has been blind since birth.

Gonzalez, his hands gliding over the monument's rooftops and facades, said he was impressed by all the work that goes into carving the marble and the little details.

"I wish there were more chances to touch such works of art," said Rojas. "Touch gives you a lot of information, even if most comes through sight, so it's very important to touch."

Agencies via Xinhua