Taj Mahal

Visit the Taj Mahal | History, Tips & Tours

The Taj Mahal is situated on the banks of the River Yamuna in the city of Love which is Called Agra, 235 km far from the New Delhi Airport. It remains as a demonstration of genuine affection and the potential sensational excellence of engineering. The Taj is a notable structure and an 'absolute necessity' when an explorer visits India. To value the Taj, a tremendously occupied and somewhat turbulent landmark, an arrangement is required. Along these lines, here are my top tips to visit the Taj Mahal.

TAJ MAHAL 

one of the most Beautiful Tourist Monument in the world

Tables of Contents 

1.WHAT IS THE TAJ MAHAL? 

1.1. History of Taj Mahal 

1.2.Taj Mahal: A design work of art 

2. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU VISIT THE TAJ MAHAL 

2.1. When is the best an ideal opportunity to visit the Taj Mahal 

2.2. Know the opening times and be the first in the line 

2.3. Plan the entryway through which you will enter and think about the passageway conventions 

2.4. What are the expenses to enter Taj Mahal 

2.5. Security is tight at the Taj Mahal 

2.6. Dress unobtrusively 

2.7. Say no to selfies 

3. TOURS and GUIDES TO VISIT THE TAJ MAHAL 

3.1. Getting a legitimate and authorized guide 

3.2. Audio voyages through the Taj Mahal 

4.VIEW THE TAJ MAHAL FROM AFAR 

4.1. See the Taj Mahal from Yamuna River 

4.2. Taj Mahal sees from the open country 

5. HOW TO GET TO AGRA 

6. WHERE TO STAY IN AGRA

WHAT IS THE TAJ MAHAL?
History of Taj Mahal
Construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632 after the untimely death of Mumtaz Mahal, the most beloved wife of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. She died giving birth to their 14th child and it is fabled that her heartbroken husband went grey-haired overnight such was the strength of his grief.

The Taj is effectively a mausoleum, a sacred place where Mumtaz Mahal’s body was entombed. It is a monument that was created with love, grief and the remembrance of beauty at its heart.

The awe-inspiring main building and huge garden were completed in 1648 and the guest house, southern guest house, courtyards and mosque added later and finished by 1653.

The bereaved Emperor searched the entire Mughal empire, Iran and Central Asia to find the finest craftsmen, artisans and builders for his project and an architect called Ustad-Ahmad Lahori was in charge.

Lahori’s brief was to reflect Mumtaz Mahal’s beauty with opulence, a grand design and the Emperor needed to see the Mausoleum from his Palace. The Taj Mahal is known as one of the Seven Wonders of the World so a much-loved wife, whose name meant ‘Jewel of the Palace, has truly been remembered.

Taj Mahal: An architectural masterpiece

A visit to the Taj Mahal will be busy, filled with other people and a moment to cherish forever. Remember, once you have an Insta ready selfie-and gawped your fill at the colourful and bold crowds who hail from all corners of the world, take a deep breath and really look at the Taj.

The building before you is one of the finest examples of design, detail and symmetry. As a whole, it’s a joy to behold! White marble that glows in the sunlight and an outline that flows beautifully. The glorious gardens were covered with a light mist when I visited. It added an ethereal beauty.

It’s the detail that captivated me. Mother of Pearl studded creamy marble, precious jewels embedded in the fabric of the walls and an intricate, ornate etched design. Take the time to really ‘see’ what you’re witnessing.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU VISIT THE TAJ MAHAL 

When is the best an ideal opportunity to visit the Taj Mahal 

The greatest months to visit the Taj Mahal are November to February. You will miss the rainstorm and the warmth of the late spring. 
Opening occasions are from dawn to dusk. Focus on dawn before the groups show up. 
The Taj Mahal is shut on Fridays. 

Know the opening times and be the first in the line 

The ticket office opens at around 6am yet set your alert excessively right on time to be in the line by 5.30am. I guarantee you, it's justified, despite any trouble to observe the staggering magnificence of the early morning sun enlightening the luminous mother and pearl trimmed marble dividers. 
The ticket office will close around 45 minutes before dusk. 
Vehicles aren't permitted close to the Taj because of the harming impacts of contamination on the structure. It's a large portion of a mile stroll from the ticket office toward the East Gate. 
There are bicycles and 'Tuk Tuks' available and a golf carriage ride or battery fuelled transport venture are remembered for the ticket cost. Be ready for the getting of these carts to be tumultuous. The aides are serious and underhand with regards to getting 'their' gathering to the entryway first! 

Plan the door through which you will enter and think about the passage conventions 

There are three doors into the Taj Mahal East, West and South. We utilized the East Gate which was the nearest to our lodging and the remainder of the 'better' inns. 

The East Gate – near inns, well known with outsiders, less swarmed for the duration of the day yet busier at dawn because of the enormous gatherings of travelers showing up, separate lines for outsiders and vacationers. 

The West Gate – the door of decision for local people, further from the inns, caught up with during the day however a decent choice at dawn, separate lines for outsiders and travelers. 

The South Gate – this door opens later at 8am, it's near a market with heaps of pushy dealers, incredible for people viewing.
However, the highlight to the inlaid scheme is provided by what is described by the Mughal historians as 'parchin kari'. This was, at the time, the most expensive and up to date form of architectural decoration available to the Mughal architects.

What are the charges to enter Taj Mahal 

  • Outsider/Tourist tickets – 1100 rupees with an extra 200 rupees for access to the principle tomb. 
  • Neighbourhood tickets – 50 rupees with an extra 200 rupees for access to the fundamental catacomb. 
  • Youngster cost – under 15's free. 
  • What's incorporated? – The expense of an outsider's ticket incorporates a container of water, shoe covers (significant!) and transport or golf truck administration to the passage entryway. Guests are just allowed to remain for three hours, should the gates register a more extended time you will be required to pay once more. 

Security is tight at the Taj Mahal 

Approaching the Taj Mahal with deference and acting in a neighborly and kind manner shouldn't require clarifying yet here are the guidelines you should keep: 

  • Keep the Taj spotless and liberated from garbage. 
  • Shoe covers must be worn. 
  • Aides recruited by travelers must be affirmed by the specialists. 
  • Numerous vacationers appreciate a photograph shoot in the grounds of the Taj. It's exceptionally engaging to watch! In the event that this requests to you, ensure your picture taker is authorized and conveys a character card. 
  • No vehicles equipped for making the contamination that will harm the Taj are permitted inside 500 meters of any of the structures. 
  • Sightseers who would prefer not to stroll from the ticket office or vehicle park can utilize the battery fuelled transports and golf trucks. 
  • Guests must not convey food, cigarettes, lighters, weapons, drones, wires such a telephone chargers and any electrical hardware other than cameras. 
  • Cell phones must be kept on quiet. 
  • No photography or voices over a murmur are permitted in the catacomb. 
  • Abstain from contacting the structure dividers, regardless of how delicate and benevolent, it can cause harm. 
Dress unobtrusively 
There is no official clothing regulation when visiting the Taj Mahal however there are desires. On the day we visited I saw all various sorts of attire styles from burkas to nightgown dresses and belly bearing saris. My recommendation to ladies is dress unobtrusively with legs and shoulders secured… and indeed, I had a long-sleeved top on before the photograph was taken! Plan your pressing rundown well for India, despite the fact that there is no deficiency of spots to purchase scarves. Holding up in the line at dawn was a piece on the virus side, take a coat to keep you warm until the sun comes out!

Detail Of Inlaid Art with Semi Precious stones

State no to selfies 

It's pretty normal for Indians to take selfies with Westerners and regularly do as such with your consent. It tends to be very awkward and upsets your thankfulness for taking in the excellence of the Taj Mahal. On the off chance that you express yes to one, at that point you will be assaulted so I'd dodge assuming there is any chance of this happening. 


Visits and GUIDES TO VISIT THE TAJ MAHAL 
Getting a respectable and authorized guide 

An extraordinary guide, for example, the one we had, will improve your visit a lot. The set of experiences, stories and insider tips that an expert guide will give are important. Our own brazenly 'took' the principal transport to the entryway to get us in first, told us the best way to get the absolute best selfies (striking hued garments look fab against the marble!) and ensured we got pictures with no different guests out of sight and that is uncommon! 

  • There are just 50-60 authority manages that can be recruited exclusively. Be that as it may, with a great many unapproved guides sitting tight for clueless sightseers, this is a hard errand. These 'promotes' will hassle you for cash and tips in return for a severely conveyed and incorrect 'visit'. 
  • Official visits are brilliant and a smart thought on the off chance that you need to set aside a touch of cash in contrast with a balanced guide. 'Get Your Guide visits' are strongly suggested for visiting the Taj Mahal. They are very much valued and utilize educated and fun aides. 

Sound voyages through the Taj Mahal 

In case you're a free soul and the idea of being crowded round the Taj Mahal is a mood killer, examine 'Sound Compass' and 'Captiva Tours'. Both are downloadable as applications that contain an hour and a half of data about the Taj, the best spots for photographs, an intuitive guide and photographs. 

VIEW THE TAJ MAHAL FROM AFAR 
See the Taj Mahal from Yamuna River 

The Taj Mahal sits on the banks of the Yamuna River in Agra. You can get perspectives on this staggering structural work of art from the contrary bank. Seeing the many-sided excellence and visiting Taj Mahal very close is unmissable yet getting an alternate point of view and a continuous view is magnificent. 

Dusk visits are bookable through confided in organizations, for example, Viator. Envision an exciting cycle ride from Agra, an awesome guide and the ideal spot to watch the stunning sun set behind a shining Taj Mahal from a deserted lookout.

Taj Mahal sees from the open country 

For a more novel encounter, I'd head out on bicycles, visit the nearby towns and see rustic farmland direct. As we tuned in to the families about their life, drank chai and we viewed the nightfall reward us with the most superb vista of the Taj Mahal from the homestead.

HOW TO GET TO AGRA

There are many ways to make your way to the city of Agra from locations around India.

BY AIR: Flights routes from major cities in India such as New Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Pune.

BY TRAIN: The city of Agra is on the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Chennai route. With a journey time of 2 hours on the train from Delhi to Agra, the Taj Mahal is just one of the wonderful places to visit near Delhi. Agra is home to 5 train stations in total so the city is well connected to most cities across India.

BY BUS: Agra is well connected to cities like Delhi, Jaipur, Gwalior, Lucknow and Kanpur. 

WHERE TO STAY IN AGRA

Agra is a city of contrasts. From elegant hotels full of delicious food and wine to ragged toddlers playing in dusty, dirty roadside ditches. The reality of this exhilarating city is sobering and worth experiencing. I’d stay for a few days to enjoy the Taj, the Red Agra Fort and some of the most mouth-watering street food you have ever had.


So, where to stay? There are numerous hotel options to suit every taste, budget and sensibility.