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The Taj Mahal (Hindi: ताज महल Tāj Mahal, Urdu: تاج محل Tāj Mahal) is the incomparable marble tomb at Agra in northern India. It is a 
UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of the World. No trip to India is complete without at least one visit to the Taj.
This district covers the famed mausoleum complex and the surrounding localities.
Understand
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The Taj Mahal (TAHJ meh-HEHL), an immense mausoleum of white marble, is one of the most well-preserved and architecturally beautiful tombs in the world. Built between 1631 and 1648 by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favourite wife Mumtaz Mahal, literally the "Ornament of the Palace", the Taj is one of the masterpieces of the Indo-Islamic architecture. It has a life of its own that leaps out of marble once you understand that it is a monument of love. The Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore called it "a teardrop on the cheek of eternity", while the English poet Sir Edwin Arnold said it was "[n]ot a piece of architecture, as other buildings are, but the proud passions of an emperor's love wrought in living stones".
The Taj is constructed in white marble. It took 20 years to construct, and it is now universally known as a monument to love. There is an apocryphal tale that Shah Jahan planned to build an exact copy out of black marble on the opposite side of the Yamuna River. His plans were said to be foiled by his son, Aurangzeb, who murdered three of his elder brothers and then overthrew and imprisoned his father to acquire the throne. Shah Jahan is instead buried alongside his wife inside the Taj.
Another urban legend is that the ruler chopped off the hands of the construction workers after building the Taj, so that they could not build another such mausoleum. However, there's no evidence to support this myth. Instead, he provided them accommodation and facilities for their wellbeing at the Taj Ganj in front of the complex.
Although it is one of the most photographed edifices in the world and instantly recognisable, actually seeing it in person is awe-inspiring. Photos fall short of capturing the real beauty. The grounds of the complex include several other beautiful buildings, reflecting pools, and extensive ornamental gardens with flowering trees and bushes, and a small gift shop. The Taj framed by trees and reflected in a pool is amazing. Close up, large parts of the building are covered with inlaid stonework.
Because the Taj is white, your camera may underexpose your photos. Overexposure by 1 or 2 stops is recommended.
Read
[edit | edit source]- Beneath a Marble Sky by John Shors. A novel based on the remarkable story behind the Taj Mahal. It is an international bestseller and is being made into a film by Hollywood.
- The Taj by Colin De Silva.
Visitor information
[edit | edit source]Get in
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Polluting vehicles are banned around the Taj Mahal. So you need to use a tonga (horse-drawn carriage) or an electric vehicle while travelling in the vicinity. Camels are also available.
The Taj Mahal is open from sunrise to sunset. Depending on time of year, it is open from around 6-7AM to around 6:00-7:30PM. It is closed on Fridays due to Jumu'ah, and during the Ramadan. Entry closes 30 minutes before sunset.
Expect a queue to get into the grounds. There are three gates: the West Gate (Fatehpuri Darwaza), the East Gate (Fatehabad Darwaza) and the South Gate (Sirhi Darwaza).
The West Gate is the one where most tourists enter. A large number of people visit on weekends and public holidays and entry through the West Gate may take hours. The South and East Gates are much less busy and should be tried on such days.
Once inside, expect long queues to enter the mausoleum. There are two queues depending on the type of ticket that you've purchased. At the base of the monument, turn to your right for general (Indian) entry and turn to your left for high-value (foreigner) tickets. The general queue can wrap around the building several times by the afternoon, whereas the foreigner queue is typically empty. Helpful guards can direct you if you get lost.
Get there as early as possible to beat the crowds, and plan to visit the Taj at least two different times during the day (dusk and dawn are best) in order to experience the full effect of changing sunlight on the amazing building.
By metro
[edit | edit source]The Agra Metro has two main stops in the Taj Mahal district.
- 1 Taj Mahal Yellow (600 m (2,000 ft) from West Gate).
- 2 Taj East Gate Yellow (2.3 km (1.4 mi) from East Gate).
By car
[edit | edit source]Motor vehicles are allowed upto 600–700 m (2,000–2,300 ft) from West Gate, upto 1.1 km (3,600 ft) from East Gate, and upto 1.2 km (3,900 ft) from South Gate. Once you reach the limit, you have to park your vehicle at a designated lot.
Fees and permits
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Entry to the Taj Mahal complex costs ₹50 for Indians and ₹1100 for foreigners/NRI (Non-resident Indians). To get into the mausoleum, you must pay an additional ₹200 (March 2024).
The ticket fee for foreigners includes a small bottle of water, and disposable shoe covers for entering the mausoleum. You may also enter the mausoleum barefoot, so consider refusing the disposable shoes covers and going in barefoot. There are shoe racks to keep your shoes just outside the mausoleum.
You can buy tickets from the three entrances. The West Gate (opens 6AM) is typically the busiest (you could be queueing for hours) but closest to the city. The South Gate is less busy but opens later at 8AM. The East Gate (opens 6AM) is the furthest from the city but also generally the least busy. The Indian government also provides online ticketing for the Taj Mahal at its official website.
Entry tickets are valid for only 3 hours. If you stay longer, you will be charged an extra fee at the exit gate.
A government-issued photo ID, such as your passport, is sometimes requested to be shown to the security guards at the entrance.
Regulations
[edit | edit source]The following items are prohibited inside the Taj Mahal complex:
- Alcohol
- Chewing gum
- Food
- Headphones
- Knives
- Tobacco
- Tripods
Bringing a keyboard from a tablet is forbidden. Moreover, the cloakroom at Taj Mahal may refuse to take the keyboard without a bag or a backpack, and also refuse to take the backpack with a tablet.
Mobile phones are allowed but must to be kept switched off. Mobile phones are banned for the night viewing of the Taj Mahal.
Photography is prohibited inside the main mausoleum.
Night view
[edit | edit source]There are night viewing of Taj Mahal sessions on the nights of a full moon and the two days before and after (so five days in total). Only hand-held cameras and binoculars are allowed for night viewing of the Taj Mahal. However, the night view is likely not worth it as the visitors are kept far from the Taj Mahal (nearly 200 m (660 ft) away), and there is not sufficient light for viewing or photography.
Tickets cost ₹510 for Indians and ₹750 for non-Indians; tickets can only be purchased online at Archeological Survey of India website and are usually sold out very quickly. Opening times: 9PM-midnight; attendance is split into 30-minutes slots, 50 visitors group for each slot. A visitor must arrive 30 min prior to viewing hours for a security check at the Taj Mahal ticket kiosk at the East Gate.
See
[edit | edit source]Forecourt
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- 1 Darwaza-i-Rauza (Grand Gate). The large gate that leads to the entrance of the Taj Mahal complex. The three entrances come together to enter the complex. Videography is allowed up to the red sandstone platform of the gate.
- 2 Tomb of Fatehpuri Begum. A tomb dedicated to Fatehpuri Begum, a consort of Shah Jahan. She was a patron of the arts who had built the Fatehpuri Mosque just outside the West Gate. Built in the 1650s, it is one of the less visited monuments in the Taj Mahal complex, overshadowed by the main mausoleum. It contains a single white dome and twenty-four arches, standing on an elevated platform. It is surrounded by the intricate jali walls of its adjacent mosque.
- 3 Tomb of Sirhindi Begum. A tomb dedicated to Sirhindi Begum, also known as Akbarabadi Mahal, the third wife of Shah Jahan. She gained significant favour during the later years of the emperor, becoming his most beloved consort after Mumtaz Mahal.
Garden
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At the centre of the Taj complex is the Charbagh, a Persian-style garden divided into four parts, which provides the foreground for the classic view of the Taj. The garden includes raised pathways that divide each quarter of the garden into 16 sunken parterres or flowerbeds. A raised marble water tank at the centre of the garden, halfway between the tomb and the gateway, and a linear reflecting pool on the north-south axis reflect the Taj. Elsewhere the garden is laid out with avenues of trees and fountains. The Charbagh is meant to symbolise the four flowing Rivers of Paradise.
Some old images of the Taj had forested trees on both sides. However, at the end of the 19th century, British gardener A. E. P. Griessen, under viceroy Lord Curzon, thinned out a lot of such trees, replanted the cypresses, and gave the garden a British touch.
- 4 Hawd al-Kawthar. The raised marble water tank (hauz) at the centre of the garden, literally meaning and named after the "Tank of Abundance" promised to Muhammad in paradise where the faithful may quench their thirst upon arrival.
- 5 Naubat Khana. A two-storey drum house at the east, built of sandstone, and is capped with a white marble chhatris supported from 8 columns.
- 6 Taj Museum. A museum hosted in a structure identical to the eastern Naubat Khana.
- 7 Well.
Riverfront Terrace
[edit | edit source]- 8 Mausoleum. The focus of the Taj Mahal complex is the main mausoleum; a white cubic building with chamfered corners. It is topped by a large dome and several pillared, roofed chhatris. It comprises 4 floors; the lower chamber containing the tombs of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, the main chamber containing identical cenotaphs of the tombs below in a much more elaborate chamber, an ambulatory storey and a roof terrace.
- 9 Mosque and Jawab. Two identical buildings on either side of the platform. The Jawab, meaning "answer", was originally used as a place for entertaining and accommodation for important visitors, and is also known as "Mehman Khana", literally "Guest House".
- 10 Yamuna River. One of the holy rivers of India, considered as a goddess in Hindu culture. A tributary of the Ganges which flows from Himalayas and further downstream, while passing through Delhi.
East of the Taj Mahal
[edit | edit source]- 11 Dussehra Ghat.
- 12 Hazrat Ahmad Shah Bukhari Rahmatullah Aleh Dargah. A hidden dargah inside the Taj Forest.
- 13 Kalakriti Cultural and Convention Centre, 41/142, A/1 Taj East Gate Rd, ☏ +91 96900 17209. 10:00AM–8:15PM, Sun 10:30AM–9:00PM. Art exhibits and Bollywood-style shows about the Taj Mahal.
- 14 Tomb of Kandhari Begum. A tomb dedicated to Kandhari Begum, also known as Qandahari Begum, the first wife of Shah Jahan.
West of the Taj Mahal
[edit | edit source]- 15 Khan-i-Alam Bagh. A less-explored garden just west of the Taj Mahal complex.
- 16 Shahjahan Garden.
- 17 Fatehpuri Masjid (next to West Gate). Contains the tomb of Satti-un-Nisa.
Do
[edit | edit source]- 1 Agra Golf Course (metro: Taj Mahal Yellow ).
- 2 Taj Nature Walk (500 m from the eastern gate of the Taj Mahal, metro: Taj East Gate Yellow ). 7AM-5PM. A forest area of 11 hectares, this park has many landscaped mounds and watchtowers that provide a nice view of the Taj Mahal. There's a lake with many species of fish, birds and aquatic plants. Indian nationals ₹40 (up to 5 years free, 5 to 10 years ₹20), foreigners ₹100.
Events
[edit | edit source]- 1 Taj Mahotsav (ताज महोत्सव / تاج مہوتسو Tāj Mahotsav): 18–27 February annually (metro: Taj East Gate Yellow ). An annual 10-day festival of art, craft and culture at Shilpgram, near the Taj Mahal. It is inspired by the old Mughal and Awadhi styles prevalent in present-day Uttar Pradesh.
Tours
[edit | edit source]Official guides are available for Agra for ₹1200 for a half day, including both the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort. Ask at your agent for details. Any guide that charges less than that is probably an unlicensed tour. Most unlicensed touts have fake IDs and focus more on taking you shopping rather than on presenting accurate information. You can book a local government-approved guide by logging into the [www.tajtourguide.com Taj Tour Guide] website or online search.
You can purchase a self-guided audio tour (allows two to a device) from near the ticketing booths. Cost is ₹100 in English and foreign languages and ₹60 for Indian languages.
You can also consider downloading a free audio guide such as the CaptivaTour Travel Audio Guide, which has a reasonable free 45-minute audio guide for the Taj Mahal.
Buy
[edit | edit source]Markets
[edit | edit source]- 1 Taj Ganj (ताजगंज Tājganj). A chaotic bazaar in front of the Taj Mahal complex, a stark contrast from the complex's elegant, formal geometric layout. Originally known as "Mumtazabad", the bazaar was built as an integral part of the complex, initially to provide the construction workers with accommodation and facilities for their wellbeing. It eventually became a bustling town and the centre of Agra's economic activity where "different kinds of merchandise from every land, varieties of goods from every country, all sorts of luxuries of the time, and various kinds of necessities of civilisation and comfortable living brought from all parts of the world" were sold.
- 2 Taj East Gate. Handicrafts from different parts of Uttar Pradesh sold here.
Shopping malls
[edit | edit source]Eat
[edit | edit source]There are several restaurants in the Taj Ganj area, catering for the many tourists staying around the Taj Mahal.
Budget
[edit | edit source]- 1 Joney's Place, Taj Ganj. Perfect for early breakfast, when you want to wake up early to visit the Taj at 6AM. Offered are for example toast, coffee and cornflakes.
- 2 Treat Restaurant, South Gate Taj Mahal, ☏ +91 931 969 7497, treatagra@yahoo.co.in. breakfast, lunch and dinner. Good Indian food
- 3 Yash Cafe, 3/137 Chawk Kaghzian, near Hotel Shanti Lodge.
Mid-range
[edit | edit source]- 4 Tea’se Me, 18/159D Hotel M House, Fatehabad Rd.
- 5 Berco's Tajganj Agra, Ground Floor, Howard Plaza. Chinese cuisine.
- 6 Taj Restaurant, West Gate.
Drink
[edit | edit source]- Amar Vilas Bar, Taj East Gate Rd. noon to midnight. Beer for ₹200 and cocktails for ₹450. The terrace of Amar Vilas Bar provides a view of the Taj.
- Downing Street Bar, Howard Sarovar Portico, Fatehabad Road, ☏ +91 562 4048600, +91 562 4048699. High quality of beverages and pleasant ambience. Downing Street Bar offers dishes such as pizza and tandoori chicken from the same kitchen.
- Mughal Bar, 54, Taj Road, ☏ +91 562 222 6121, +91 562 222 6129. It's in the compound of Hotel Clarks Shiraz’s, Mughal Bar is an open-aired roof bar. It offers some continental delicacies along with Indian ones.
Sleep
[edit | edit source]| This guide uses the following price ranges for a standard double room: | |
| Budget | Under ₹1,000 |
| Mid-range | ₹1,000–6,000 |
| Splurge | Over ₹6,000 |
Budget
[edit | edit source]- Col Lamba Indian Home Stay, 58 Gulmohar Enclave, Shamsabad Rd, ☏ +91 562-3298921. Around ₹700 per person.
- Shahjahan, South Gate, near police station Tajganj, ☏ +91 562 320 0240, shahjahan.hotel@gmail.com. Almost a fancy hotel and restaurant, with a café and a rooftop with great views of the Taj Mahal. Wi-Fi only downstairs in the reception. The staff are very helpful. Five minutes' walk from the Taj. ₹300 for a couple.
- 1 Friends Paying Guest House (friendsguesthouse786@gmail.com), p-6 , Taj Nagri Phase 1, near Shilpgram Rd (southeast of Shilpgram parking lot), ☏ +91 99 1788 5278. Check-in: noon, check-out: 1PM. Family-run guest house 15-min walk east from the Taj. Food, decent Wi-Fi, TV in rooms. Cushion-furnished balcony common area for eating, drinking and lazing about. Double ₹400.
- 2 Hotel Kamal (by the south gate of the Taj Mahal), ☏ +91 562-2330126, hotelkamal@hotmail.com. ₹300-850.
- Hotel Neel Kanth, Fatehabad Rd, ☏ +91 562 2362039. ₹100+.
- Hotel Raj. Directly in front of the central entry of the Taj Mahal, simple but clean. About ₹800.
- Hotel Sheela, Tajganj (100 metres from eastern gate of Taj Mahal), ☏ +91 562-2333074, hotelsheelaagraindia@yahoo.com. Check-out: 10AM. Commission-free transport bookings, free incoming phone calls, 24 hour hot water. 22 rooms. Laundry facility. ₹500-800.
- India Inn, Taj Mahal South Gate (as you come out on the street from the south exit, turn left, then almost immediately right down the side of the Taj café, it's at the end of the dusty parking lot 40 m from the café). Check-out: 10AM negotiable. Comfortable enough. ₹300 for a double in off season.
- Rhine Hostel (Rhine YOGA Hostel), HIG - 2/10, Near Shilpgram Parking, Taj Nagri Phase 1, Taj East Gate Rd, Telipara (1 km from east gate of Taj mahal, next to Shilpgram parking), ☏ +91 99973 79977, rhinestay@outlook.com. Check-in: 1PM, check-out: 11AM. 6 rooms, 10 minute walking distance from Taj Mahal, rooftop, free stay in exchange of work available. Food, Wi-Fi, common area for eating, drinking and lazing about. single ₹199.
- Saniya Palace, Chowk Kajziyan, South Gate, Taj Ganj, ☏ +91 562 3270199. Good budget hotel with some air-con rooms. 24-hr room service. Friendly staff & fantastic views of the Taj Mahal from the roof top restaurant. ₹700
- Shanti lodge. South Taj gate. From ₹400 economic room, non air-con. Hot water, TV. Restaurant on the roof top. Be careful with the bed sheets, not very clean. Cloak room available.
Mid-range
[edit | edit source]- Harshit paying guest house (harshitguesthouse00004@gmail.com), P-50A Taj nagari phase-1, Tajganj (Fatehabad Road near big bazaar), ☏ +91 931-9105293. Check-out: noon. Five clean rooms, running hot water in the bathroom, fully air conditioned, LCD TV, Internet, home cooked food. ₹5,000.
- Hotel Mandakini Villas, Fatehabad Road, Purani Mandi, Taj Ganj (200 metres from the Taj Mahal's West Gate), ☏ +91 5626453854. Check-out: noon. Offers air-conditioned rooms each with cable TV with 100 channels, broadband Internet connection, private bathroom. You might get a little bit warmer than cold water by requesting it from the reception a few times. It is not possible to sleep without earplugs in the first floor because of the noise coming from corridor and reception all night. Get a room on the higher floors. Rates start at ₹2,690.
- Hotel Priya, Near Priya Restaurant, Near TDI Mall, Fatehabad Road (400 m from the Taj Mahal's East Gate parking), ☏ +91 562 223 1350, +91 983 777 4948. Check-out: noon. Offers air-con rooms each with cable TV with 100 channels, Internet connection, private bathroom. One of the best in this range. Double ₹1,355-2,850. Breakfast ₹150 (taxes not included.).
- 3 Hotel Taj Khema, Taj East Gate Rd, ☏ +91 56222 30001. Check-in: noon, check-out: noon.
- 4 Hotel Taj Resorts, 538, Taj East Gate Rd (near Shilpgram, which is 1km from the Eastern Gate), ☏ +91-562-2230161, fax: +91-562-2230164. Built in 2010, restaurant with rooftop seating and a beautiful pool, great view of the Taj (if not blocked by terrible pollution). US$60-70/night, ₹4,000-6,000 (June 2012, tax not included).
- 5 N.Homestay, 15 Ajanta Colony, Vaibhav Nagar, ☏ +91 969-0107860, +91 989-7444410, nguesthouse.agra@gmail.com. Check-out: 10AM. A family owned, operated guest house in a peaceful and quite colony away from the city traffic and pollution. Free parking, 24-hr free Wi-Fi, cable TV, all day water supply and accessible roof top. Single air-con room [June 2012]: ₹1199 & Double air-con room [June 2012]: ₹1499.
- Rajmahal hotel, Shilpgram, VIP Rd (eastern gate). Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. 9 km from Agra Airport. You will also get a nice view of Taj Mahal, which is 3 km away. from ₹3,500 to ₹5,500 for couple.
- 6 Tajview, ☏ +91 562 660 2000. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. An IHCL SeleQtions hotel. ₹5,300.
Splurge
[edit | edit source]- 7 Courtyard by Marriott Agra, Taj Nagri, Phase II, Fatehabad Rd, ☏ +91 952 8033170. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. ₹5,699 per night.
- 8 DoubleTree by Hilton Agra.
- 9 Howard Plaza the Fern, Agra.
- 10 ITC Mughal, Taj Ganj, ☏ +91-562-4021700, reservations@itchotels.in. Formerly the Sheraton Mughal, this is one of Agra's top hotels, with views of the Taj from the roof viewing pavilion. Large pool. The hotel's age is starting to show, but the rooms are in fine shape. Popular with tour groups. Double room [June 2012]: from ₹4,845 to ₹100,000. Taxes not included.
- 11 The Oberoi Amarvilas Agra, Taj East Gate Rd, ☏ +91 562 223 1515. The best (and most expensive) hotel in Agra. It is consistently rated among the top 10 hotels in Asia. from ₹31,860.
- 12 Radisson Hotel Agra, 1, Fatehabad Rd, Taj Nagri Phase 2, ☏ +91 562 233 3333. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. ₹6,150.
- 13 Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Agra.
- 14 The Retreat.
- 15 Taj Agra, Taj East Gate Rd, Phase 1, Taj Nagari, ☏ +91 562 233 5555. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon.
- 16 The Trident Agra, Fathebad Road, ☏ +91 562 2331818. Formerly the Trident Hilton, it's further away from the Taj than others, but is near the TDI Mall. Rooms from US$89.
Stay safe
[edit | edit source]Avoid carrying big bags and books as this will mean the guards will take longer to search through them. The guard may require you to check even medium-sized backpacks. Lockers are available at the gates to keep your belongings (of course, at your own risk). Memorise the number on your luggage ticket before you return it to the guard, who, incredibly, may proceed to tear it into tiny pieces, throw it away and then stare blankly at you as the other guard asks for your ticket.
Walking inside the Taj Mahal mausoleum in the shoe covers provided might be quite dangerous, as the marble floors are very slippery.
Respect
[edit | edit source]The Taj Mahal is a religious site. It is best to dress conservatively when visiting the Taj Mahal complex, not only because the Taj Mahal itself is a mausoleum, but also because there are mosques inside the Taj Mahal complex.
Avoid touching and scratching the walls and surfaces of the monument as these are old heritage sites that need special care.
Connect
[edit | edit source]Go next
[edit | edit source]- Agra Fort — a Mughal-era fortress near the mausoleum.
- Mehtab Bagh — provides views of the Taj opposite the Yamuna River.