Taj Mahal, Agra, INDIA
Taj Mahal attracts 2 – 4 million visitors annually with over 200,000 from overseas.
Best way to visit Taj Mahal (UNESCO World Heritage Site) is from Delhi by car or by express train. You only need maximum 10 to 12 hours to visit Taj Mahal from Delhi.
Best time to visit Taj Mahal: Round the year (Except Fridays)
Timings of Taj Mahal: Every Day Sunrise to Sunset (Except Fridays)
Best way to visit Taj Mahal
- Taj Mahal trip at sunrise
- Taj Mahal trip at sunset
- Taj Mahal trip on Full Moon evening (8:30 PM to 12:30 AM on Full moon night)
How to reach Taj Mahal, Agra
By Road (Delhi to Agra)
Delhi / Agra by Car . . . . . just 200 km
Yamuna Expressway is best way to via Delhi – Greater Noida – Agra. Delhi to Agra takes maximum around 3 – 4 hrs oneway.
By Rail (Best Express Train)
Delhi / Agra 0810/0950 hrs by Express Train ….. in just 100 minutes by Gatiman Express.
Reflection of Precious Stones at sunrise
Agra / Delhi 1750 / 1930 hrs By Express Train
Gatiman Express Train is the best tourist train from Delhi to Agra. This Luxury Train takes 100 minutes only. Starting from H. Nizamuddin Railway Station, Delhi to Agra Cantonment, Agra.
By Air (nearest Airport)
Best air connection is from Delhi Airport. which is 230 km (oneway)
Entrance Fee (Taj Mahal) : (updated October 2018)
INR 1300 Per Person (Foreigner Tourist)
INR 740 Per Person (Citizen of SAARC Countries)
INR 250 Per Person (Indian National)
No Entry Fee for children below 15 years of age (Domestic or Foreigner)
Facts about Taj Mahal, Agra (a day trip to Taj Mahal)
Taj Mahal is a while marble mausoleum located on the southern bank of river Yamuna in Agra, city of Uttar Pradesh state in India. Taj Mahal is one of the seven wonders of the world and UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is the only monument from a husband to his beloved wife. Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built Taj Mahal in the memory of his wife Mumtaj Mahal.
Prince Shah Jahan, at the age of 14, met Mumtaz, and fell in love with her. Five years later in the year 1612 they got married. Mumtaj Mahal died while giving birth to 14th child in 1631 and Emperor Shah Jahan promissed her to built a monument to prove his love. This monument of love shows how much Shah Jahan loved his queen Mumtaj Mahal. It houses the tomb of Mumtaj Mahal and tomb of Shah Jahan himself.
Taj Mahal started taing shape in 1631. About 22,000 laborers and 1,000 elephants took about 22 years to complete Taj Mahal in 1653 and an expenditure of approximately Rupees 32 million was spent in 17th century. Very soon after completion of TAJ MAHAL, Emperor Shah Jahan was deposed by his son Aurangzeb and was put under house arrest at Agra Fort. Shah Jahan died in 1666 in captivity and quietly laid beside Mumtaz.
- Emperor Shah Jahan was known as Prince Kurram.
- Mumtaj Mahal was 3rd wife of Shah Jahan and she was known as Arjumand Bano Begam, a persian.
- In Taj Mahal, around 28 different varieties of precious and semi-precious stones were used.
- As decorative elements throughout the Taj Mahal, passages from Quran have been used.
- On the sides of actual tomb of Mumtaj Mahal, 99 names of Allah can be found as calligraphic inscriptions.
- Taj Mahal was built in 2 stages, with the plinth and the tomb taking up around 15 years. Minarets, Mosque, Jawab and Gateway took additional 5 years to complete.
- Different types of marbles were brought from many different locations and countries – Rajasthan, Punjab, China, Tibet, Afghanistan, SriLanka and Arabia.
- In 1857, during Indian rebellion, many precious stones and Lapis Lazuli (a semi precious stone) were ripped off from its walls by the Britishers.
Other Monuments in & around Agra
Agra Fort
This Agra Fort is similar in layout to the Red Fort in Delhi. Agra Fort was built between 1565 and 1571 by Emperor Akbar. Emperor Shah Jahan added to the fort and ended up a prisoner in this Fort. One a clear day, one can have a beautiful view of Shah Jahan’s masterpiece “Taj Mahal”.
Fatehpur Sikri
Itmad-ud-Daulah’s Tomb
Sikandra
Mehtab Bagh
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