About the Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is an integrated complex of structures that include a white marble mausoleum containing the tombs of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (1592 - 1666) and his third wife Mumtaz Mahal (1593-1631). The Mughal dynasty built many mausoleums in the Indian subcontinent but the Taj Mahal is undoubtedly the finest. The mausoleum is built entirely of white marble, set on a high base or plinth which includes four tall minarets, one on each corner. On either side of the tomb are a mosque and a guest house, while the tomb faces a garden laid out in the "charbagh" style, with a central walkway with fountains and viewing platforms with green spaces and trees on either side. The entrance to the complex is through a grand ornamental gateway, inscribed with Quranic inscriptions and the calligraphed line "O Soul, thou art at rest. Return to the Lord at peace with Him, and He at peace with you."
Location of the Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is located in Agra, in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located on the banks of the River Yamuna and is easily accessible by road.
Agra is about 200 km from Delhi (165 if you use the Yamuna Expressway) and is easily accessible by flights, roadways and train services. The travel time from Delhi to Agra by road is around 3 hours.
In order to minimize the effects of pollution, vehicles are not allowed in the immediate vicinity of the Taj Mahal. Cars and buses have to park in parking lots a short distance away from the mausoleum complex and tourists can board non-polluting electric buses to reach the Taj Mahal.
You can travel from Delhi to Agra, see the Taj Mahal, and return in one day. However, if you wish to see more of the sights of Agra and shop in the city's markets, then it is a good idea to stay overnight.
In order to minimize the effects of pollution, vehicles are not allowed in the immediate vicinity of the Taj Mahal. Cars and buses have to park in parking lots a short distance away from the mausoleum complex and tourists can board non-polluting electric buses to reach the Taj Mahal.
You can travel from Delhi to Agra, see the Taj Mahal, and return in one day. However, if you wish to see more of the sights of Agra and shop in the city's markets, then it is a good idea to stay overnight.
Best Time To Visit the Taj Mahal
The best time to visit the Taj Mahal is in the autumn, winter and spring months from October to February. The peak summer months of May to July are best avoided because of the hot weather. The months of October and November, after the monsoon, offer the sight of the Taj at its mesmerising best, as the gardens are lush with greenery and the Yamuna river flows proudly past the Taj Mahal, swollen with post-monsoon rain. Both these factors enhance the overall experience of viewing the Taj Mahal.
Taj Mahal Timings
The Taj Mahal complex is open for visitors from sunrise to sunset (6 a.m. to 7 p.m.) on all weekdays, with the exception of Friday. On Fridays the mosque in the Taj Mahal complex is open for prayers from 12 noon to 2 p.m. At this time, tourists are not permitted to enter the complex.
On full-moon nights, and one night before and after a full-moon, the Taj Mahal complex is open for visitors who wish to view the Taj by moonlight - a truly spectacular sight. The moonlight viewing sessions are not permitted during the month of Ramadan and on Fridays.
While travelling to the Taj Mahal complex, do note that security restrictions apply at the complex and the only items a tourist may carry into the grounds are the following: mobile phones, still cameras, small video cameras, small purses carried by ladies, and water in transparent bottles.
Taj Mahal - Entry Fee, Timing, Address, Official Website
Address :Dharmapuri, Forest Colony, Tajganj, Agra, Uttar Pradesh 282001Entry FeeEntry fee for Indians: Rs. 40 Entry fee for Children: No entry fee for children below the age of 15 years. (Both Domestic and Foreigner). Entry fee for Foreigners : Rs. 1,000 Entry fee for others : Rs. 530 (Citizens of SAARC and BIMSTEC Countries) Visitors can also book online tickets or e-tickets at IRCTC website www.asi.irctc.co.in or can buy them from the e-ticket windows at the monument.TimingsVisiting Hours - Sunrise to SunsetDays When ClosedFridayPhone No (Official)+91-562-2226431,+91-562-2233056Official Websitehttp://tajmahal.gov.inPhotography allowed or notAllowedWi-FiVisitors can use free wi-fi internet service for half an hour inside the complex. Rs. 30 per hour will be charged for using the facility after half-an-hour.
Taj Mahal Facts
Construction: The Taj Mahal was constructed over a time span of 23 years. Construction began in 1632 (after Mumtaz Mahal's death in 1631) and was completed around 1653.
Timeframe: Construction of the main mausoleum was completed in 1648 and the surrounding buildings and garden were completed after another five years.
Number of workers: Twenty-thousand artisans and craftsmen worked to construct the building, lay the lawns and carry out the intricate carvings and inlay work.
Architects: Ustad Ahmad Lahauri or Ustad Isa was the chief architect. Other craftsmen who worked on the building were: Amanat Khan from Shiraz in Iran, who was the chief calligrapher, Chiranjilal, an expert on precious stones, from Delhi, who was the chief decorative sculptor, Muhammad Hanif, who was chief supervisor of the masons and Abd ul-Karim Ma'mur Khan and Makramat Khan who managed the finances and the daily production on the construction site.
Role of elephants: Over 1,000 elephants were put to work on the construction site, to lift, carry and transport logs, blocks of marble and any other material that was required across the construction site.
Source of the material used in construction: About 28 different varieties of semi-precious and precious stones were used in the inlay work inside the tomb. The stones included lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, sapphire came from Sri Lanka, turquoise was from Tibet, jade and crystal from China, carnelian from Arabia and jasper from Punjab. The white marble was sourced from Makrana in Rajasthan.
Total cost of the construction: Scholars have estimated that the total cost of constructing the Taj Mahal may have been about 32 million Rupees at that time.
Shah Jahan's imprisonment: Shah Jahan was deposed by his son Aurangzeb, in 1654, one year after the construction of the Taj Mahal was completed. Shah Jahan lived out the last decade of his life, till his death in 1666, as a prisoner in Agra Fort. He spent his days gazing across the Yamuna river to the monument he had built in memory of his lost love. When Shah Jahan died in 1666, Aurangzeb had him entombed beside his beloved Mumtaz Mahal. There they rest, united by death, never to be parted again.
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