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Taj Mahal
Interesting places in Taj Mahal:| Entrance-Taj mahal | Taj Mahal Photo Point | |
| Taj Mahal - Meeting House | Taj Mahal mosque | |
| Eastern Gate | Western Gate | |
The Taj Mahal (Hindi: ¤¾ ®¹²) is a mausoleum located in Agra, India. The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned it as a mausoleum for his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Construction began in 1632 and was completed in 1648. Some dispute surrounds the question of who designed the Taj; it is clear a team of designers and craftsmen were responsible for the design, with Ustad Isa considered the most likely candidate as the principal designer.^
Agra's top two sights by far are the incomparable Taj Mahal and Agra Fort.
When planning your sightseeing, take heed of the convoluted entry fee system: for Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Itmud-ad-Daulah, Sikandra and Fatehpur Sikri, you must pay a Rs. 500 levy to the Agra Development Authority in addition to the prices mentioned below. Once paid, the levy is valid for all sights, but .
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is an immense mausoleum of white marble, built between 1631 and 1648 by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favourite wife. Taj Mahal means "Crown Palace"; one of the wife's names was Mumtaz Mahal, "Ornament of the Palace". The Taj is one of the most well preserved and architecturally beautiful tombs in the world, one of the masterpieces of Indian Muslim architecture, and one of the great sites of the world's heritage.
The Taj has a life of its own that leaps out of marble, provided 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 "Not a piece of architecture, as other buildings are, but the proud passions of an emperor’s love wrought in living stones." It is a celebration of woman built in marble and that’s the way to appreciate it.
Despite being one of the most photographed edifices in the world and being instantly recognisable, its physical presence is awe-inspiring. Not everything is in the photos. 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.
There is an apocryphal tale that Shah Jahan planned to build an exact copy out of black marble on the opposite side of the river. His plans were foiled by his son, who murdered three elder brothers and overthrew his father to acquire the throne. Shah Jahan is now buried alongside his wife in the Taj Mahal.
If you're taking a camera, beware that because the Taj is white your camera may underexpose your photos. If it's a film camera you won't find out until it's too late. Overexposure by 1 or 2 stops is recommended.
The Taj is open from 6 AM to 7:30 PM every day except Friday. Entry costs Rs. 250 (plus levy) for foreigners and Rs. 20 for Indians. 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. It is also utterly stunning under a full moon.
The Taj is located pretty much in the middle of town. Expect a line to get into the grounds. There are three gates. The western gate is the main gate where most tourists enter. A large number of people turn up on weekends and public holidays and entry through the western gate may take hours. The southern and eastern gates are much less busy and should be tried on such days.
Security is tight, so leave behind any pocketknives, as well as chewing gum, cigarettes, or anything that could mark the building. Cell phones are not permitted inside the main enclosure area: you have to check them in first at a booth nearby. Do this before you get into the long line to get in.
There are night viewing sessions on the nights of a full moon and the two days before and after (so five days in total). Exceptions are Fridays (the Muslim sabbath) and the month of Ramadan.
Agra Fort
The fort is similar in layout to the Red Fort in , but considerably better preserved, as much of Delhi Fort was razed by the British after the Mutiny. As much as palace as a defensive structure, it is also constructed mainly from red sandstone.
Emperor Akbar, king at 14, began consolidating his empire and, as an assertion of his power built the fort in Agra between 1565 and 1571, at the same time as Humayun's Tomb in Delhi. Emperor Shah Jahan added to the fort and ended up a prisoner in it. The fort has a beautiful view of his masterpiece, the Taj Mahal, on a clear day.
You can get to the fort by a cheap city shuttle bus from the north gate of the Taj. You can recognize the right bus among the many private ones by asking bystanders which one it is, and avoiding the ones they direct you to. Entry to the fort is Rs.250 (plus levy).
Other sights
- Akbar's Tomb, Sikandra . The tomb of Akbar lies here in the centre of the large garden. Akbar started its construction himself but it was completed by his son, Jehangir who significantly modified the original plans which accounts for the somewhat cluttered architectural lines of the tomb. Four red sandstone's gates lead to the tomb complex: one is Muslim, one Hindu, one christian and one is Akbar's patent mixture. Akbar's mausoleum is open from sunrise to sunset.
- Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb. Empress Nur Jehan built Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb, sometimes called the Baby Taj, for her father, Ghias-ud-Din Beg, the Chief Minister of Emperor Jahangir. Small in comparison to many other Mughal-era tombs, it is sometimes described as a jewel box. Its garden layout and use of white marble, pietra dura, inlay designs and latticework presage many elements of the Taj Mahal.
- Mariam's Tomb, west from Akbar's Tomb on Agra-Delhi highway. Constructed by Jahangir in the memory of his mother Mariam Zammani a title bestowed upon her,. The grave is made of white marble. Though this building is in a ruined condition, yet it has in its vicinity, a Christian Mission School and a church. It is also said; Akbar himself made that it in the memory of his Christian wife.
- Jama Masjid. A large mosque attributed to Princess Jahanara Begum, built in 1648 during the reign of the father Shah Jahan. Notable for its unusual dome and absence of minarets.
- Chini Ka Rauza. A memorial dedicated to the Prime Minister of Shah Jahan, Allama Afzel Khal Mullah Shukrullah of Shiraz, notable for its dome of blue glazed tiles.
Gardens
- Soami Bagh, 10 km north of Agra. The white marble samadhi of the Radah Soami religion is currently under construction. It was started in 1904 and is nor expected to be completed until sometime next century. You can see pietra dura inlaid marblework actulally being worked on. Soami Bagh is 2km north of Agra and can be reached by bus or cycle.
- Ram Bagh. The first Mughal gardens, built by the first Mughal Emperor Babar, 500 m North of the Chini Ka Rauza.
- Mehtab Bagh, directly across the Yamuna River from the Taj Mahal. These botanical gardens give you an opportunity to view the Taj at a remove from the crowds of tourists. The trip takes about 30 minutes from the center of town by autorickshaw and will cost about Rs 200. Entrance to the park is Rs 100 for foreigners. Alternatively, walk past the entrance and straight to the sandy banks of the river: the view of the Taj is every bit as lovely (perhaps more so, since the barbed wire fence surrounding the gardens will be behind you), although you may have to deal with aggressive touts.
Top photos chosen by u all:
Taj 1
Made by [ imightbewrong ]
This is the first view that you get of the building and thought it a good place to start. There may or may not be more of these to come, Im not happy with any of them. For example this shot isn't centred so one of the minarets is in view but not the other. It really shouldn't have been that difficult given the perfect symmetry of the place!
Classic View of the Taj Mahal
Made by Peter Davis
I was really excited when suddenly there was a break in the stream of tourists, giving me a chance to jump up and snap this photo. It's a little cliché but this is one of my favorite photos from my whole time in India. The Taj Mahal is everything it's cracked up to be.
Taj Mahal
Made by diametrik
The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan built this mausoleum to commemorate his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. As seen on a t-shirt: 'The Taj Mahal - Man's Greatest Erection for a Woman'
DSC_2462.jpg
Made by dogseat
Trips to India are generally incomplete without a visit to the Taj Mahal...especially at daybreak.
Agra - Taj Mahal 4
Made by micbaun
A picture of Taj Mahal late in the afternoon.
Taj Mahal Agra India
The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum. The Mughal Emperor ShÄh JahÄn commissioned it as a mausoleum for his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Construction began in 1632 and
Taj Mahal
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wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Construction began in 1632 and was completed in approximately 1653 . Some dispute surrounds the question of who designed the Taj Mahal; it is
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Nearest places of interest:
| Entrance-Taj mahal Western Gate Eastern Gate TAJ Ganj (Agra ) | advik`s place Sabari And Karthi Taj Mahal Photo Point Taj Mahal mosque |
Popular places:
|
Mumbai New Delhi Chennai Kolkata |
Bangalore Hyderabad Agra Jaipur |
