Taj Mahal : The Jewel of Muslim Art in India
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| A view of Taj Mahal from the front garden. |
The Taj Mahal (meaning Crown of the Palace) is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the south bank of the Yamuna river in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan (reigned 1628–1658), to house the tomb of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The tomb is the centerpiece of a 17-hectare (42-acre) complex, which includes a mosque and a guest house, and is set in formal gardens bounded on three sides by a crenelated wall.
Construction of the mausoleum was essentially completed in 1643 but work continued on other phases of the project for another 10 years. The Taj Mahal is believed to have been completed in its entirety in 1653 at a cost estimated at the time to be around 32 million rupees, which in 2015 would be approximately 52.8 billion rupees (US$827 million). The construction project employed some 20,000 artisans under the guidance of a board of architects led by the court architect to the emperor, Ustad Ahmad Lahauri.
The Taj Mahal was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for being "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage". Described by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore as "the tear-drop on the cheek of time",it is regarded by many as the best example of Mughal architecture and a symbol of India's rich history. The Taj Mahal attracts 7–8 million visitors a year. In 2007, It was declared a winner of the New 7 Wonders of the World (2000–2007) initiative.
How to Reach Taj Mahal
The Taj mahal is open from Sunrise to sunset. So,The timings varies throughout the year.The Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays and when VVIP's visit(normally for 3 hours).
Agra is 204 kms from Delhi, 235 kms from Jaipur - these two places are the main tourism hubs surrounding Agra. The most popular method of reaching Agra from Delhi is by train (2 to 3 hours) and road (4 to 5 hours), from Jaipur by road (5 to 6 hours) and train (4 hours).
Normally Jaipur and Agra are clubbed together as the famous Indian Golden Triangle Tour, and this journey is popularly undertaken by road when organised by tour operators (being most cost effective) and independently by either train or bus - both which have good and reliable services between Agra, Jaipur or Delhi.
To reach Agra by road you can hire a "Taxi" Car or Bus; or use Public scheduled transport.
Anyways , At about 09:45 AM , we were on the land of Mughal monuments and buildings.
Agra is 204 kms from Delhi, 235 kms from Jaipur - these two places are the main tourism hubs surrounding Agra. The most popular method of reaching Agra from Delhi is by train (2 to 3 hours) and road (4 to 5 hours), from Jaipur by road (5 to 6 hours) and train (4 hours).
Normally Jaipur and Agra are clubbed together as the famous Indian Golden Triangle Tour, and this journey is popularly undertaken by road when organised by tour operators (being most cost effective) and independently by either train or bus - both which have good and reliable services between Agra, Jaipur or Delhi.
To reach Agra by road you can hire a "Taxi" Car or Bus; or use Public scheduled transport.
05:00 AM , August 27, 2017
We Wanted to be at Taj before 10 o'clock , So , We got ourselves Fresh and took a cab to ISBT , Anand Vihar , New Delhi. It took another 15 minutes to find the right bus that would drop us to Agra. After posting update on our Facebook timeline and Official Page , We got musical with Nitish's playlist of melodious 80's and 90's Songs from Bollywood to make our selves comfortable. After all it was going to be a 3 hour long Journey.
While our way to Agra, near buddh International circuit , Something memorable happened for us. It was memorable because it was first experience like that for us. what we saw that 10-12 super bikes were racing along with normal vehicles on the expressway. each bike sounded like a rocket while passing by.
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| A Illustration of bikes on Yamuna expressway |
Anyways , At about 09:45 AM , we were on the land of Mughal monuments and buildings.
10:00 AM , August 27 , 2017
It was a great day for me as I was going to meet my Brother who was there in Agra for his National level NCC Camp. we Got at Taj about 10:30 AM , and that was it! For a person like me who is not a fond of Historical and monument visits , it was a totally different world . All walls and buildings made of sandstone , It was a peaceful and cooling environment.
We got our tickets pretty quick and got ourselves checked properly . Then we were in the compound and I called my brother who was already there with his group.
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| Me ( in middle ) , My brother , and Nitish ( taking Pic ) |
11:00 AM , August 27 , 2017
We got in and Started exploring the Taj . It is an amazing experience being with unknown people at such a place. I can now tell , Yes , Taj Mahal is one of the most visited places in India by Foreign Visitors.
Enjoy the pictures below and Do plan a trip if You haven't been there before.
Now Here are some tips You should Follow when You are there after 10:00 AM
- You must keep yourself hydrated all time. It will be better to take a water bottle with you.
- You must not go with empty belly . It can be dangerous as the place becomes warm due to stones all around you gets warm by sun rays.
- It is advised to take a sun glass to keep your eyes cooler.
- Don't throw you money taking pictures with local camera persons. take your DSLR or smartphone to assist you.
- Don't Litter around . Taj is a place of National Pride and you don't want to present a uglier picture of your self.
We took a Bus way back to Delhi and we were at our room by 06:00 PM . It took about 800 INR per person. and It is pretty cheap for us.
Thanks for reading till here. Follow us on Facebook and YouTube. We will be back with more trip stories and News related to Survival Tourism and Eco-Tourism. Bye Till Then.
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