The Taj Mahal is a historical monument built on the right bank of the river Yamuna in Agra. It was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to express his love towards his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The actual name of Mumtaz Mahal is Arjumand Banu Begum. Shah Jahan named his wife Mumtaz Mahal, a beloved palace ornament, for her beauty of love.
The actual name of Shah Jahan is Prince Khurram. He was named Shah Jahan after ascending the peacock throne in the Mughal Empire. The Taj Mahal is one of the world’s wonders.
Contents
- 1 Where is the Taj Mahal Located?
- 1.1 Taj Mahal Timings:
- 1.2 Night visiting hours:
- 1.3 Facts About Mahal
- 1.4 The Shah Jahan Promises to Mumtaz Mahal
- 1.5 Taj Mahal Ticket Price:
- 1.6 Taj Mahal Ticket Booking:
- 1.7 Free entrance to the Taj Mahal on special days:
- 1.8 Best 9 Views Visit the Taj Mahal
- 1.9 Dos and Donts:
- 1.10 Taj Mahotsav Festival
- 1.11 Things not to carry
- 1.12 Best Time to Visit
- 1.13 Tour guide
- 1.14 The Garden begins at the entry.
- 1.15 Things to do
- 1.16 Agra Tourist Places
- 1.17 Hotels near the Taj Mahal
- 1.18 Contact Details
- 1.19 How to reach the Taj Mahal:
- 1.20 FAQs
Where is the Taj Mahal Located?
| Location | Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India |
| Total Area | 17 hectares (42 acres) |
| Architect | Ustad Ahmad Lahori |
| Height | 73 m (240 ft) |
| Built it in | 1631–1653 |
| Built for | Mumtaz Mahal |
| Style of Architecture | Mughal architecture |
| Significance | 7 Wonders of the World |
| Opened on | 1648 |
| Entry gates | West, East, South |
| Dedicates to | Mumtaz Mahal, wife of Shah Jahan |
| Building Type | Islamic tomb |
The Taj Mahal is located in the state of Uttar Pradesh in Agra. In the western part of the Uttar Pradesh state in northern India, the Taj Mahal was constructed.
The Taj Mahal is on the bank of the river Yamuna. It is the southern part of the river Yamuna. On the eastern side of the Agra fort, about one mile away Taj Mahal is located.
Taj Mahal Timings:
The Taj Mahal has been a tourist spot for decades. People come from all over the world to visit the Tajmahal and have a beautiful experience. Since Covid-19 has affected normal human life during 2020, the Mahal is closed, and visitors cannot visit the Wonderful place for about a year.
After the situation had been normal, the Uttar Pradesh government decided to reopen the Mahal and allow visitors a wonderful experience.
During Normal Days: Taj Mahal is open 30 minutes before sunrise and closes 30 minutes before sunset.
On Fridays: The Taj Mahal is close to visitors Fridays. Every Friday, Mahal is not open for visitors.
Notice: Every month, night visiting is available for the visitors on the five full moon days. i.e., two days before the full moon day, on the full moon day, and two days after.
Night visiting hours:
From 8:30 pm to 12:30 pm on the five days every month. There will be eight batches every day during night visiting. For every batch, 50 members can go.
- The time duration is 30 minutes for the batch.
- No Video cameras.
- Taj Mahalnight view is available five days a month, including a full moon night and two nights before and after the full moon.
- Only 400 people can go for a single night.
- Reach half an hour before.
- There is no entry inside the Mahal at night, and you can view the Mahal from a distance.
- Belongings must keep at security before.
Taj Mahal Ticket: Mahal is one of the most wonderful places in the world. Visitors can take a ticket to visit the Taj Mahal offline or Online. People can take offline tickets at different gates of the Mahal.
- Western Gate: Visitors can take the tickets at the Taj Mahal Western Gate near Saheli Burj.
- Eastern Gate: Visitors can also take the tickets at the eastern gate of the Mahal.
- Southern Gate: There is no entry from this gate; only exit is permitted.
- Note: The tickets are issued to the visitors from one hour before sunrise till 45 minutes before sunset.
| Adult | Rs. 510 – Indian |
| Adults | Rs. 750 – Foreigner |
| Child: 3-15 years – Indian & Foreigner | Rs. 500 |
Facts About Mahal
- It was a Shiva Temple built in the 12th century, later converted into the memorial for Mumtaz Mahal.
- Shah Jahan ordered the hands of the project’s craftsmen to be cut off so that no other building in the world could be this beautiful again.
- Attracts 2-4 million visitors annually.
- Different types of marble are used in construction from different countries.
- Ninety-nine Allah names, we can see calligraphy.
- It appears to be of different colour every time.
The Shah Jahan Promises to Mumtaz Mahal
These are the promises.
- He would look after her children.
- Shah Jahan would not marry again.
- If you truly love, and I know you do, then promise to create something in my name so that the world will remember me long. Create something so great that it can not be replicated again by anyone.
Taj Mahal Ticket Price:
There is a large difference in the ticket fares based on citizenship. There are different charges.
- If the visitors are Indian citizens, the ticket charge is Rupees 50/-
- For the citizens of SAARC and BIMSTEC countries, the ticket charge is rupees 540/-
- For other visitors, the ticket charge is Rupees 1100/-.
The above ticket charges exclude the charge for visiting the main mausoleum.
If the visitors want to visit the main mausoleum, they must pay 200 rupees extra charge.
No ticket fee is charged for children below the age of 15 years.
Taj Mahal Online Ticket: Tourists can buy tickets online for visiting the Taj Mahal one day before they visit the Mahal.
They can visit the official site of the Taj Mahal to book tickets online. To book the tickets online for visiting the Mahal, you can visit the official website of the Taj Mahal. You can directly go to the official portal of the Taj Mahal.
If the tourist book a ticket online, they can get a discount of 5 for a ticket for Indian citizens and 50 rupees for Foreign tickets.
Taj Mahal Ticket Booking:
Visitors can book tickets for visiting different monuments across Agra city online through a single website the state provides. The steps to book the ticket online through online follow the given steps.
Step 1: Visit the official website of the Taj Mahal.
2nd Step: Select the monument you must visit in Agra city and select the date you plan to visit the monument.
Step 3: Select the number of tickets and then pay the amount.
You can book the ticket only one week before the day of your visit online.
Free entrance to the Taj Mahal on special days:
- February 27th, 28th, and March 1 in celebration of the death anniversary of Shah Jahan
- World Tourism Day (September 27)
- The First day of World Heritage Week (November)
- On EID Day (the end of Ramazan), free entry till 11 am; unless this day comes on a Friday, it will close.
Best 9 Views Visit the Taj Mahal
- From inside the Taj grounds
- Mehtab Bagh View – Moonlight Garden
- From Agra Fort
- On a full moon night
- Taj Mahal view from the hotel room
- 360-degree view
- Night view
- From Yamuna river
- Top of the dome
Dos and Donts:
Dos:
- Use dustbins to keep them neat and clean.
- It is advised to hire guides and photographers who show their identity.
- The museum is open from 10 am to 5 pm with an entry fee.
- No vehicles are not allowed within 500mts. The parking facility is there at the east gate and west gate.
- Battery buses & golf carts are there.
Donts:
- Drone cameras are not allowed.
- Eating and smoking are not allowed. Weapons, bullets, fire, tobacco products, liquor, Toffees, headphones, knives, wire, phone chargers, electric things (except cameras), and Tripods are prohibited.
- The phone should be silent or switched off
- Don’t carry big bags and books because the security check was there.
- No Photography.
- Don’t touch & scratch the walls.
- It should not make noise inside.
Taj Mahotsav Festival
The event is a 10-day annual (February 18 to 27) at Shilpgram in Agra. The old Mughal era and Nawabi style usual in UP in the 18th and 19th centuries inspired this festival.
Entry Fee:
- Rs. 40 children under age ten are free
- All foreign visitors have free entry.
Culture:
The festival starts with a road parade with decorated elephants and camels, like the victory parade of Mughal emperors and warlords.
- Drum beaters
- Trumpet Players
- Folk Dancers
- Skilled Craftsmen
- Artisans
Artists from all over India come to display art and craftsmanship.
Crafts & Arts:
About 400 artisans from different parts of India display works of art.
Things not to carry
- Small bags containing essential things are allowed.
- Don’t take Day packs or large bags.
- Food, smoking items, other tobacco products and drinks, mobile phone chargers and tripods are prohibited inside the Taj Mahal.
- There are locker rooms at the entrance where you can keep such things.
- You can only carry your ticket with your phone, camera and water bottle.
Best Time to Visit
The best days to go are between Monday and Thursday. On Fridays, it is closed for prayers; if you visit on weekends and holidays, the place will crowd. The best time to see the Taj Mahal is in the early morning, which is almost less crowded. October to March is the best time to visit. Visit 30 minutes before sunrise up to half an hour before sunset. You can visit it for five nights around the full moon.
Tour guide
- UP Tourism provides government-approved tour guides for about 20 Pounds a day.
- Download AudioCompass on your mobile and get an audio guide to the Mahal.
- It’s available in English, German, Spanish, French, Italian and Japanese.
- The guides know about nearby places like jewellery, handicraft studios, and carpet showrooms.
- 64, Taj Road, Agra – 282001
- Telephone Number: (+91) 562 – 2226431
Indian Tourism Office
- 191, Mall Road, Agra – 282001
- Telephone Number: (+91) 562 – 2226378
The Garden begins at the entry.
Famously known as Paradise Garden, built in the Persian style and was brought in by Babur. The Garden is the usage of the number four and its multiples. Four is the holiest number in Islam.
The Garden is divided into four parts, with two marble canals studded with fountains at the centre. Each quarter portion has 16 flowerbeds, each planted with 400 plants. The Garden abounds with lush trees, chirping birds, fruits, flowers and uniformity, showing the means of paradise.
Things to do
See Sunrise and Sunset: Sunrise and sunset is the best time to visit it.
Taj Mahal for five nights during a full moon: It can be seen for five days around new moons. The tickets can only be bought a day before, and entries are limited.
Nature Walk at Taj: It is a maintained lush 180-acre garden with 20 ft high watch towers for perfect views of the white marble magnificence.
Agra Tourist Places
- Agra Fort
- Shri Mankameshwar Mandir
- Jahangir Mahal
- Dolphin Water Park
- Taj Musem
- Itmad-ud-Daula
- Fatehpur Sikri
- Ram Bagh
Nearby Excursions
- Fatehpur Sikri
- Mathura
- Bateshwar
- Chambal Sanctuary
- Keetham Bird Sanctuary
Hotels near the Taj Mahal
- Hotel Taj Resorts
- Little Pink Homestay
- Hotel Atulyaa Taj
- Hotel Saniya Palace Inn
- Hotel Taj Plaza
- Taj street hostel
- Hotel Sai Palace
- Hotel Taj Khema
- Hotel Shahjahan
Contact Details
- Address: Dharmapuri, Forest Colony, Tajganj, Agra, Uttar Pradesh 282001, India
- Agra: Official Website
- Phone Number: +91 562 2421204 (6:30 am to 9:30 pm), +91 0562 2226431 (10 am to 5 pm: excluding declared holidays & Sundays)
- UP Police HelpNumber: 112
- Email: info@tajmahal.gov.in
How to reach the Taj Mahal:
By Air:
Agra Airport is near to Taj Mahal.
By Road:
These are the main bus stands of Idgah and ISBT.
By Rail:
Agra Cantt railway station is near. Two other stations are Raja-ki-Mandi & Agra Fort. The main trains connecting Agra with Delhi are Palace on Wheels, Shatabdi, Rajdhani, and Taj Express.
FAQs
Shah Jahan.
It was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for being “the jewel of Muslim art in our country and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world’s heritage”.
Taj Mahal.
No.
Fridays.
October to March.
Agra Cantt railway station.