You may have heard recently through various newspapers and other media that there is a competition to decide the latest Seven Wonders of the World. India’s Tajmahal was one of the competitors in this competition. The event was declared on 7th July 2007. The Tajmahal of India was the winner in this competition and is now one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The Tajmahal is located at Agra in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. It is the dream of many people of the world to see this Tajmahal at least once in their lifetime.
Agra is a big city which is connected by train, air and road from all major cities of India. The most convenient way to visit the Tajmahal is by traveling by the famous and magnificent train, which is the Taj Express. This legendary train starts from New Delhi station at about 7 am and reaches Agra by 10 pm. You can visit Tajmahal and other places in Agra and return by the same train in the evening to reach Delhi by around 9 pm. This train is fully air-conditioned and serves a nice breakfast and dinner in the morning and evening on the way back from Agra You need to book your ticket for this train in advance as there is a heavy rush on this train. You can also easily reach Tajmahal by cab/taxi. Tajmahal is about 9 miles from Agra railway station. You need to park your car in the parking lot, which is about 1 mile away from the Tajmahal. You have to sit in natural gas powered auto rickshaws to reach the main gate of Tajmahal. You need to buy an advance ticket of Rs.20 per head to enter the Tajmahal complex. The advance ticket for foreign nationals is Rs.250 ($6) per head. A thorough security check is done here at the gate. To set up the house, the yard and the gate will be followed. You must take photographs while standing at the main gate only. Any type of food and bottles of water are not allowed inside the Taj complex. You will need to remove your shoes before entering the Taj. It becomes difficult to walk this small space without shoes in the hot summer.
You can enter the Taj after climbing about 60 steps. The Tajmahal is a perfectly symmetrical structure having 4 minas on all four sides. The entire Taj is made of white marble. The Tajmahal was built by the Mogul king Shahjehan in the 18th century in sweet memory of Mumtaz Mahal, who was his beloved wife. Both Mumtaz and Shahjehan were buried here in the Taj after their deaths. Incidentally, Mumtaz had died earlier and Shahjehan had to wait around 15 years before he died and was buried in the Taj on the side of Mumtaz’s wife. It took about 17 years to build this unique architecture on the banks of the famous river Yamuna. It is a true miracle of architecture and architecture of the world. Inside the white marble sculpture is simply out of the world and mind blowing. You can also go down one floor of the Taj to see the burial place of both the king and his wife. The entire interior of the Taj was decorated with gold, diamonds and other valuable items. All this was taken away by Taj Nadir Shah, who attacked the Mughal kingdom of Delhi. The beauty of the Taj becomes more popular with everyone because of the colorful fountains and lighting provided. Sound and light shows are also arranged here in the evening hours every day which can help you to know the entire history of the Taj. The program is held in both English and Hindi. But it is better to consider this program in Hindi as it will take you to Mogul environment. The view of the Tajmahal is more attractive on full moon nights. A special advance ticket is payable at Rs.500 ($12.5) per head for a two-hour view of the Taj on a full moon night. White Taj looks like a building in the sky at this time.
You should try to plan your visit to Agra during the winter months from October to March, as the summers here are very hot. Many luxury hotels are also available to stay at Agra in case you want to stay here for two days. There are other places like the red fort, Akbar’s tomb, the Birla temple, and the Moti Masjid here at Agra, which must also be seen. Here at Agra you may stay for 2/3 days to cover all tourist attractions.
A visit to the Tajmahal is a once in a lifetime opportunity for all people to witness the stunning and eternal beauty of King Shahjehan and Begum Mumtaz Mahal. Make sure you plan a visit to the Tajmahal on your next trip to India.
