Taj Mahal is so popular that it is synonymous with India. Whenever someone thinks about travelling to India, Taj Mahal is the one common destination on everyone’s list. More than 10 million p
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Taj Mahal is so popular that it is synonymous with India. Whenever someone thinks about travelling to India, Taj Mahal is the one common destination on everyone’s list. More than 10 million people visit this breath-taking monument located in the city of Agra, Uttar Pradesh. It is often considered by many to be one of the most beautiful structures built by man on the face of Earth. The Taj complex has lush green gardens and symmetrically designed fountains and waterways spread around, apart from the main structure in the centre.
The architecture of this beautiful structure is one of the finest examples of Mughal and Persian architectures with some influences from Rajput architecture as well. The incredibly beautiful structure was built using the highest quality of marble specially brought like Makrana from Rajasthan, jasper from Punjab, jade and crystal from China and so on. The construction materials were brought from all over Asia using thousands of elephants. The architects that built the incredible monument were from Persia, Iran and India. The highest skilled architects were brought from all over the country and were given training by Italian experts in the Durbar Hall of Shah Jahan’s palace.
One of the unique features of the monument is that you can see different shades of colours reflecting from the white mausoleum. You get to witness the pinkish red colour during the sunrise, golden in the evening and milky white at night. This is what makes the sunrise and sunset tours of Taj Mahal one of the most popular ones. Witnessing the Taj at a moonlit night is undoubtedly one of the best experiences you can have in your life.
The boat ride in river Yamuna offers you a great experience, as you are able to witness the Taj from behind and is usually a great spot for photography lovers. Mehtab Bagh is another area that you may visit to witness Taj Mahal from the rear side. The garden area was built as an area for royals to spread some quality time while looking at the majestic structure. Visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Taj Mahal will be the best if you visit it with a guide. As there is so much history and back-story associated with the structure, it will be helpful if there is a guide telling you the minute details at every major spot in the complex.
History of Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal, for a monument, has the most incredible history and story associated with it. The 5th Mughal Emperor of India, Shah Jahan, built this incredible piece of architectural marvel as a mausoleum for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. The construction started in 1631 and took close to two decades and more than 22,000 workers to make it possible. Shah Jahan wanted it to be the most beautiful man-made structure on the face of earth and hence brought in architects, designers and raw materials from around the world. The construction took more than 32 million rupees in that time, close to $1 billion in today’s time. The main tomb is a dome shaped structure, standing on a raised platform, with tons of lattices and inlay works all around the structure. The four minarets stand on four corners of the raised platform. Mughal-style gardens and fountains surround the structure on the front and sides with the backside lying close on the banks of river Yamuna.
Taj Mahal by sunrise
The beauty of Taj Mahal as a structure lies in how it reflects multiple shades of colour because of the natural light falling on it, depending on what time of the day it is. This is exactly why visiting the Taj Mahal during different times of the day gives you different experiences. The view you get during the sunrise is something that you would not want to miss. Since the complex opens for tourists early in the morning, you can witness the spectacle easily. In the morning, the structure looks milky white with less light falling on it. You can see the change in the colours that the building reflects as the day progresses, as the milky white turns to a strong and bright white with the sun overhead. Such things are hard to describe in words and can only be experienced when you are there.
Taj Mahal by sunset
The evening view of Taj Mahal is one of the most beautiful things you can witness in your lifetime. The white structure looks stunning in the evening light from the sun. It reflects light in a way that is perfectly blends the yellow, orange and red to have a colour that is hard to explain in words. The structure looks like a jewel in the crown of the blue sky. The inlay works, the lattices playing with the light fall on it, or the beautiful inscriptions, all of it enhances its beauty during this time of the day. The whole structure looks naturally lit during the evening hours, enhancing its beauty manifold. One just cannot take eyes off it. It is surely something that you should experience while on your visit to the Taj Mahal and help you understand how it surely is one the Seven Wonders of the World.
Taj Mahal view from Mehtab Bagh
Mehtab Bagh is the expansive garden that Shah Jahan built exactly opposite to the Taj Mahal on the other side of the river Yamuna. The Mughal Emperor, fascinated by gardens, built eleven gardens on the banks of Yamuna opposite the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. Mehtab Bagh was the last one he built. The area covered by the garden is of the exact same dimensions of the complex of the Taj Mahal. The idea was to sit in the garden and admire the beautiful structure from this end. The gardens used to flood during rainy seasons, providing perfect opportunity for people to witness the beautiful reflection of Taj Mahal falling on water. People called the reflection ‘Black Taj’ but several other legends too revolve around this story, relating to Shah Jahan wanting a Black coloured replica of Taj Mahal for himself. The Archeological Survey of India started the restoration work of the garden in 1990s and is now open to tourists.
Best time to visit Taj Mahal
When it comes to Taj Mahal, it will look beautiful throughout the year. However, if you visit the monument during the months of October to March, it will be better for you as you do not have to withstand the worst of the heat. The summers in this part of the country can be brutal and it can take a toll on you while exploring the beautiful structure. Since the whole structure is built of white marble, the amount of light it reflects during the summers can be too much for human eyes. Visiting in the winters will help you enjoy the beauty of this structure in full glow. Furthermore, the sunrise and sunset are the two most beautiful times to witness the Taj Mahal. Since the timings of visiting the complex lies between 6 in the morning and 6:30 in the evening, you can easily witness both sunset and sunrise during the winters.
Best Taj Mahal Tour and Travel Packages Company and Tour Operators in India
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