1. The Taj Mahal was built by Shahjahan in the memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal who died while giving birth to his 14th child in Burhanpur(Orissa). Mumtaz Mahal died at a young age of 37 years. Shahjahan was enamoured by the beauty of his wife and loved her a lot. She accompanied him every where including the battles. When she died, she had asked him three things that he would not remarry, take good care of her children and build a beautiful monument in her memory. So that's how Shahjahan conceived the idea of Taj Mahal to keep his promise and to honour his beloved.
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2. The Taj Mahal is not only a symbol of love, but also a symbol of opulence and indulgence even at the face of tragedy. The present day net worth of the magnificent monument of Taj Mahal is estimated at about ₹4000-5000 Crore.
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3. Taj Mahal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of the seven wonders of the world. It is an exemplary piece of magnificent Mughal Architecture. The floral, calligraphic and geometric patterns engraved on white marbles are nothing but precious and semi precious stones and gems inlaid into marble to create the art patterns. This technique is also seen in other Mughal monuments.
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4. If you are visiting the Taj, prefer early morning visits. If its a clear sunny day, White Taj looks even more beautiful in the golden light of sunrise. Visiting early morning is best as the crowds will keep increasing with the onset of day. Early morning visits will also save you from scorching sun.
Ticket price for the Taj: Rs.100 per person
Additional Ticket price for Mausoleum: Rs.250 per person
Guide price: Rs. 600-700
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5. Taj Mahal is also open for night viewing on the full moon nights from 8.30 P.M. to 12.30 A.M.
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6. The Taj Mahal ticket is valid for 3 hours. Anyway 3 hours is more than ample time to explore around. But prior knowledge may come in handy to save you extra bugs.
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7. Taj Mahal is closed for visitors on friday. So don't plan a trip on Friday.
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8. Don't carry a lot of stuff/eatables/ bags etc. because you're not allowed to carry it inside. Carry only a phone/Camera and wallet/purse etc. This will save you last minute hassle and you can rather secure your place in the queue to witness beauty of the Taj.
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9. I would say having a guide is recommended. A guide will tell you stories about the monument which will help you to feel the Taj Mahal other than just seeing it. Another plus point is getting a lot of good pictures clicked.
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10. There are three main entry gates: the South gate remains closed, the West gate sees mostly local crowds entering from this side, the East gate is close to most hotels and is the best option to enter Taj complex in my opinion. The fourth gate is the North gate which is the main entry way to the monument of Taj Mahal.
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11. The tombs displayed inside the main dome building of the Taj are not the original tombs of Shahjahan and Mumtaz. These are the cenotaphs (copies of original). The real tombs are situated in the basement beneath the inner chamber which is not open for public viewing except on a special date.
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12. What many people do not know is that Mumtaz Mahal’s mortal remains were kept at the Ahukhana in Burhanpur (Madhya Pradesh) for six months after her demise. Although, in its heydays, the Akhukhana was a vibrant retreat for the royal Mughals, all that remains today is a neglected site overgrown with wild grass. Afterwards, the dead body of Mumtaz Mahal was kept in a garden on the shore of Yamuna River for about 22 years till the completion of Taj Mahal in 1653 A.D.
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13. If you want some amazing clicks and a nice sunset view of the Taj, visit Mehtabh Bhagh. Mehtabh bagh is known for sunset views of the Taj and people will be flocking here before sunset; so be there a little before time to secure a good view point.
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14. Mehtabh Bhagh is actually a site which was identified by Shahjahan to build a black Taj identical in all respects and just opposite to the original White Taj across Yamuna . He had envisaged that his tomb will be at Black Taj opposite to his wife Mumtaz' tomb at the White Taj across Yamuna. This was untill his own son Aurangzeb encaged him and made him a house prisoner in the Agra fort since he had become unfit to rule, extremely despondent and carelessly spending money and resources after his wife's death.
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15. After the house arrest of Shahjahan, he was kept in Agra fort, in a room called Mussaman Burj (Octagonal tower) from the balcony of which he could always keep looking at Taj Mahal across the river Yamuna. So in a way the Taj Mahal is a story of an iconic love laced with fateful tragedy. It is said that Shahjahan aged very fast after demise of Mumtaz' Mahal and had become sad and despondent. He lived in house arrest for 7 years before his eventual demise and his tomb was finally laid beside his loving wife Mumtaz'
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