The famous Taj Mahal is not new to anyone who has searched India even vaguely. The iconic Taj Mahal is one of the only few places in India which is traveled by literary everyone who is visiting India for the first time. Even people who come to India for only for few days don't miss an opportunity to visit this much-celebrated place.
So, in this post, I will cover the following topics & I am sure after reading this you will be in a much better position to decide if Taj Mahal In India worth visiting?
1. Where is Taj Mahal Located:
Taj Mahal is located on the banks of the river "Yamuna" in Agra a famous city near Delhi. Agra was also Mughal capital for some time which is why there are so many impressions of the Mughal era. The architects, paintings, cravings, etc are still keeping their history alive.2. How To Reach Taj Mahal:
Delhi has the nearest international airport to Agra. From Delhi, there are lots of ways to travel to Agra; foremost being the trains. It only takes a maximum of 3 to 4 hours from Delhi to reach Agra. Other modes of transports are bus & cabs they might be costly but if comfort is your priority then book cabs out of the other option. However, always check the background of the cab service providers as there are many criminal activities happened in the past. Traveling via train is the easiest & also the safest mode of transport. One can book tickets from the website IRCTC.3. Taj Mahal History:
Taj Mahal is built by Shah Jahan for his wife. Mumtaz (his wife) last wish was to build something worth remembering. So, he proposed to build one of the most beautiful architectures of his time. It took more than 20 years & 20,000 labors to complete white marble structure on the banks of river Yamuna. After completion remains of Mumtaz (shah Jahan's wife) is kept. It is also a story that Shah Jahan cut the hands of all the labors who worked here to ensure they don't work on a similar structure elsewhere. Taj Mahal is an engineering masterclass without a doubt considering the challenges faced during years-long expedition of building this monumental structure
4. My Experience of visiting Taj Mahal:
Taj Mahal is one of the most celebrated places in India mostly because of its worth remembering structure. It is among the wonders of the earth (at the time of writing this article). There is always a little butterfly in the stomach, before visiting any famous place. Questions like, if it will be worth it & how beautiful it would; often come into the mind. The same questions arose in my mind before reaching the place. Our driver dropped us at the gate from where you need to walk approx 1/2 Km for tickets. The garden is well maintained with a proper walkway. There is a traveler available which takes 10 Rs per seat to drop you from parking lot to entrance gate; we preferred to walk.Once we reach the entrance it was crowded with people. There would be at least 500 people waiting for their turn & approx 100 people in the queue to buy entry tickets. We never thought it would be so painful to buy a ticket. Finally, we manage to get tickets which costs us around 250 Rs per person (for Indians) for other nationals it is pretty costly. The ticket also covers entry charges inside the Mahal. Our energy got drained while buying tickets & after security checks, we thought we are in for a ride.
There is a gate for the entry & if you are analyzing the architecture rather than clicking a selfie you can observe an optical illusion. From the entry gate, you can only see some part of Taj Mahal. However, the closer you get to the exit gate the more you can see. This engineering concept is commendable & you drown deeper into amazement considering this was build in the 17th century. There is a lot of engineering that went behind constructing this massive tower & it is pretty obvious why one will be in awe with this structure. We entered the gate & the majestic site was in front of us. A massive structure that was built to keep the remains of a person is astonishing to see. Slowly walking near the structure we witnessed its grandness & impression. The cravings & paintings are too sharp & it seemed everything was perfectly planned from edges to edges even the windows, dome, outer walls, paintings each compliment each other perfectly. However, one important factor was missing from the whole expedition.
5. Is Taj Mahal Worth Visting?
Earlier, I discussed how amazing the structure is. However, there is one important stone missing from the picture & it was the vibe. The vibe of the place didn't compliment the structure. I don't know it didn't felt like something special. Maybe it was because of the crowd or maybe something else, but important enough for you to notice. So, if you will ask me is Taj Mahal worth visiting & my answer would be NO if you are only going Agra for this. If you have some other work you can visit the place. But, traveling from various corners of Earth to visit this monumental structure is not worth it.Handy Resources:
Below are the few resources you should check before making an itinerary.
Cheap Internation Flights: Best place to find cheap international flight tickets.
Best Deals On Hotels: Places to find best deals on hotels.
Amazon: Best place for all your needs. Also, find best travel accessories.
Agoda: Best place to book hotels of your liking. Agoda provides the best solution & great offer while booking a hotel.
Skyscanner: Skyscanner compares various sites & sort the flights based on the rates. A great way to check flight cost. Although the only drawback is that rates are flexible. Hence, the cost might change while you are making the payment.
Jetradar: Jetradar is a comparing site which is just like Skyscanner. But, is much more accurate & much more handy in use.
Booking: Best place to book hostel rooms. There are plenty of options available & with so many properties booking becomes much easier.
Couchsurfing: Best place to find free accommodation. It is as easy as filtering people & messaging. If you will get lucky you will find free accommodation in local resident house.
Club Mahindra: One of the best resort chains in India.
Travel Insurance: There are numerous options available to get one. So, you can choose anything which suits your requirement. Make sure you read the terms & conditions before buying one.
Cheap Internation Flights: Best place to find cheap international flight tickets.
Best Deals On Hotels: Places to find best deals on hotels.
Amazon: Best place for all your needs. Also, find best travel accessories.
Agoda: Best place to book hotels of your liking. Agoda provides the best solution & great offer while booking a hotel.
Skyscanner: Skyscanner compares various sites & sort the flights based on the rates. A great way to check flight cost. Although the only drawback is that rates are flexible. Hence, the cost might change while you are making the payment.
Jetradar: Jetradar is a comparing site which is just like Skyscanner. But, is much more accurate & much more handy in use.
Booking: Best place to book hostel rooms. There are plenty of options available & with so many properties booking becomes much easier.
Couchsurfing: Best place to find free accommodation. It is as easy as filtering people & messaging. If you will get lucky you will find free accommodation in local resident house.
Club Mahindra: One of the best resort chains in India.
Travel Insurance: There are numerous options available to get one. So, you can choose anything which suits your requirement. Make sure you read the terms & conditions before buying one.