The Taj Mahal (Agra)

Finally trip to see poetry in stone materialised...

Visited in : October 2014

Best Time to Visit : March, October, November

Distance from Delhi : 208.6 km

Best way to reach there :

1) By road : the highway Taj Express Highway/ Yamuna Expressway is a well laid highway and offers a smooth drive at 100 kmph. 

2) By train : Bhopal Shatabdi Express is a good option and the travel time is just two hours.

Good place to stay at :

1) Raddison Blu is a safe option (that's where we stayed). The food is a good spread of all varieties.  It was 1.5 km from the Taj.

2) The Oberoi Amarvilas is 600 m from the Taj.

Other than these, ITC Mughal, Wyndham Grand, JayPee palace are some other reliable options.

Paeans and paeans have been written trying to put beauty of the Taj in words but words fall short miserably in front of this  epitome of love which graces Indian skies resplendently. The experience of actually soaking in the exquisiteness of the white monument is beyond what one could ever imagine. One is awed by the sheer brilliance of architecture, the finesse, the thought, the planning and the perfection of executing an emperor's tribute to his beloved wife.

Do not rush, spend time admiring the one of its kind monument.

Entrance to the Taj Mahal

Agra Fort is around 4-5 km from the Taj Mahal. A tour of this fort should be a part of the visit to Agra.

The official website of Taj Mahal is a wonderful great place to get inspired to visit Taj Mahal, once more!

Important Tips :

1. The Taj Express Highway does not have any good eating joints, so be prepared to take eating halt only after reaching the destination.
2. Must take a knowledgeable guide while taking the tour of Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort. With the detailed information, the tour becomes much more enjoyable and educational.
3. Do not miss the Light and Sound show in the Agra fort at night. Delhi Red Fort has similar kind of show, nonetheless, the one at the Agra fort gives a wonderful brief of the importance of Agra in the Mughal reign.
4. If you do plan to go for the Light and Sound show, do take mosquito repellant along with you. Why should pesky pests spoil the fun of getting transported to the Mughal period?
5. Make sure to see live demonstration of the inlay (pacchikaari) work that has been done on the walls of the Taj. Raddisson hotel has a small show with a replica of Taj Mahal highlighting the various details that must not be missed when one goes to see the monument. As a part of this show, a demo of inlay work was also shown by a craftsman. I am sure other hotels would be having something on these lines too.
6. How can one leave without buying the authentic Panchchi petha from one of the authentic outlets? Make sure to check the originality of the Panchchi petha outlets by asking a trusted person. Must try saffron, paan and chocolate flavours in the petha. They are 'to die for'.