Agra is a fairly large city of 1.7 million inhabitants, located 225 km southeast of Delhi. As the Taj Mahal is the number one tourist attraction in the country, Agra is well connected, and a fast train can get there in 2 hours from New Delhi. Book your tickets in advance, as this ride is in high demand. The only problem: buying a ticket on the Indian Railways site is a challenge worthy of the House of Fools in 12 Labors of Asterix.
So you’ll probably have to deal with an agency to get it.
Personal anecdote: Coming from Kathmandu to New Delhi, I thought I could just show up at the station and board a train for Agra. Well no, that would have been far too simple. I was told (or made to believe…) that there were no more seats left on any train for the rest of the day. As my schedule did not allow me to wait, I was instead offered, with great greatness of soul, a private car. A driver would therefore take me to Agra, for the modest sum of US$150.
Even though I knew very well that I was almost certainly being taken advantage of, I resigned myself to taking this option. Fortunately, I arrived safely, but for about triple the price of the train ticket. So be on your guard, let’s just say that people in India often seek… to take advantage of disoriented little tourists.
Platform, Taj Mahal, Agra, India / Platform, Taj Mahal, Agra, India
Visiting the Taj Mahal
There are three entrances to visit the Taj Mahal, but the southern one was closed when I visited in October 2018. It will cost you 1100 rupees (about 20$CAN or 13 euros) to explore this sublime place, is really a very good price if we compare with other attractions of this category around the world. Note that the site is closed to tourists every Friday, and reserved on that day only for the faithful who go to the mosque.
Cameras are obviously allowed, but not tripods. It is forbidden to take photos inside the central monument. Your entry ticket entitles you to a bottle of water and a plastic shoe cover, which I’m still trying to figure out the use of.
You will pass through a large ocher door after going through the turnstiles, before seeing the Taj for the first time, in all its glory. The magnificent Persian-inspired gardens help to magnify it even more, with their well-aligned basins and their vegetation that could not be more symmetrical. It is very pleasant to spend a good time there, before taking off your shoes (it is mandatory) and climbing on the platform on which the Taj sits.
Taj Mahal, Agra, India
The 4 faces of the monument are symmetrical, with their arches framed by superbly calligraphic verses from the Koran. Nothing was left to chance in the construction of the Taj Mahal. You will notice for example that the 4 minarets that surround it lean slightly outwards. For what? To ensure that in the event of an earthquake, they do not fall on the central building.
As you approach, you quickly realize that the Taj Mahal is as beautiful up close as it is from afar. It is entirely adorned with finely cut white marble, in which thousands of precious stones have been encrusted (using the pietra dura technique ), in absolutely magnificent floral motifs.
When you go inside, use your cell phone lamp to get a better view of these stones that adorn the tombs of the emperor and his adored wife.
Detail, Taj Mahal, Agra, India / Detail, Taj Mahal, Agra, India
The best time to visit the Taj Mahal
I advise you to visit the Taj very early in the morning. The light makes this experience even more magical, there are (slightly) fewer people, and the sun sinks quickly at the end of the morning. The end of the day is also a good opportunity to discover the site.
Every month, during the 5 days coinciding with the full moon, it is possible to visit the site in the evening. It must be a truly magical moment to experience.