The Taj Mahal is situated on the banks of river Yamuna, which also serves as a wide moat defending the Great Red Fort of Agra, the center of the Mughal emperors until they moved their capital to Delhi in 1637. It was built by fifth Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in 1631 in memory of his second wife, Mumtaz Mahal, a Muslim Persian princess. She died while accompanying her husband in Burhanpur in a campaign to crush a rebellion after giving birth to their fourteenth child.
Dome of the Taj Mahal is made of white marble, but the tomb is set against the plain across the river, and it is against this background that works its magic of colors, through reflection, change the view of the Taj. The colors change at different times and in different seasons. Like a jewel, the Taj sparkles in moonlight when the semi-precious stones inlaid in white marble of the main mausoleum catch the glow of the moon. The Taj is pinkish in the morning, milky white in the evening and golden when the moon shines. These changes, they say, reflect the various moods of a woman.
The Taj Mahal attracts 2000000 and 4000000 visitors each year, of which more than 200,000 from abroad. Dual pricing system for enterance where the share is considerably lower than that of Indian citizens to foreigners. Most tourists prefer cooler season means in October-November and February. Traffic pollution is not allowed near the complex, and tourists must walk or to the parking lot, or take the tram. Khawasspuras (construction of the North) is currently being restored for use as a new visitor center.Entrance fees varies for different category of tourist. For domestic India tourist is INR 20, for foreign tourist is INR 750 and for citizens of SAARC/BIMSTEC countries is INR 510.
You can reach Taj Mahal by railway (Shatabdi Express and Intercity Express from Delhi), by road (buses are available from Delhi) and by air (Daily flights from Delhi to Agra - Kheria Airport).
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