Taj Mahal is one of the most iconic places that you can find in India. Not only is it visually stunning, but you will be heavily impressed with the experience and the views are amazing. However, there are a variety of things to consider when you get there.
FACILITIES
Since this is a pretty old building, it doesn’t really have a huge array of facilities. You can hire an approved guide that will make the entire experience a lot more fun and rewarding than it is in the beginning. Guides are easily available inside and outside the monument.
However, the palace is pretty restrictive when it comes to facilities and that’s why you need to find the right hotel or accommodation in Agra. Plenty of good hotels are located in the Tajganj area which is very close the monument. Some of the hotels also offer rooms with a view of the Taj Mahal, just make a request well in advance for such rooms due to very high demand. Most of such properties are star rated thus might be quite expensive as well.
Aside from basic facilities, for the most part you don’t really get access to a lot of things. This can be both a good and a bad thing, depending on the situation.
Vehicles are not allowed within 500 meter radius from the Taj Mahal, however non polluting battery operated vehicles are available at the parking area that will take you to the entry gate. You can take your water bottle inside the monument but shoe covers are only available with foreigners entry ticket free of cost otherwise you have buy them separately. Clean filtered water is also available inside the monument if you are not carrying your water bottle. If you are carrying luggage with you, cloak rooms are available at Eastern and Western gates. Wheel chair facility is also available at the Royal gate, you should approach the staff there. First aid facility and emergency services are also available inside the premises if you encounter any health issues.
It’s important to understand the historical significance of the monument and the lack of facilities inside the building itself. But If you choose to book an accommodation nearby then you will have access to things like a great local infrastructure, guide service, high speed internet, coffee shops, restaurants as well as a laundry service, travel desk assistance and all the other stuff that you may need. Most of the good hotels are situated on Fatehabad road, just few kilometers away from the monument and few of them have a great view of the Taj from the rooms.
RESTRICTIONS
What you have to keep in mind regarding Taj Mahal is that it does have its fair share of restrictions too. There are lots of visitors there at the same time, so they have to restrict people as much as possible. And as you will notice, there are a plethora of things you need to abide.
- You are not allowed to smoke or eat inside the monument. That means if you want to eat or you are very hungry, you will basically have to go to one of the nearby restaurants. It makes sense, as they are trying to preserve an old building. Thankfully you have numerous establishments you can eat from.
- Using a drone camera is prohibited. You can’t use a drone around or inside the Taj Mahal. It’s very important to not attempt to use a drone, as there will be problems and you really want to avoid that as much as you can.
- While you can have a mobile phone inside the Taj Mahal, they don’t allow you to use it, so it needs to be turned off or at least on silent mode, if possible.
- It’s not allowed to take photos inside the main mausoleum. You can take photos outside of the Taj Mahal, but not inside, so you really have to take that into consideration if possible.
- It’s prohibited to scratch or touch the walls of the monument. Keep in mind that these are heritage sites and they require a lot of special care. As a result, these things are not allowed.
- Even if you can carry books or big bags, the security check time will be longer. That’s why ideally you want to avoid carrying this kind of stuff.
- You’re not allowed to make any noise inside the mausoleum. Instead, you just have to go there and look, as we mentioned earlier you can’t take any kind of pictures.
- Still cameras are permitted after the security check for night viewing, but you are not allowed to take a video camera with you for the night viewing.
The Taj Mahal is an iconic building and it will impress you a lot with its great value and quality. It’s certainly an impressive and unique place to visit, and the fact that there are some restrictions to it is definitely understandable. That’s why you should consider checking out these rules and understanding all their pros and cons. It’s great to visit such an amazing establishment, and you will find it extremely rewarding and different. That being said, the Taj Mahal is visually stunning and a sight to behold. You can take pictures outside without a problem, all you have to do is to check it out and you will not be disappointed!