The Taj Mahal is considered the ultimate symbol of love. The ivory-white mausoleum was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
After his death in 1658, Shah Jahan’s body was placed there as well. The mausoleum is at the centre of 17ha of formal gardens with a mosque and guest house.
It is located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. Agra is a popular tourist destination so it is very well connected.
The Taj Mahal by moonlight
Taj Mahal is open all year round, but it is better to avoid the monsoon season.
Night viewing is limited to five days a month – on the day of the full moon and two days before and after – from 8.30pm to 12.30am, except on Fridays and during the month of Ramadan when night viewing is not permitted.
For regular viewing, the Taj Mahal opens from Saturday to Thursday, 30 minutes before sunrise and closes 30 minutes before sunset. For a crowd-free experience, try to be there at sunrise.
Booking tickets for the Taj Mahal by moonlight
For a day visit, entry tickets can be booked online. Those wanting to experience the Taj Mahal by moonlight need to be in Agra a day before the visit to book tickets – they cannot be bought online.
Tickets are only issued a day prior to the viewing date and can be bought from the ASI office, 22 Mall Road, Agra, from 10am to 6pm. The larger hotels can help with the booking.
The night viewing takes place in batches of 50 people for 30 minutes only. Visitors must be present at Shilpgram 30 minutes before their slot with their tickets.
Once the tickets are verified, a free buggy service will transport visitors to the Taj Mahal gate for a thorough security check before each batch is allowed in.
The whole entrance where visitors wait their turn is bathed in moonlight and the Taj Mahal itself glows like a pearl. Viewing the Taj Mahal by moonlight is a fantastic experience, but it is difficult to capture on film.
Tips
Visitors are not allowed to go into the mausoleum at night. They are restricted to the square near the entry gate.
Cameras are permitted but are not allowed to be rested on the barricades and no tripods are allowed.
Visitors are asked to be considerate of others and not make a lot of noise.
Amit and Anindita are Indian Travel bloggers who blog at Travel Like We Do. They talk about affordable travel in India and abroad. They are still travelling and capturing their moments.
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