MESMERIZING TAJMAHAL ON FULL MOON NIGHT

Taj Mahal at night

“You know Shah Jahan, life and youth, wealth and glory, they all drift away in the current of time. You strove therefore, to perpetuate only the sorrow of your heart? Let the splendor of diamond, pearl and ruby vanish? Only let this one teardrop, this Taj Mahal, glisten spotlessly bright on the cheek of time, forever and ever.”- Rabindranath Tagore

 

Nobel Laureate and world renowned poet Rabindranath Tagore’s quote dedicated to the Taj is perhaps one of the best to describe its’ beauty. The word ‘Taj’ originates from Persia and it literally means a ‘Crown’. True to its meaning, Taj Mahal is indeed considered to be the ‘Crown of the Palace’!!

It took 20 long years to complete the Taj Mahal (1632-1653) and since then it has been an eternal symbol of beauty and love. Indeed, timeless love it was which made the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan build this white marble mausoleum in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaj Mahal!

Well… you can easily come to know a lot about Taj Mahal across the internet as there are numerous articles describing the history, the engineering marvel of Taj, the love story of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz etc. Today I am not here to discuss all those stories…. Rather I want to share with you my experience of viewing Taj Mahal on a full moon night!

Taj Mahal has been a center of tourist attraction since long. It was declared as the winner of the ‘New 7 Wonders of the World’ initiative long back in 2007. But the Taj Mahal has been attracting its admirers from all over the world since its completion. I had read about the mesmerizing view of Taj mahal on a moonlit night in a novel and since then I had cherished the dream of viewing the Taj Mahal on a full moon night. The opportunity finally came on 12^th November, 2019, the night of ‘Guru Purnima’ (Guru Nanak Jayanti).

My trip to Agra was a part of the famous ‘Golden Triangle’ tour with my family. Since the ticket for night view Taj Mahal is not available for purchase online, I was a little concerned about the availability of tickets as the stock is limited. However, I managed the tickets through a travel agent (after agreeing to pay some extra amount) and was finally able to view the magnificent Taj Mahal on a full moon night.

Night viewing of Taj Mahal is allowed from two days before the date of full moon and continues till two days after the date of full moon. The tourists are allowed from 8:30 PM onwards and the viewing continues till 12:30 AM with approximately 50 visitors per batch (8 batches are allowed per day). Maximum viewing time is 30 minutes per batch. As per the instructions printed in the ticket, I had to report to the Shilpagram gate by 8 PM with my family members. After verifying the ID details and passing through almost four security checks, we finally boarded a battery operated bus along with fellow visitors (mostly foreigners) which took us to the main gate of the Taj Mahal. Thereafter, following another round of verification and security check, we were finally allowed inside the Taj mahal!! After around 5 minutes, all the spot lights were switched off and in the darkness the Taj Mahal was there infront of us!! Although the infamous fog of Delhi and Agra region during that time of the year played spoilsport to some extent, but the Taj mahal was a sheer visual treat under the full moon!! It took around another 5 minutes or so to adjust my vision in the darkness and then it was there right infront of me!! My long desired wish of viewing Taj Mahal on a full moon night eventually fulfilled!!

The much coveted ticket

A Chandelier

I tried to capture the moment with my Nikon D-3200 35mm Low Light lens but the light was very insufficient to capture a perfect moment. The grain visible in the pictures is due to the fog out there. I am not a novelist who can perfectly describe the moment by using perfect literary verses or a poet who can pen down a poem or two describing this moment perfectly, all I can say is the feeling was wonderful, something words cannot describe!! So if you also have a desire to view Taj Mahal on a full moon night, just don’t delay anymore…. Experience it with your own eyes and treasure the memory forever!!

SOME MUCH NEEDED INFO:

·    Tickets for night view of the Taj Mahal are available 24 hours before the actual date of viewing from the counter of ASI office at Agra. Please click here for pricing and other details. Keeping in mind the limited availability of tickets, I would suggest that you better contact any Agra based travel agent to collect the tickets on your behalf if it is not physically possible to collect the tickets. They might charge a little extra as handling charges, but trust me the view will compensate all.

·       Be sure to carry your Photo ID / Passport for verification and ofcourse don’t forget to carry the ticket. A copy of Photo ID / Passport is also required at the time of purchasing tickets.

·    No electronic gadgets are allowed inside. Mobile phones, headphones / headsets, laptops etc. are strictly not allowed. Even camera tripod is not allowed inside. Only the camera and lenses are allowed provided you carry them on your hand. Backpacks are also not allowed. Locker facility is available to deposit all the electronic items.

·    Food items and water bottle are not allowed. Although, the guards allowed us to carry water bottle for my 2 year old daughter on request.

·      The area is well guarded by the CISF and you have to go through multiple security checks. So be sure not to carry anything which can be treated as a weapon.

·     Taj Mahal is our pride and a World Heritage Site…. so please do not litter or spit around. Also, refrain from committing any nuisance. Enjoy the beauty of the Taj and cherish the memory forever.

Though I visited during November, the local guides informed me that the best time to view Taj Mahal on a full moon night is during the months of March-May.