Travel in Jaipur

Jaipur - The City of Victory

The Rose Pink City founded by Maharaja Jai Singh II (1693-1743), is the capital of Rajasthan. It is a big attraction for first-time visitors. Jaipur is surrounded on all sides surrounded by rugged hills, crowned with forts and battlements walls. Houses with latticed windows line the streets with their pink color, lending enchantment to the scene, almost magical at sunset.

City Palace Jaipur

The old town (like the "Pink City") is a great place for hiking. The whole city was painted in pink color by Maharaja Man Singh II when Prince of Wales, later Edward VII, visited Jaipur in 1876 AD. Today, every house in the city is obliged by law to maintain its facade. It is a very well planned city laid out in a grid and was of a young Bengali engineer and scholar by the name "Vidyadhar Bhattacharya" designed.

Jaipur was and remains the only city in the world, symbolizing the nine divisions of the universe, through nine rectangular sectors subdividing it. Jaipur is a royal city and this is his most noticeable aspect, small buildings & festivals testify it.

Jaipur and its surroundings are rather like an endless museum. The city also offers an endless variety of crafts. Jewelers here, still occupied the beautiful Fashion enamel-on-gold pendant, on the reverse with precious stones or pearls & turquoise that one sees in miniature. Jaipur lacquer bangles are famous all over the world. This is a city to be visited.

Travel in Jaipur

Taj Mahal in Agra

Taj Mahal Agra

Location: On the banks of river Yamuna in Agra.
Year of Construction: 1631-1653
Built By: Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan
Spread Over: 42 acres
Significance: One of the Seven Wonders of the World.

Taj Mahal of India - "the epitome of love", "a monument of immeasurable beauty". The beauty of this magnificent monument is such that it is beyond the scope of words. The thoughts that come into the mind while watching the Taj Mahal of Agra is not just its phenomenal beauty, but the immense love which was the reason behind its construction. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan got this monument constructed in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, with whom he fell in love at the first sight. The very first sight of the Taj Mahal, the epitome of love and romance leaves one mesmerized.

Standing majestically on the banks of River Yamuna, the Taj Mahal is synonymous with love and romance. It is believed that the name "Taj Mahal" was derived from the name of Shah Jahan wife Mumtaz Mahal and means "Crown Palace". The purity of the white marble, the exquisite ornamentation, precious gemstones used and its picturesque location, all make Taj Mahal travel gain a place amongst the most popular ones. However, unless and until, one knows the love story behind the Tajmahal of India, it will come up as just a beautiful building. But, the love behind this outstanding monument is what has given a life to this monument.

The Taj shows exceptional beauty during different times of the day. Taj is most attractive during early morning covered with mist bathed with red glow. During the day time the color of the Taj changes to Orange. And it is alluring during night when the moon light falls on the white marble and make it glow like another moon on earth.

The specialty of the Taj Mahotsav is the Food Festival. The exotic cuisine's and delicacies prepared by some of the oldest exponents and the typical preparations from the interiors of Uttar Pradesh are mouthwatering.

Timing

Taj Mahal is one of the eight wonder of the world. Visitors from all over the world throng to view the beauty of this magnificent mausoleum. Due to its popular demand, it remains open all the days except Friday's. The entrance to Taj opens at around 6 am in the morning and closes at 7 pm in the evening. The Archaeological Survey of India decided to close the Taj Mahal on Friday for public viewing. Only Muslims are allowed to visit the magnificent mausoleum on Friday.

Access
» By Air : The airport is 6 km from the Agra City- Kheria Airport and is easily accessible .

» By Rail : Agra is well connected to Delhi . Trains like the Shatabdi Express , Taj Express , Intercity Express are few that connects Agra to Delhi.

» By Road : Well connected through road. Bus services are available from Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow, Gwalior, and Jhansi.

Fees
As Taj appears exceptionally beautiful during sunrise and sunset, the entry cost to Taj varies accordingly. The entry costs for foreigners is Rs 970 and for Indians Rs 110 (during sunrise and sunset) and during day time it is Rs 20. Children below 12 have free entrance.

The Taj Mahal itself is not set within the Charbagh but is located towards the far end of the enclosure near the bank of river Yamuna. The tombs of Mumtaz Mahal and Shahjahan are located in the basement, while their replicas are placed directly above in the upper hall.Besides the Taj Mahal, Agra is also home to some of the finest monuments of the Mughal period - Agra Fort, Diwan-I-Am, Diwan-i-Khas, Musamman Burj, Jehangir's Palace, Shish Mahal, Jama Masjid, Tomb of Itmad-ud-daulah, Akbar's Mausoleum, and the Mariyam's Tomb, to name a few. The Mughal love for nature can be seen at Agra in the form of Ram Bagh, one of the earliest gardens, laid by the Mughal ruler Babur, in 1528 AD.

Much of Agra's impressive past lives in evidence even today. The older city of Agra has impressively retained much of its resplendent history captivating every visitor with fond memories to take back home. The old part of the city that includes the main marketplace (Kinari Bazar) is northwest to the Agra fort. It has several distinct areas whose names are attached with the Mughal period, although they don't always bear relation to what is being sold here today. To quote a few examples, the Loha Mandi (Iron Market) and Sabzi Mandi (Vegetable Market) are still operational, however the Nai ki Mandi (Barber's Market) has attained the new role of a market famous for textiles. The area to the south of the Taj is known as Taj Ganj - comprising of congested alleyways, today it contains most of Agra's budget hotels.

Besides being a historic city, Agra has shades of modernity as is typical of any Indian city. Today, luxury and modern convenience also exist adjacent to tradition - luxury hotels, shopping malls and plazas, wide avenues and a superb choice of venues for recreation, business, sports, pleasure, education and the arts.

Taj Mahal in Agra