Your visit to India is incomplete without visiting the Taj Mahal. But there are certain things that you need to know before making this visit in order to make your visit truly fruitful. All these tips are contributed by a local. Hope it helps.
Read up on Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal is the top tourist destination of India. It is always swarming with domestic and international travelers. Hence the monument has a large number of tourist guides, touts and so on. But, do note that not all of them are legitimate . You are lucky if you can find a Government approved tourist guide. The others will simply take you for a ride. Well, anybody can easily becomes a guide here. Most of the time, they will give you all kind of information, mainly wrong, in order to make a fast buck. To be on the safe side, buy some informative material on the Taj Mahal and go through it on your own. Do not rely on these fake tourist guides!
Photography & Videography
Do note that there would be hordes of cameramen out there who would be pestering you for getting a photo taken with the Taj Mahal in the background. Beware! These photos may be low in quality and priced exorbitantly. Hence it is best to take your own camera with you. Moreover, there are benches placed at strategic locations which allow you to take perfect photos with the Taj Mahal in the background. Note that photography is prohibited inside the main mausoleum.
Wear your shoes
Just like most places in India, the shoes are to be taken off while visiting this monument. But you have another option here. You can buy a shoe cover at a price. These can be worn over your shoes as you move around inside. Do note that this monument is made of white marble. It tends to get really hot in the sun. It would be simply impossible to move around without your shoes. Hence ask for the shoe covers at the ticket window itself.
Do not miss out on the river
This monument is built on the banks of the river Yamuna. Do walk around the monument a couple of times and enjoy the view of the river too. In fact, try for a boat ride too and enjoy the view of the Taj Mahal as you row down the river.
It is closed on Friday
Do not visit Taj Mahal on a Friday. It is closed on Fridays for general viewing and is opened on Friday afternoon only for those who have to attend prayers at the Taj Mosque.
Avoid shopping too close by
There are a number of small shops around Taj Mahal selling souvenirs. All of these are grossly overpriced. Visit the main city to buy what you want.
Keep these things in mind while visiting the Taj Mahal. This way you would not be hassled or be overcharged for anything anywhere while making your trip a happy and fruitful one.
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