Delhi Taj Mahal Day Trip
From LoveToKnow Travel
Taking a Delhi Taj Mahal day trip is an awe-inspiring journey both into the past as well as into the very heart of true love. Often combined with other attractions in the Agra vicinity, such as the Agra Fort, the Taj Mahal is the highlight of the tour and a must for any trip to Delhi.
The Story of the Taj Mahal
Fantastic architecture in cool white marble, amazing inlay work, carvings decorated with precious gems and beautiful gardens, the Taj Mahal would seem to be a palace fit for a king. Built in a Persian style, the Taj Mahal took twenty-two years to build with artisans from Afghanistan and garden designers from Kashmir. Most people are surprised to learn that it is not a palace at all. The Taj Mahal is, in fact, a tomb and a monument to true love.
In brief, the story has it that while walking through a bazaar in Agra, Prince Qhurram, son of the emperor Jahangir, met an exceptionally beautiful young girl named Arjumarid Bano Begum. They fell in love, courted for five years and were finally married. The young prince became a great warrior, diplomat and he loved art. His accomplishments were so great that his father titled him Shah Jahan, “King of the World.” At length, after the death of his father and the defeat of his brothers, Shah Jahan became emperor.
He titled his queen Mumtaz Mahal, “Chosen One of the Palace.” In her he had found everything he could want in a woman. Beautiful and intelligent, she was more than his wife, she was his best friend, his confidante, and his counselor. They lived a happy and prosperous life together until 1631, when Shah Jahan went to Berahanpur to put down a rebellion. Mumtaz Mahal, pregnant and soon to give birth to their fourteenth child, went with him. She died in childbirth, but before passing, she made Shah Jahan promise to build her a mausoleum that would be a tribute to their love.
The Taj Mahal is that mausoleum, that tribute to love. More than 900 ft. from the garden entrance and standing almost 200 feet high, the tomb rests on a marble plinth, which itself rests on a red sandstone platform. The sandstone platform was built to level the land to create a stable building foundation. Standing at the corners of the marble plinth are four minarets that rise to a height of 138 feet and are crowned with cupolas, each with eight windows.
Agra: Home of the Taj Mahal
Two hours from Delhi by train and five hours by car, Agra was the capital of the Mughal Empire and offers a number of beautiful examples of Mughal architecture. Some of these include the first Persian gardens, which were laid out by the emperor Babar, who founded the Mughal dynasty. Other sites include the Red Fort, which was built by Babar's grandson, Akbar. Within the Fort, Jahangir built the famous rose-red palaces, courts and gardens and later Shahajahan added marble mosques, palaces and pavilions of white marble inlaid with precious gems.
Taking Your Delhi Taj Mahal Day Trip
Because of the great popularity of these day trips, there are a wide variety of tour packages available that will get you from Delhi to Agra and back again. Some of them offer transportation on the high speed rail that runs between Delhi and Agra while others will get you there by car or luxury tour bus.
You may also hire a tourist cab, but the cost is more. Ground transport from Delhi to Agra, a distance or 253 km, takes between four and five hours. There are also regular flights between Delhi and Agra, but that is generally the most expensive way to go. If you are putting your day trip together yourself, you will be able to hire a rickshaw, an auto-rickshaw or a taxi to visit the Taj Mahal and other sites of interest in Agra.
Trains
The Shatabdi Express departs New Delhi Station at 6:00 AM every day and arrives at the Agra Cantt Station at 8:00 AM. If that timing does not suit you, there are other trains you can take for Delhi Taj Mahal day trips. These are the Taj Express, which departs H. Nizamuddin Station at 7:15 AM and arrives at Agra Cantt Station at 9:50; the Punjab Mail, which departs New Delhi Station at 5:30 AM and arrives at Agra Cantt at 8:25 AM; the Swarna Jayanti Express, which departs H. Nizamuddin at 5:50 AM and arrives at Agra Cantt at 9:05 AM; and the Chattisgarh Express, which departs New Delhi Station at 5:00 AM and arrives Agra Cantt at 9:30 AM.
Package Tours
If going it alone is not to your taste, there are plenty of package tour operators who will see you from Delhi to Agra and back again, provide you with English speaking guides and even meals. Because of these services, they are definitely worth a look.
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