All things to remember for the night visit to the TAJ MAHAL

The Taj Mahal is open to tourists for night viewing only 5 days a month. The Full moon night and 2 days preceding and succeeding the Full moon nights are when this special viewing happens.

• Anybody above the age of 15 is considered an adult for the purpose of issuance of a Ticket
• The Adult ticket for an Indian is ₹ 510/-, while it is ₹ 750/- for a foreigner.
• Children between the age of 3-15 years of age- ₹ 500/-

I am afraid the tickets are not sold online.

The ticket can be purchased from the ASI ( Archaeological Survey of India) office located at 22 Mall road. The Google Maps link is incorporated into the Address for easy navigation

The tickets can be booked 1 day in advance, subject to availability. For Example, the ticket for 10th August 2022 has to be purchased on 9th August 2022

Only 50 people are allowed in each of the time slots. Therefore a total of 150 person gets a ticket in a day and 750 in the 5 days of the month

The process of ticket booking is constant for everyone and thus if the tickets are sold off there is no logic an agent can get it for you because every ticket is issued in the name of the person. However, there are instances of VIP intervention that can lead to cancellation but the chances of them being remote and the chances of an agent being able to influence a VIP is grim. Therefore better to avoid falling into any trap

A Government issued Photo Identity document issued by the country of domicile of the tourist has to be carried at the ticket counter. The Passport is the most common document for both Indians as well as foreigners. An Indian national can also take any one of the documents like a Drivers License, PAN Card, Aadhar card, Voter ID etc

A photocopy of the document has to be carried by the tourist along with the original. The photocopy has to be submitted at the counter for tickets to be issued. The nearest photocopy shop is 750 metres away and thus this is critical to avoid inconvenience.

Currently, QR-based payment is not active nor a Point of Sales ( POS) terminal is present for debit/credit card transactions. Therefore please carry cash for the booking.

There will be no refund in case of cancellation due to unforeseen circumstances

In case of cancellation due to bad weather or poor visibility due to cloudy weather no refund will be made

Yes, there is a provision for cancellation by tourists in case of emergencies. Cancellation is permitted till 1200 hours on the day of viewing subject to a 25% deduction of cancellation fees.

The tourist has to visit the ASI office before 12 noon to make a cancellation along with the original ID proof that was used to make the booking

The viewing started from 830 PM onwards and ends at 10 PM. Each slot is for a period of 30 minutes. Therefore show timings are as follows:

0830 PM t0 0900 PM; 0900 PM- 0930 PM; 0930 PM- 1000PM

The assembly point for the night viewing is at Shilpgram, located on the East gate of the Taj Mahal entrance. I am incorporating the Google maps link for easy understanding. Also, all the major hotels are located on this stretch. Thus look out for Taj or the Oberois and you will land up here easily.

Tourists need to ensure that they arrive at least 30 mins before their show time. For eg, if the viewing time is 9 PM then they should be at Shilpgram at 0830 PM.

Yes Parking is allowed by paying a fee of ₹ 50/- The rate mentioned is for August 2022 and can change as and when there is a revision by the authorities. There is also free parking available in front of the Shilgram gate reserved for VIPs. Thus it would be wise to check with the police at the gate as they are aware of VIP movements. If your stars are bright then you might get free parking in case there is no VIP movement.

Taj is one of the most profound monuments of our country and a matter of national pride. Naturally, it is in the high-risk category of a terrorist attack and thus a lot of precautions are carried away by law enforcement agencies. It is, therefore, requested to keep one’s ego in the respective hotel room before venturing here and let the experts do the job.

There are multiple levels of checks

1. First, the tickets are checked and the other key details like mobile number, address etc are captured in a register
2. After that, a locker is provided to keep all belongings as nothing except Still cameras are allowed inside the Taj. Mobile phones, Smartwatches are also not allowed.
3. Next, the ID proof is checked and tallied with the tickets and entries done
4. After this, a body check is done before boarding tourists on battery-driven vehicles to take to the gate of Taj Mahal about 800 metres from Shilpgram
5. Inside the Taj Mahal tickets are scanned to allow entry and another round of body checks is done before escorting tourists to the Taj

1. Still Camera if available
2. The Locker key of the Lockers where tourists keep their luggage
3. Mobile phones and Smartwatches are NOT ALLOWED

Yes, a locker is provided to all tourists, free of cost

The Locker services are completely free

The distance from Shilpgram to the East gate of Taj Mahal is around 800 metres and transportation to and fro is included in the tickets. A battery-powered buggy is provided for tourists for drop and pick-up services after the show

Mobile phones are a security risk and the reason for the same is evident in multiple instances.

On reaching the Taj Mahal the tickets are scanned to allow entry and another round of body checks is done before escorting tourists to the Taj

The viewpoint is the Red sandstone platform on the main gate of the Taj Mahal. This spot is strategically placed to get the entire view of the Taj.

First of all, one has to remember that the past glory of the Taj Mahal is gone with the exit of the British from India. They scrapped all the Gold and precious stones from the Taj back to England. Therefore the manner in which the Taj Mahal used to glow as described by historians and poets looks far-fetched in today’s context.

The experience in the present time is still unique on a clear moonlight night as the dome of the Taj do radiate as the moon rays reflect on its white surface that a few lucky ones can encounter in our lifetime. The magnanimity of the structure also touches the soul in pitch darkness as it stays afloat to its edges and spreads a message of love in the air. And with a little bit of imagination it is not difficult to get transported to the bygone era of the Mughal when the Taj Mahal would have been a mystery as well as a creation too good to be true!