The Taj Mahal (Indian)

The Taj Mahal is located on the south-west bank of the Yamuna River within the city of Agra in the Indian State of Uttar Pradesh, about 200 kilometres south of New Delhi (travel is roughly two and a half hours if you buy a ticket for an express train). Uttar Pradesh is home to more than 120 million people.

Agra was the capital of the Mughals, or moguls, a muslim clan who ruled northern India between the 16th and 19th centuries.

Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan ordered construction of the Taj Mahal in 1631 to honour his beloved second wife Arjumand Banu (later known as Mumtaz Mahal - the name Taj Mahal is a diminutive of this name), who died at the age of 39 while giving birth to their 14th child.

The greatest artisans and craftsmen of Asia and Persia were commissioned, aided by more than 20,000 labourers, and the Taj Mahal was built in 22 years.

Within the famous central dome of the Taj Mahal (built from white marble) lies the jewel inlaid cenotaph of the late queen.

The mausoleum itself is actually part of a massive complex including an elaborate garden (Bageecha), a main gateway (Darwaza), a prayer house, a mosque (Masjid) and surrounding walls.

The four slender surrounding minarets rise 40 metres and are built on a slight slope to ensure they fall outward if toppled by an earthquake.

The building is surrounded by 13 hectares of lush garden.

The stunning filigreed tile work is breathtaking at close quarters, as is the stonework and powerful beauty of the interior.

The designer of the Taj Mahal was Iranian architect Istad Usa.

Elements of Persian, Central Asian and Islamic architecture are apparent within the Taj Mahal. The name itself translates to "crown palace".

Although few scholars agree, there has always been a legend that Emperor Shah Jehan began construction of another Taj Mahal in black marble on the other side of the river Yamuna, planning to connect the two by bridge.

According to the legend, his black mausoleum was supposed to become his own tomb, but rigourous scientific analysis has debunked this belief.

A concurrent myth that the Taj Mahal was actually designed by an Italian architect has similarly been disproved.

However, there is some evidence the Taj Mahal is gradually sinking into the Yamuna River.

Cracking has been observed at different times since construction in the 17th Century and testing in the early 19th Century showed the pinth of the mausoleum on the northern side of the structure is lower than on the south by 3.5 centimetres.

If your holiday travel tickets to India take you to the Taj Mahal, it's advisable to set aside a full day so you can soak up all the treasures of this monument... i.e. don't hurry.

The surrounding reflective river waters can change the hue of the Taj Mahal according to the season and the time of day... pink in the morning, white in the middle of the day, a soft grey in the evening and a golden hue under the light of the moon.

About 3 million foreign tourists and 15 million Indians visit the Taj Mahal each year.

Standard opening times for the Taj Mahal are from sunrise to 7.30pm, and the complex is closed on Fridays.

Since late 2004, the Taj Mahal has been open for night viewings restricted to 400 people on full-moon nights (and for two nights either side) between 8.30pm and midnight.

Video cameras are not allowed but the night visits are free of the postcard sellers and guides who crowd visits during the daytime. Tourists can buy tickets at least 24 hours in advance from the counter at the Taj Mahal entryway.

The neighbourhood outside the Taj complex is typically Indian... bicycles, pedestrians, horse-drawn traffic and the occasional cow.

Street sellers begin working the entrance to the Taj Mahal from dawn, offering endless T shirts, books, postcards, carvings, drinks and trinkets. Keep moving if you're not interested as hesitation will prompt a more ardent sales pitch.

Police are usually everywhere to ensure law and order, and everyone undergoes a security check and pat-down at the entrance to the Taj complex. All battery-powered devices are banned but cameras are allowed.

Be aware that in 2009 there are controversial plans to surround the Taj Mahal with ropewalks, a suspension bridge, cable cars and a Ferris wheel. The tourist-luring infrastructure would be built about 800 metres from the Taj Mahal.

Only electric vehicles are allowed to carry tourists to the Taj Mahal. Industry and petrol motors are discouraged in the surrounding district of Agra to cut pollution that could damage the historic building.

Agra itself is a city of just over one million people and is famous for the quality of its hand-made carpets.