 |  |
|---|
MAN CAN DO ANYTHING WITH THE CORRECT INSPIRATION AND INTEREST
- Inspirational
Reasons to Visit the Taj…
Many people regard Agra as a busy and congested city with nothing noteworthy for travelling or tourism but then acknowledge the majestic exception – the Taj. There is a reason why the Taj is on most bucket lists all around the world for people wanting to visit India and sometimes even Europe in general. These are some of the main reasons people visit the Taj Mahal today:
-
The Rich History: (To read the story of the Taj Mahal and the reason it was built, please go to the Story Page on this site.) As one generally knows, Mughal History is one of the most interesting mysteries that currently roam the world. We know that they had one of the most luxurious and perhaps careless lifestyles in olden times. They lived their lives as royals and often built grand monuments and architectural feats in the world. The Taj Mahal is perhaps the truest testimony of what Mughal Architecture was like. So why not pause for a minute and let yourself zoom back to the past from our current and relax? The Taj is a perfect place for that so don’t wait!
-
One of the Wonders and Heritage Sites in the World: The Taj has been recognized in many of the World’s heritage lists such as the UNESCO world sites and the Seven Wonders of the World. The Taj Mahal is the place for you if you want to go to a World Wonder that has a symbolic history, grand appearance and a significant importance.
-
The Place of Love: The Taj Mahal is known as the epitome and essence of love in historical monuments. The place is said to have a ‘positive influence’ or ‘effect’ on married, young, old and even unmarried couples that visit either as a regular visit or their honeymoons. The site is often described as the concretized heart of Shah Jahan for his wife Mumtaz Mahal. This site, in history, and now, is regarded as ‘sacred’ and still influences the area. Why not take your loved ones and your special partner to the heart of India and enjoy a lovely and wonderful time of friendship, joy and love? You will certainly enjoy it – guaranteed!
Pricing over Benefits?
To visit this amazing place, is it completely free? Well, you are in luck if you’re under 15! But if you are above 15, a price of 750 rupees (roughly $15) applies. Considering the magnificent story and beauty of this site, the Taj doesn’t ask much of you when you are at its gates. Considering that you can go through one of the world’s purest and greatest forms of concretized love, one can definitely agree to paying the fee before being immersed in the beauty and love of the Taj…
Travel, Tours and Guides?
So basically, what do you need to take a full and educated tour around the Taj? Well, if you have friends or family that leave anywhere near Agra such as Delhi, they will most likely probably be happy to make the trip with you. Otherwise, you can go with a tour group to and fro the Taj. This is the most suggested option as you do not need to get another guide to teach or take you around the Taj Mahal. As long as you can get someone to drive you to the site, you will be fine. This is because at the site, the Government provides educated and bilingual tour guides/historians that can assist you on your way in the Taj and its around its walls.
Other Popular Sites Around and Near…
Visiting the Taj Mahal has its own rewards… In relation to the fact that Ancient Indian Emperors lived in and ruled from one particular place, when you visit one place, you have surrounding connections. History teaches that after the completion of the Taj, Shah Jahan cut of the arms of the 22,000 workers who worked on the monument so that they could not work for anyone else and build them anything like it. It also reads that after Shah Jahan fell ill in 1658, his third son, Aurangzeb, became Emperor and imprisoned him in Agra Fort for eight years until his death.
Today, you can visit the Agra Fort, the Red Fort – another fort near it, the Tamga of the Mughal Empire, the Wazir Khan Mosque and the Jama Masjid.
These are all places that can be publicly visited and there are guides in all these places.
Tourism Hosting Needs…
As one generally knows, money can help a place be developed and improved. This is true in every land, country, territory and tourist destination. The Taj Mahal isn’t an exception. You can make a positive impact in this wonderful place and change the Taj for the better. There are places in this site that you can give donations but nothing is required of you.
Visiting the Taj Mahal can give it more tourism ratings, more money and more reputation. The site, at the moment does not have any particular needs as it already has around three million visitors per annum and this is from a varied group of nationalities, families, ages and groups. Here is a pie chart representing the demographies of people visiting the Taj Mahal:
Negative Tourism Impacts…
While it is almost near impossible to deem the Taj Mahal ‘closed’ because of negative tourism, the Taj does get influenced and changed by each and every visitor. The ecological footprint that everyone leaves at the Taj Mahal is slowly but steadily affecting the near surroundings and appearances of the beauty. Here are some of the main factors of negative tourism impacts that affect the Taj:
-
Environmental Pollution: The large number of running and driving vehicles release more than one type of pollution. The smoke and atmospheric odour of it can affect the pure white marble surface of the Taj. According to ITDP, India produces in between 30000 and 50000 rickshaws per year. The main factories have recently been relocated to Agra, within cycling distance of the Taj Mahal. The emission of lead into Agra’s atmosphere is now 11 metric tonnes. It is expected that at this rate, within 5 years, acid rain will start to fall.
-
Leper Colony: There is a leper colony near the Taj Mahal in a place called Sankat Mochin. This fact, combined with the issue that you have to take your shoes off, means that your feet may catch on the leprosy – according to some. This issue hasn’t really been a big one but some do believe it is true. Other than these effects, the Taj is still running smoothly and will be available for tourism to anyone…
Solutions to Negative Tourism Impacts…
The Indian Government is discussing about some solution to the problems rising around the Taj. One solution believed to start effect is a natural gas pipeline. At the moment, traffic is banned within two kilometres of the Taj. At a point, all tourists must get off their vehicles and come to the site through battery driven cars. A few years ago, restoration experts started putting mud packs around the site to make the building shiny once again.
Solutions I propose are to constantly put maintenance janitors through the site. This will allow ceaning to take place effectively and more people with jobs as well. Another solution is to take one day off tourism per fortnight or per month for thourough and full cleaning. This includes scrubbing down walls and cleaning the marbled tiles.