Bakrid: Namaz offered at Taj Mahal, three-hour free entry allowed

The provision for free entry has been a tradition on the occasion of both Eid in a year and during the three days of Urs of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, says a senior ASI officials

Namaz was offered at various mosques in Agra, including the Shahi mosque within the Taj Mahal premises, on the occasion of Bakrid on Thursday. Entry to the Taj Mahal was free for three hours from 7 am to 10 am to allow for ‘namaz’ offered at the Shahi Masjid on the monument’s premises during the festival.

Devotees offering namaz at the Taj Mahal complex on the occasion of Bakrid on May 28 (HT photo)

After offering namaz, greetings were exchanged on the Taj Mahal premises. The relaxation in entry tickets applied to all visitors entering the Taj during this three-hour window on the occasion of Bakrid. However, an additional ticket charge of ₹200 for those intending to go inside the main mausoleum was applicable, an Archaeological Survey of India official stated.

Kalandar Vij, senior conservation assistant for the ASI at the Taj Mahal, said, “The provision for free entry has been a tradition on the occasion of both Eid in a year and during the three days of Urs of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.”

Tight security arrangements were in place during the time of namaz in Aligarh. Namaz was peacefully offered in other districts of the Braj region.