Agra: The Taj Mahal will remain open this Friday from 2 pm onwards to mark the beginning of three-day Urs of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Otherwise, the Taj remains closed every Friday for maintenance.
The highlight of these three days will be the opening of the passage to the basement where the actual graves of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and empress Mumtaz Mahal are. The graves otherwise viewed within the mausoleum of Taj Mahal are replicas. The gates leading to the graves are opened only during the Urs each year.
“Friday, each week, is a day of closure for maintenance of the monument in compliance of the order of the Supreme Court. However, there is provision for opening of the Taj during the three-day Urs of Shah Jahan and as such, the Taj will open this Friday from 2 pm onwards and entry will be free,” stated RK Patel, the superintending archaeologist for Archaeological Survey of India, Agra Circle.
“Keeping with tradition, entry to the Taj will be free on Friday and Saturday from 2 pm onwards but on the third and final day of the Urs, entry will be free from sunrise to sunset,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“Keeping with tradition, entry to the Taj will be free on Friday and Saturday from 2 pm onwards but on the third and final day of the Urs, entry will be free from sunrise to sunset,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}The highlight of third and last day of the Urs is offering of the multi-colour ‘Hindustani chadar’ on the grave of Shah Jahan and Tahiruddin Tahir, the convenor of Khuddam-e-Roza committee, associated with the Urs at the Taj Mahal, informed that the chadar will be 1,480 meters long this year and will be offered by all, including Hindus and Muslims, maintaining tradition.
“On the first day, the basement will be opened and proceedings for ‘gusl’ (bath) will follow with other traditional activities. On the second day, sandalwood paste will be applied and ‘qawwali’ will be organised. On the final day, ‘chadar poshi’ (offering of ‘chadar’) will take place,” stated Tahir.
Entry without a ticket during these three days often invites more than the usual crowd. In previous years, unruly scenes of a mob climbing the railings and flouting the norms were seen.
“We are in coordination with Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) entrusted duty of internal security at Taj and ASI officials and staff will be on alert to ensure smooth conduct of three days Urs at Taj Mahal,” said Patel after reviewing arrangements on Wednesday at the Taj Mahal ahead of the Urs.