A bewitching Taj under the full moon

AGRA - The Taj Mahal looked ethereal as it glistened under a full moon Saturday, providing an “unforgettable experience” to a large number of tourists who had come to view the 17th century white marble mausoleum in Agra.

All the 400 tickets to the Taj were sold Friday and people were allowed to enter in groups of 50 for two hours due to security reasons, an official said Sunday.

Those who could not buy tickets congregated at hotel Taj Khema mound, while others chose terraces of dozens of hotels in the Taj Ganj area to view the Taj.

“The view from Mehtab Bagh across the river was equally enchanting and there were no time restrictions. It was surely an unforgettable experience,” said Manoj Agarwal of Indore.

The once in a year event attracted a bigger crowd this year.

“Luckily, there were no clouds around to obstruct the view. And the whole ambience was truly hypnotising. From a distance the Taj shining brightly in the full moon glare around mid-night reminded one of Xanadu of Kubla Khan,” Vinod Gupta, an NRI, said.

Vishal, a photographer, had said: “After the rains, the Sharad Purnima is the first full moon night. The Taj dazzles and sparkles while the cool and soft rays of the moon dance on its surface. It is an unforgettable experience.”