Visit to Taj Mahal

I came to know that the Taj Mahal tickets are issued morning 6 am onwards. So, I decided to make it early so that I can complete the visit by morning 9am and take a train back to Delhi. I called the Autorickshaw guy who had taken me on sight seeing and told him to come at 6:50am. I started for Taj Mahal. He parked the autorickshaw at the Paschim gate (western gate) driving it through meandering narrow streets. The streets are a bit dirty. He told me to walk about 200 meters to reach at the ticket counter. I found there are 2 counters for tickets. One counter is for Indians where the ticket costs Rs.25 and the other one is for foreigners for whom the ticket costs about Rs.250. Thats bit surprising for me. Well, I could see that the Indians are handed a pretty simple one inch width ticket where as the foreigners were given a postcard sized tickets with a picture of Taj Mahal on it. There was no queue. I could get through the security. I knew that I have to pay separate fee for carrying the camera inside. That fee has to be paid only inside the big gate of Taj Mahal. The clerk there too Rs25 and gave me a slip. One is allowed to take videos in handycam only till the platform of the main gate of Taj Mahal. I stood there and spent 10 minutes to take to videos and then I packed the handy cam inside my small polythene bag. I deliberately made sure that I do not carry a big bag. The sight of Taj Mahal as I walked towards it was majestic. It was glowing in bright morning sun. I could see that the main platform of the mausoleum is at a height of about 20 feet from the ground. One has to take off the shoes to enter into the giant mausoleum. The western tourists are given a think polythene shoe cover to cover their shoes so that they do not make stains. I could convince the guard there and collect two such polythene covers so that I do not have to take off my shoes. I took the steps to reach at the base of the mausoleum and in next 1 hours I could get inside and also take quite a number of pictures. Of course, it is not permitted to take pictures inside the mausoleum.