Agra Travel Glossary: 40 Terms to Know Before You Go

This Agra travel glossary explains the terms, places, tickets and rules you will meet when you plan a trip to the Taj Mahal, in plain English and in alphabetical order. Every entry is short, and each one links to the official source or to our longer guide. The fastest facts: the Taj Mahal is closed every Friday, foreign visitors pay ₹1,300 in total (₹1,100 entry plus ₹200 for the main mausoleum), and tripods, drones and food are not allowed inside.

Jump to a letter: A · B · C · D · E · F · G · H · I · J · M · N · P · S · T · U · Y

The numbers most visitors look for

Question	Answer	Source
Taj Mahal closed on	Every Friday	ASI
Taj Mahal hours	30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes before sunset	ASI
Foreign visitor ticket	₹1,100 complex entry + ₹200 mausoleum = ₹1,300	ASI ticketing
Children under 15	Free, all nationalities	ASI ticketing
Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, Itimad-ud-Daulah, Mehtab Bagh	Open every day, including Friday	ASI
Tourist Police, Agra	9454402764 (emergency 112, tourist helpline 1363)	ASI emergency page

Ticket prices are ASI's published rates, last checked by our team on 30 September 2026. ASI changes prices from time to time, so confirm them for the date of your trip.

A

Agra Fort. A red sandstone fortress that the Mughal emperor Akbar built on the ruins of an older stronghold called Badalgarh. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and, unlike the Taj Mahal, it is open every day from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM, so it is the stop to plan for a Friday. Foreign tickets are ₹650 (₹600 on Fridays, or after visiting the Taj Mahal the same day). The Amar Singh Gate is the only tourist entrance. See our Agra Fort page and the self-guided Agra Fort story.

ASI (Archaeological Survey of India). The government body that runs the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri, and sets their ticket prices and rules. Its official sites are tajmahal.gov.in and asiagracircle.in. If a site selling Taj Mahal tickets is not one of ASI's, treat it with suspicion (see Scams below).

B

Baby Taj. The nickname for Itimad-ud-Daulah's Tomb. See Itimad-ud-Daulah.

Bedai-jalebi. Agra's local breakfast: puffed fried bread stuffed with spiced urad dal, served with potato sabzi and curd, followed by hot jalebi. Eat it before 9 AM. More in our guide to what to eat in Agra.

Buland Darwaza. The 40-metre "Lofty Gate" at Fatehpur Sikri, completed in 1575 to commemorate Akbar's victory in Gujarat. UNESCO calls it one of the most perfect architectural achievements in India. See Fatehpur Sikri.

C

Char bagh. The Mughal four-part garden layout, with paths and water channels dividing the garden into four squares. The Taj Mahal's gardens, the grounds of Itimad-ud-Daulah's Tomb and Mehtab Bagh all follow it.

Children. Children under 15 enter the Taj Mahal free, on both the complex ticket and the mausoleum ticket, whatever their nationality.

D

Dalmoth. A crisp, spicy fried snack mix of lentils and nuts. A box travels well, so it is a common gift to take home.

Diwali. The festival of lights. The Taj Mahal is open on Diwali (it closes only on Fridays), but crowds are heavy, the nights are dark because Diwali falls on a new moon, and smog after the fireworks can hide the monument. Diwali 2026 is on Sunday 8 November. Read Diwali and the Taj Mahal.

Drones. Banned "inside and around the Taj Mahal" according to ASI's Dos and Don'ts page, not only inside the complex.

E

Eatables. Food is not allowed inside the Taj Mahal, and ASI's list names even small items such as toffees. One water bottle is allowed, and the foreign-visitor ticket already includes a half-litre bottle. Full list in what you can't bring into the Taj Mahal.

Entry ticket. For a foreign visitor the Taj Mahal costs ₹1,100 for the complex plus a separate ₹200 for the main mausoleum chamber, ₹1,300 in total. The ticket includes shoe covers, a half-litre bottle of water, a guide map of Agra and battery bus or golf cart services. Many quick answers stop at ₹1,100 and miss the ₹200. Details in our Taj Mahal ticket price guide.

F

Fatehpur Sikri. The fortified city Akbar built as his capital from 1571 and left around 1585, which is why so much of it survives. It was the Mughal capital for only about ten years, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site about 37 km from Agra, roughly 45 minutes to an hour by road. Foreign tickets are ₹610, it opens daily from sunrise to sunset, and a proper visit takes 2.5 to 3.5 hours. See the Fatehpur Sikri page.

Friday closure. The Taj Mahal is closed every Friday. Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, Itimad-ud-Daulah's Tomb and Mehtab Bagh stay open, so a Friday in Agra is still a full day. Plan your dates before you book anything non-refundable.

G

Gatimaan Express. The fastest train from Delhi to Agra. Train 12050 leaves Hazrat Nizamuddin at 08:10 and reaches Agra Cantt at 09:50. The return, train 12049, leaves Agra Cantt at 17:35 and reaches Hazrat Nizamuddin at 19:30. It runs every day except Friday. Check the current timetable on IRCTC before booking, because Indian Railways revises times. Full guide: Gatimaan Express timetable, fares and booking, or take our guided Taj Mahal day tour by Gatimaan Express.

Golden Triangle. The classic first-time circuit through Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. We run it as a 3-day, 4-day or 5-day private tour from Delhi.

H

Holi and Holika Dahan. Holi, the festival of colours, is on Monday 22 March in 2027, and Holika Dahan, the bonfire, is lit the evening before. Streets are busy and people throw colour, so plan sightseeing around it and keep cameras covered.

I

Itimad-ud-Daulah. Often called the "Baby Taj". It is the tomb of Mirza Ghiyath Beg, father of the empress Nur Jahan, who completed it in 1628, a few years before work began on the Taj Mahal. It sits in a char bagh garden on the Yamuna's left bank, is covered in fine inlay and is much quieter than the Taj. Foreign tickets are ₹310 (₹300 on Fridays, or after the Taj Mahal that day), and it opens every day. See the Itimad-ud-Daulah page.

J

Jama Masjid. One of the largest mosques in India, at the heart of Fatehpur Sikri. UNESCO notes that it incorporates the tomb of Shaikh Salim Chishti. Allow extra time for both if you do not want to rush your visit.

M

Mehtab Bagh. A Mughal garden directly across the Yamuna from the Taj Mahal, north of it. It is known for the view of the Taj framed by the garden's pools and for sunset photography, without the crowds inside the complex. Foreign tickets are ₹300, and it is open every day. See the Mehtab Bagh page.

Mughal Empire. The dynasty that ruled much of northern India from the 16th century. Babur was the first emperor, Akbar the third and Shah Jahan the fifth. Most of what you visit in Agra was built by Akbar, his family or his descendants.

Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan's wife, for whom he built the Taj Mahal as her mausoleum. Read the real story behind the Taj Mahal.

N

Night viewing. Special evening entry to the Taj Mahal that runs only around the full moon, so it is not available at Diwali, which falls on a new moon. The rules are stricter: mobile phones, video cameras and spare batteries are banned, and still cameras are allowed after screening. See our Taj Mahal moonlight night viewing tour.

Nur Jahan. The Mughal empress who completed the tomb of her father, Itimad-ud-Daulah, in 1628.

P

Petha. Agra's signature sweet: a translucent candy made from ash gourd, soaked in sugar syrup. Buy it after the Taj Mahal, and try the dry and angoori kinds. More in our Agra food guide.

Photography. Still cameras are allowed on day visits, but photography is not allowed inside the main mausoleum chamber. Tripods are banned unless ASI gives permission. For sunrise light, a modern phone or mirrorless camera handheld works well. See the tripod rule explained.

Pietra dura. The Mughal craft of inlaying cut semi-precious stones into marble to make flowers and patterns. You will see it on the Taj Mahal and at Itimad-ud-Daulah's Tomb. Our same-day tour includes an optional art gallery stop where you can see the inlay work close up.

S

SAARC and BIMSTEC. Ticket categories for visitors from member countries of these regional groups. At the Taj Mahal they pay ₹540 for the complex plus ₹200 for the mausoleum, ₹740 in total.

Scams. Most Taj Mahal scams offer to solve a problem you do not have: a "cancelled" train, a "closed" hotel, a "skip the line" guide. In April 2026 ASI warned about a fake booking site, Ticketstajmahal.com, whose tickets are invalid, and in a 15-day crackdown that ended on 11 September 2026 Agra police arrested 50 people for scamming tourists. Check any claim yourself on an official source before paying. Read how to avoid Taj Mahal scams.

Shah Jahan. The fifth Mughal emperor, who built the Taj Mahal for Mumtaz Mahal. At Agra Fort he is credited with palaces such as the Khas Mahal.

Shoe covers. Included with the foreign-visitor ticket. Free shoe racks just below the main mausoleum are open to every visitor.

Sunrise. The Taj Mahal opens 30 minutes before sunrise, and the light on the marble is the reason many people go early. Sunrise in Agra ranges from about 5:20 AM in June to about 7:10 AM in January. See our Taj Mahal sunrise tour and the best month to visit.

T

Taj Mahal. The white marble mausoleum Shah Jahan built for Mumtaz Mahal on the right bank of the Yamuna. UNESCO dates construction from 1632 to 1648, with the mosque, guest house, gateway and courtyard finished by 1653. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the reason most people come to Agra. Start with the Taj Mahal page, then see the official visiting hours and ticket booking guide.

Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ). A protected area of about 10,400 square km around the Taj Mahal, set up to shield the monument from pollution. A 1996 Supreme Court ruling banned coal and coke in industries inside it. UNESCO notes that the zone covers 40 protected monuments, including the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri.

Tourist Police. A specialised unit of UP Police for problems tourists meet: touts, overcharging, lost belongings and harassment. Save these before you travel: Tourist Police Agra 9454402764, emergency 112, national tourist helpline 1363. More in Agra Tourist Police: who to call.

Tripod. Not allowed inside the Taj Mahal without permission from ASI, and it is on the same banned list as knives, chargers and food.

U

UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri all have this status. The official UNESCO pages are Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri.

Ustad Ahmad Lahori. The main architect of the Taj Mahal, according to UNESCO. Craftspeople came from across the empire and from Central Asia and Iran to build it.

Y

Yamuna Expressway. The toll road that makes a same-day trip from Delhi realistic. About 165 km of the roughly 230 km drive is on it, and a car pays ₹415 in tolls one way. Read how long it takes from Delhi to Agra.

Yamuna River. The river that runs past the Taj Mahal. The monument is on its right bank, and Mehtab Bagh and Itimad-ud-Daulah's Tomb are on the opposite, left bank.

Quick answers

Is the Taj Mahal open on Friday? No. It is closed every Friday. Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, Itimad-ud-Daulah's Tomb and Mehtab Bagh are open.

How much does a Taj Mahal ticket cost for a foreign visitor? ₹1,300 in total: ₹1,100 for the complex plus ₹200 for the main mausoleum. Children under 15 are free.

Can I bring a tripod, drone or food? No. Tripods need ASI permission, drones are banned in and around the Taj Mahal, and food is not allowed inside.

What is the quickest way from Delhi to Agra? The Gatimaan Express takes 1 hour 40 minutes, from Hazrat Nizamuddin at 08:10 to Agra Cantt at 09:50, and runs every day except Friday. By road it is about 230 km via the Yamuna Expressway.

Where do I buy official tickets? Only from ASI's own channels, such as tajmahal.gov.in and asiagracircle.in, or at the ticket windows.

Planning your trip

If you would rather not manage tickets, trains and timings yourself, every IWIS Global tour is private, with an English-speaking guide. Good places to start are the Delhi to Agra same-day tour by car, the Agra full-day private sightseeing tour and the Agra overnight tour from Delhi. For everything nearby, see our Agra travel hub.

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Prices and rules last checked on 30 September 2026 against ASI's ticketing page and Dos and Don'ts page; history from UNESCO. Hours, prices and train times change, so confirm before you travel.