Agra. If you want to go to Agra and see the Taj Mahal and the real tomb of Mughal emperor Shahjahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal and that too for free, then there are 3 such dates in January when your wish can be fulfilled. Actually, like every year, this year too the Urs of Mughal emperor Shahjahan is going to be celebrated in the Taj Mahal complex. This year is the 370th Urs of Mughal emperor Shahjahan. This year Shahjahan’s Urs will be celebrated from 26 to 28 January 2025 i.e. for 3 days. During this period, it will be 25th, 26th and 27th of Rajab month of Islamic Hijri calendar. During the Urs of Shahjahan, entry of pilgrims and tourists into Taj Mahal will be absolutely free.
The tombs of Shahjahan and Mumtaz Mahal are in the basement of Taj Mahal. When entering the Taj Mahal, the two tombs seen under the dome are replicas of the real tombs. Shahjahan’s Urs is the only occasion when the basement is opened by the ASI. At that time, pilgrims offer chadars on the real graves of Shahjahan and Mumtaz Mahal. In such a situation, tourists also get to see the real tombs of Shahjahan and Mumtaz Mahal. There will be an afternoon Ghusl ceremony at the Taj Mahal on 26 January 2025. During this time the graves of Shahjahan and Mumtaz Mahal will be washed. After this, sandal will be worn on 27th January and then chadar on 28th January. Along with this, verses of Quran will also be read.
All tourists get free entry into the Urs of Mughal emperor Shahjahan. Tourists will be able to enter without tickets on January 26 and 27 from 2 pm and on January 28 from morning to evening. For this, orders are issued by the Executive Archaeologist of ASI. If you also want to see the Taj Mahal for free and want to see how Shahjahan’s Urs is celebrated, then prepare to reach Agra on 26th January.
