Taj Mahal - The Symbol of Love's Amazing facts

Most of us know that Taj Mahal situated in Agra (India) was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Taj Mahal is one of the UNESCO world heritage site. It is on the banks of the river Yamuna.It is one of the seven "wonders of the world". It is the biggest monument of India and of course the monument of the world.

Amazing Facts About Taj Mahal
The original name fo Shah Jahan and Mumtaz were Prince Khurram and Arjumand Bano Begum. Mumtaz was the third wife of Shah Jahan. She was soo beautiful that Shah Jahan fell in love with her and they got married after 5years. Mumtaz died during the birth of their14th child and Shah Jahan promised her that he would build the most beautiful monument for her and that was the Taj Mahal showing their ever lasting love. The marbles for Taj Mahal came from Jaipur, the yellow marbles from banks of river Narmada and various stones from different parts of the world. The construction was started in 1632 1year after the death of his wife. It took about 22 years to complete. The official cost of the monument was found to be around Rs 32 crore to complete. About 1000 elephants were used for carrying of materials.

Architecture of Taj Mahal
The entire Taj complex consists of five major things. They are the main gateway, gardens, the rest house, the main mausoleum and the mosque. It is a combination of Persian, Central Asian and Islamic architecture. The main gateway is at the end of the water course. The central dome is about 58 feet in diameter and 213 feet in height. There are 4 minarets each one of 162.5 feet . A shadowy burial crypt inside the Taj Mahal houses the tombs of Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Light is transmitted into the central chamber by using marble screens

Entrance Fee to Taj Mahal
Foreigners - Rs 970
Indians(During Day Time) - Rs 20
Indians(During sunrise and sunset) - Rs 110

Timings to visit Taj Mahal
Open all days except Friday from 6.00 am to 7.30 pm

Nearest Airport To visit Taj Mahal
Agra Airports: The main airport for travellers taking flights to Agra is:
Agra Airport (AGR) also known as Kheria Airport. To know about cheapest flights to Agra click here

Meenakshi Amman Temple Madurai

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TamilNadu in India is well for temples. Madurai is a city in TamilNadu known as the "Athens of the East" and most widely "City of Temples". There are lots and lots of temples in and around Madurai. Of those the most important is the Meenakshi Amman Temple. The temple was built by the ruler Thirumalai Nayakar in 17th century. The area the temple covers is about 17acres. The entire Madurai city was beleived to be built around this temple. The temple has four "Rajagopurams". Of those the "South Gopuram" is the tallest one measuring a height of 160.9 feet and its base area is about 108 feet by 67 feet. There are 14 other towers each consisting of different tiers and different sculptures and stories inscribed on them. Don't miss to see it. There is a order in which those gods have to be visited. To know the procedure for worship visit procedure for worship

The Thousand Pillar Mandapam
The name came from the count of pillars in this mandapam. It consist of 1000 pillars and each pillar has sculptures on them. Here you can see photographs, icons, drawings showing 1200 years history.

Musical Pillars
The musical pillars are near the north tower. These pillars when tapped produce different sounds. These pillars were craved out of a single stone.

Pottramarai Kulam
Dont forget to spend some time near the Pottramarai Kulam. To know the history of The Golden Lotus Pond click Pottramarai Kulam

There are 18 guides authorised by the temple administration to guide devotees from other States and foreign countries.

Worshipping hours
Morning - 5.00 am to 12.20 pm
Evening - 4.00 pm to 10.00 pm

Festivals in Madurai
For the list of festivals click here

There are lots of shops around the temple premises. Enjoy shopping there
There are direct flights and trains to Madurai from Chennai. To know more information about the temple and hotels in Madurai click more information

Events and festivals London 2009

Some of the important events and festivals in London during October 2009 are

Softworld 2009 London
If you want to increase your productivity with the use of software you must see this exhibition. You will learn the best practices and improve your productivity by making use of the software that best suites you. It will be held at London Olympia. You will be able to gather lot of information and get advice for specific type of business and how the software eases your work. It will be held on 13th and 14th October at Olympia Two, Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UX. There is no fee charged for the exhibition. You have to register online. For more information visit Softworld 2009 London

Sci Fi London
It is being conducted for the 8th time. The festival will take place from 23rd t0 25th October and the pictures will be played for six days and all the films will be of science fiction or fantasy type. The cost varies depending on the film.

For more information visit Sci Fi London

Metro Ski and Snowboard Show 2009 London
The Metro Ski and Snowboard Show is considered to be the biggest consumer winter sport show in the world. There are lot of events to be take place in the show. Over 200 exhibitors are expected to be present at the exhibition. Some of the events are Trespass Big air, Natives Jobs Fair, World Resort Village and many more.... The event will take place on 24th and 25th October 2009 at Olympia, Hammersmith and Fulham, London. Don't miss it.....
For more information visit Metro Ski and Snowboard Show 2009 London

Opportunities Canada Expo 2009 London

It is an employment expo. If you wish to work and move to Canada then this expo is for you. It will be held on 17th and 18th October. The quickest route to migrate to Canada is "Opportunities Canada Expo 2009 London". Grab your dream job. It will be held at Hammersmith London

For more information visit Canada Expo