Taj Mahal

nickwatson

nickwatson

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Nick
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Has anyone been to the Taj Mahal, and know if you are allowed to take in a DSLR? All I can see from various travel websites is that you are able to take a "small" camera in.

I don't really want to take my camera, only not to be allowed in.

Many thanks

Nick
 
Yes. I went in October and took my D300 + 18-200 in without any fuss. The security take a look over it and after a moment's explanation that it's a camera are fine with it. :thumbs:

TBH the security there are pretty friendly, they specify no games consoles or MP3 players etc but were happy to let me take my DS and other electronic gizmos in on my word that I wasn't going to be sat around all day playing them.

Edit: There are lockers available (for a fee of course) to put items you're not allowed to take inside, but if you express some concerns about security and value then I would find it difficult to believe they will cause a fuss. Just be friendly, polite and respectful; it will get you much further there than it does here, I promise!

Further edit: I can't comment on tripods, as I left mine behind due to my visit being during the day - it might be more of an issue.
 
i took my minolta 35mm slr and didnt have any trouble
christmas 2003
 
Wedding Hack went round India about a year back and came back with shots that I could just gaze at for ages. Probably my favourite ever sets that I've seen on here (he did eight in all I think with more on his website). There are a few from the Taj Mahal, so I guess the answer to your question is probably yes you can take a DSLR (but others have already pointed that out anyway!)
Link to one of his posts featuring TM is here...
 
KayJay said:
You're not allowed to take shots inside the tomb area.
Click to expand...

True, but it didn't stop anyone whilst I was in there (I didn't take any shots as I didn't see the artistic merit, but everyone else was).

They wouldn't let me take my tripod in, and I trusted the lockers less than my driver so I gave the tripod to the driver to hang on to. The guys milling around offering lockers were saying they were free, though the real cost I'm uncertain of (probably force you to look at their store).

Make sure you view the Taj Mahal from the other side of the river too (Moon garden). I was there on Dec 26th which was a religious holiday...so the front of the Taj Mahal was extremely crowded whilst the Moon garden wasn't.
 
Mud said:
True, but it didn't stop anyone whilst I was in there (I didn't take any shots as I didn't see the artistic merit, but everyone else was).

They wouldn't let me take my tripod in, and I trusted the lockers less than my driver so I gave the tripod to the driver to hang on to. The guys milling around offering lockers were saying they were free, though the real cost I'm uncertain of (probably force you to look at their store).

Make sure you view the Taj Mahal from the other side of the river too (Moon garden). I was there on Dec 26th which was a religious holiday...so the front of the Taj Mahal was extremely crowded whilst the Moon garden wasn't.
Click to expand...

People do take photos. Those people are idiots and inconsiderate and also extremely disrespectful. You don't want to be like them. It's tempting but resist you must.

One of my regrets from my visit was not viewing it from the back across the river. So many beautiful shots I've seen from that view.
 
KayJay said:
People do take photos. Those people are idiots and inconsiderate and also extremely disrespectful. You don't want to be like them. It's tempting but resist you must.
Click to expand...

I know what you mean, but you have to wonder who it's disrespectful to...the deceased I suppose, but it's not like you're going to annoy the locals - they seemed to be the ones taking the photos! The whole Taj Mahal attraction is massively exploitative (especially to foreigners) and left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth, but there's no denying it's impressive (from the outside).

I avoided taking pictures of massive graveyards in China as it would've been insensitive given the context (not an attraction)...but somehow a single tomb that's turned into an attraction just didn't leave me feeling compassionate. If I thought it'd have made a decent photo I'd have taken that picture.
 
It's a good point you make, unfortunately there are many sights like that across the world which have become tourist attractions. It's not a bad thing necessarily; it keeps the local population in work and brings in much needed money in many cases. I guess it's good to have some rules in place to at least retain some sanctity.
 
Quite agree with you Kayjay, while I was in Turkey one year a guy with a "dancing bear" came to the hotel and people where taking pics and paying the guy.
One said to me " I thought you with you're big camera would have took some shots".
I told him it guys like him paying that kept the poor bear in captivity.:(
 
I've got to say, no matter how many Taj Mahal shots I see, I love seeing more. Will definitely visit myself one day.
 
Thanks again for all the tips. Will definately look into taking shots from the other side of the river as well.
 
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