Travel
Sites Visit
Goa, Karnataka,
Kerala, Tamil
Nadu, Andhra Pradesh in
South India, Delhi, Rajasthan,
Uttar Pradesh, Himachal
Pradesh in North India, Assam, Bengal,
Sikkim in East India |
| |
Curbs on visitors to Taj Mahal during Ramadan
Agra:
The Taj Mahal will not be open to public and tourists
during the time of namaaz in the month of Ramadan, entry
being exclusively for Muslims for them to offer prayers.
"As Taj Mahal is a magnificent monument, people believe
that by offering prayers in this monument all their wishes
will come true. This drives the people to come and pray
here. They come in huge numbers to offer namaaz here,"
said Syed Munavvar Ali, a resident. Special arrangements
have been made during the night. "At night, special arrangements
have been made in response to the Supreme Court orders.
At the time of offering namaaz, the Taj Mahal will be
open only for Muslims and no one else," he added. The
devotees have to register their name and address at the
entrance gate after which they will be issued an entry
pass to the mosque. The Muslims gathered in huge numbers
feel very lucky to have got a chance to offer prayers
at the monument. "This is for the first time that we are
visiting Taj Mahal. We are very lucky to come here and
offer prayers. This is like a god's gift to us," said
Rauff, a Muslim tourist. He added that the whole experience
of coming to a different place and offering namaaz in
this serene atmosphere of the monument was very satisfactory.
Ramadan begins in the ninth month of the Muslim lunar
calendar. The starting date is determined by the sighting
of the crescent moon in each country concerned, or by
astronomical calculation, often dividing Islamic countries
and sects over the exact dates. During Ramadan, Muslims
around the world refrain from eating, drinking, smoking,
thinking impure thoughts or having sex during daylight
hours, a period aimed at spiritual cleansing. Activity
during Ramadan peaks between "iftar", the breaking of
the fast at sunset, a "suhur" the last meal of the day
before sunrise.
-August
25, 2009
Go
To Top | |
|