Taj Mahal — All to myself

Neil Nand
2 min readSep 16, 2015

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Ever wanted to selfishly enjoy a moment with one of the seven wonders?

I was travelling through the “Golden Triangle” in India, February 2014, at the tail-end of a work trip. As India’s most important tourist attraction, I too wanted to experience the Taj Mahal.

You would expect a place such as this to be gridlocked with tourists — and it usually is.

However, notice there’s not a single person in the photo above, and I promise you I have not Photoshopped them out. I was able to experience this grand palace all to myself — even as an ordinary traveller.

Here’s how I did it:

  • Wear comfortable runners.
  • Find a knowledgable guide — ideally one that can run.
  • Get there very early in the morning (your guide should be able to advise you on the best entrance gate).
  • The Taj Mahal experience consists of various gates and attractions before reaching the palace. Many tourists will be with guides, or wondering by themselves around these. Tell your guide to explain these early attractions after you’ve seen the palace.
  • RUN! Have your guide sprint with you to the palace via fastest route.
  • Once you reach the Taj Mahal, relax, enjoy, experience the beautiful structure inside and out.

If you have an opportunity to visit the Taj Mahal — I hope this helps you experience it as solemnly as I had.

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Neil Nand

Product focused Digital Creative, Technologist, Crypto Enthusiast — www.neilnand.com