Home to the iconic Taj Mahal, the city of Agra is hosting its first-ever Taj Balloon Festival between Nov. 14 and 18, giving visitors a rare chance to get a bird's-eye view of the numerous historical sites dotting the former Mughal capital.
Besides the 17th-century marble monument, Agra also houses the Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri, both built by rulers of the Mughal dynasty. The area around the Taj Mahal is normally a no-fly zone for security reasons, and special governmental permissions have been obtained, to let the balloons fly at a distance of 500 m from the festival.
Around 15 teams from countries such as Britain, Spain and France are participating and get the chance to ride over the Taj Mahal at sunrise. There are short tethered balloon rides being organised for visitors in the evenings as well. While views of the Taj Mahal have been obscured by seasonal haze, it hasn't deterred participants.
Breath-taking view from our hot-air balloon, that went closest to the Taj Mahal. Thank you #TajBalloonFestival pic.twitter.com/NgIfKzkRHP— Not Just Travel (@notjusttravelin) November 16, 2015
My pilot says: bird-eye view of the epitome of love- Taj Mahal is simply the best in the world #TajBalloonFestival. pic.twitter.com/1HbAOTEjMT— Not Just Travel (@notjusttravelin) November 15, 2015