New Delhi - Few things could be as romantic as gazing by moonlight on the Taj Mahal - an emperor's monument to love - and it's now possible for the first time in 20 years, thanks to a ruling on Thursday by India's Supreme Court.
The court said visitors can see the Taj Mahal on five moonlit nights every month, but restricted their number to 400 each night to avoid overcrowding, the Press Trust of India said.
The court said the temporary ruling would be reviewed after three months before a final decision is made, the news agency said.
Kokab Hamid, tourism minister of Uttar Pradesh state, said authorities would soon announce the date when night viewing of the monument could start in Agra, 180km south-east of New Delhi.
Night viewing was banned in 1984 due to fears of an attack on the 17th century white marble structure by militant Sikhs, who were then fighting the government for the independence of northern Punjab state. The Indian government crushed the insurgency in the early 1990s.
The court already has ordered that X-ray machines and metal detectors be placed at the entrance before moonlight viewing can begin.
The Taj Mahal was built by Mogul Emperor Shah Jahan between 1632 and 1654 as a monument to his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
Thursday's ruling came as the state government was celebrating the Taj Mahal's 350th anniversary at a site 2km away.
The court, which must approve activities at the World Heritage site, has been reluctant to permit large-scale events since a 1996 concert by Greek musician Yanni brought complaints that floodlights and vibrations from the sound had damaged the structure.
A total of 319 553 foreigners visited the Taj Mahal in 2003, said DK Barman, head of the state tourist office in Agra.
The state government hopes the court's decision will boost tourism, which has been hit hard by a global travel downturn since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States, and fears in 2002 that India and neighbouring Pakistan might go to war. The two countries have since begun talks aimed at reconciliation. - Sapa-AP