Lucknow: The 361st annual ‘Urs’ of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, who built the Taj Mahal to immortalise his love for his queen Mumtaz Mahal, will begin in Agra on Tuesday.

The original graves of the royal couple, located deep down in the monument, will be thrown open for public viewing and entry to the monument shall be free for all. It is only during the annual Urs that tourists can get to see the original graves. For the rest of the year, the replicas of the graves are open for public viewing.

According to reports, the Urs will be marked by various rituals that include ‘gusl ki rasm’ (bathing of the graves), followed by ‘sandal ki rasm’ (sandal ceremony), ‘gul ki rasam’( flower ceremony) ‘chadar poshi’ (ceremonial laying of chadar) and later a qawwali programme.

Haji Tahiruddin Tahir, president, Khuddam-e-Roza committee, said a special 870 metre long ‘chadar’ in seven colours will be offered on May 5.

At a preparatory meeting with the administration and the police, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) explained the security concerns and asked the organisers to follow the established norms and procedures.