Indore (Madhya Pradesh)
From now on you can take selfies and click photographs inside the iconic Lalbagh Palace, which houses beautiful paintings, exquisite furniture and other items related to the royal Holkar family, and is a local tourist destination.
The Directorate of Archaeology, Archives and Museum issued this order on May 25, and it covers other historical buildings including the Rajwada, Chhatris and Museum. One can also get a pre\post-wedding photo shoot and even make documentaries for commercial purposes.
For taking selfies or photos with mobiles, one has to only pay an entry fee of Rs 20 per person. For taking camera, one has to pay fee of Rs 200 and for video cameras, the fees is Rs 400.
Why was photography banned in Lalbagh?
Officials said that a report published around 1995-96 suggested that the Italian marble inside the Lalbagh Palace may have been damaged due to light from the camera's flash. The report also said that the colour of sofas, beds, paintings and all the materials inside the palace of historical importance could also fade. Following this report, the Archaeological Department banned photography in Lalbagh. Even carrying mobiles inside the palace was banned, but since 2018 the idea of allowing tourists to carry mobiles inside the palace was under consideration.
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