Indian Cities & Destinations - Comprehensive guide to
cultural heritage of India where you discover art & craft, dances,
music, costumes, and languages of India.
Agra is globally renown
as the city of the Taj Mahal. But this royal Mughal city has, in
addition to the legendary Taj, many monuments that epitomise the high point
of Mughal architecture. In the Mughal period, in the 16th and 17th
centuries, Agra was the capital of India. It was here that the founder of
the dynasty, Babar, laid out the first formal Persian garden on the banks of
the river Yamuna. Here, Akbar, his grandson raised the towering ramparts of
the great Red Fort. Within its walls, Jehangir built rose-red palaces,
courts and gardens, and Shahajahan embellished it with marble mosques,
palaces and pavilions of gem-inlaid white marble.
10
km north of Agra lies Akbar's tomb, in Sikandra. Named after the Afghan
ruler Sikander Lodi, Sikandra is the final resting place of Emperor Akbar.
Akbar began the construction of his own garden mausoleum during his
lifetime, a red sandstone structure in a chahar - bagh, or 4 - square formal
garden. An impressive marble - inlaid gateway leads to the spacious four -
tiered monument which is crowned by a white marble cenotaph and screen.
This last was added by Jahangir, who completed the tomb after the
demise of his father. 40 km west of Agra, is the perfectly preserved
'phantom city' of Fatehpur Sikri. Between 1570 and 1586, during Akbar's
reign, the city served as the capital of the Mughal empire, and was then
abruptly abandoned. Today, albeit deserted, the city's palaces, courts and
other monuments stand in mute testimony to the greatness, and amazing vision
of the greatest emperor of all times, who was also a fine human being. The
dargah or tomb of Sheikh Salim Chisti, the renowned saint, set in the
courtyard of the Royal Mosque, still draws hordes of pilgrims who come to
have their wishes fulfilled.
55 kilometres from Agra is
Bharatpur, which has an early 18th century Rajput Fort, but is better known,
today, for one of the finest bird sanctuaries in the world. Called Keoladeo
Ghana, the sanctuary is a 40 sq. km area of swampy light - wooded terrain,
which was once the private hunting and shooting preserve of the Maharaja of
Bharatpur. Today, it is the protected breeding ground of hundreds
of species of birds and home to migratory birds, especially the Siberian
Crane, that spend their winters here. Other places to visit include, Mathura
and Brindavan. Mathura, on the banks of the river Yamuna, is the birthplace
of Krishna, and Brindavan, the land of thousands of shrines and temples,
which still echoes with stories and songs that recount the exploits of this
charming God.
 Major
Attractions of Agra |
 |
Taj Mahal : The Taj Mahal stands serene and
awesome, on a raised marble platform, by the banks of the Yamuna, testifying
to the timelessness of art and love. Its pure white marble shimmers silver
in the soft moonlight, exudes a shell - pink glow at dawn, and at the close
of the day, takes on the tawny, fiery hue of the majestic sun. Shahjahan
built the monument in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, the 'lady of
the Taj', who died giving birth to their 14th child. It has been called the
most extravagant monument ever built for the sake of love. The construction
of the Taj commenced in 1631, and was completed in 1653. Workers were
gathered from all over the country and from Central Asia, and about 20,000
people were recruited to translate this wild dream into a reality. The main
architect was Isa Khan, who was brought all the way from Shiraz in Iran.
After he was deposed and brutally imprisoned in the Agra Fort, by his son
Aurangzeb, Shahjahan spent the rest of his life looking wistfully at his
wife's final resting place, just across the river. The Taj remains a symbol
of eternal love where the heart - broken Shahjahan was subsequently buried,
re-united finally with his beloved Mumtaz.
Agra Fort : Agra takes pride in is the Agra Fort, built
by three of the greatest Mughal emperors. The construction of this massive
structure began in 1565, under Akbar, and continued till the time of his
grandson, Shahjahan. Armed with massive double walls, punctuated by four
gateways, the fort houses palaces, courts, mosques, baths, gardens and
gracious pavilions within its premises. Among the fascinating structures
that are to be found within the fort is the red sandstone Jehangiri Mahal
built by Akbar for his Hindu queen, Jodhabai, was one of the earliest
constructions illustrating the fort's change from a military structure to a
palace. The palace is also notable for its smooth blending of Hindu and
central Asian architectural styles.
The Diwan - i - Am, the Diwan -
i - Khas, the Khas Mahal, the Palace of Mirrors, the Pearl mosque, the
Nagina Masjid, the Garden of Grapes, and the Fish Pavilion are the other
monuments in the fort complex. Fatehpur
Sikri : 40 km west of Agra, is the perfectly preserved 'phantom city' of
Fatehpur Sikri. Between 1570 and 1586, during Akbar's reign, the city served
as the capital of the Mughal empire, and was then abruptly abandoned. Today,
albeit deserted, the city's palaces, courts and other monuments stand in
mute testimony to the greatness, and amazing vision of the greatest emperor
of all times, who was also a fine human being. The dargah or tomb of Sheikh
Salim Chisti, the renowned saint, set in the courtyard of the Royal Mosque,
still draws hordes of pilgrims who come to have their wishes fulfilled.
| How
to Get There |
|
By Air : Agra is on the popular regular
tourist route Delhi/Agra/Khajuraho/Varanasi and return. Flights connect Agra
to Delhi, Khajuraho and Varanasi.
By Rail : Agra
lies on the Delhi to Mumbai broad - gauge railway line. Express trains from
Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, and Chennai halt at Agra.
By
Road : Agra is connected to Delhi, Rajasthan and other cities of Uttar
Pradesh by an excellent bus service.
Destinations
