Agra Travel Guide

Like Delhi, nearly 200 kms. to its north, Agra stands on the right bank of the river Yamuna. The Mughal  emperor  Babar  established  his capital  here in 1526  and for the next  hundred  years Agra witnessed a remarkable  spate of architectural  activity  as each  monarch  tried  to outdo  the grandiose  monuments  built  by his  predecessor.

The Mughals  besides  being great rulers  were also great builders  and they  preserved  their best architectural  wonders for Agra is famous as being home to one of the Seven  Wonders  of the World  the Taj Mahal, the symbol  of love. It was built in white marble is a masterpiece of Mughal architecture at its best. Their architectural genius can also be seen in the forts palaces and aesthetically laid out gardens-each one a silent witness to a grand style of a golden era. These are the vivid reminder of the opulence of the legendary  Mughal Empire  of which Agra was the capital in the 16th and early  17th centuries.

While it is significances  as a political  centre ended with the transfer of the capital  to  Delhi  in 1634  by Shah  Jahan, its  architectural  wealth  has secured  its place on the international  map. Their miniatures today find a place of pride  in  museums  around  the world. And their cuisine a lavish spread of sumptuous delicacies is regarded as a gourmet’s delight. A pleasant  town with a comparatively slow  pace, craftsman  who are descendants  of those who worked  under the Mughals  Know Agra for its superb  inlay  work on marble and soapstone. The nearness of Lord Krishna’s land the Braj Bhoomi certainly doubles  Agra’s importance  and attraction . The city is famous for its carpets, gold thread  embroidery and leather articles.

Places of attraction

Taj Mahal: The Taj Mahal, a peerless monument in pristine marble, stands serene and perfect in its garden of cypresses and reflecting pools on the banks of the river Yamuna. Its pure  white marble  shimmers  silver  in the moonlight, glows  softly  pink at dawn, and as the day  sets down,  it reflects the fiery  tints  of  the setting  sun. The Taj in all its  timeless  beauty  is still an inspiration  to  poets  and painters, writers and photographers. And lovers still meet here in the moonlight in the shadow of the world’s famous  monument of love. This immortal poem in white marble is the finest expression of love  of an emperor  for his queen. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan built it in memory of his beloved queen Mumtaz Mahal in 1631 who died giving birth to their 14th child. White marble and red sandstone, silver and gold, carnelian and jasper, moonstone and jade, lapiz lazuli and coral were intricately fashioned by over 20,000 skilled workers to make the emperor’s dream a reality.

It took 22 years to complete the Taj Mahal where Shahjahan too lies buried, re-united at last with his beloved Mumtaz. Set at the northern  end of a formal persian  garden with water courses,   paved  walkways  and rows  of dark  cypresses the Taj rises  on a high red  sandstone  base topped  by a huge white marble terrace, its flawless double domes are flanked  by four tapering  minarets.

The ornamental gardens are set out along classical Mughal Charbagh (formal Persian garden) lines-a square quartered by watercourses, with an ornamental marble plinth at the centre. To the west is a very small museum open 10 am to 5 pm daily except Monday  and Friday  ( free entry) . Entry  to the inner compound  is through a vast  rest  sandstone  gateway  on the south side of the forecourt inscribed  with  verses  from  the Quran  in Arabic.

Within lies the jewel inlaid cenotaph of the queen, and a little to one side the only asymmetrical feature in the Taj-the richly decorated casket of the emperor. An octagonal  screen  of finely  pierced  marble encloses  both. So perfect are the proportions of the Taj  so  exquisite its  workmanship that it has been described  as having  been designed  by giants and finished  by jewellers. It may be emphasized that the idea of the design of Taj  Mahal  cannot  be described  to any  single mastermind.

The Great Fort of Agra : Built by three of the most magnificent Mughal emperors, the Agra Fort is a fitting monument to the creative and artistic genius of the times. The fort was built primarily  as a military structure but during  Shajahan’s   reign it was upgraded  to a palace and finally  became a prison  ( albeit  a gilded  one ) for Shahjahan   after Aurangzeb  seized power in 1658. Girdled by massive double walls and pierced by two towering gateways the fort is a  complex of palaces, courts, mosques, baths, gardens and pleasure pavilions  spanning  three regions.

The red sandstone Jehangir  Mahal built by  Akbar for his Hindu queen Jodhabai mother of Jehangir; the great public  and private halls of  audience   the Khas Mahal  and the Palace  of Mirrors the pure white pearl  Mosque  and the jewel-like Nagina  Masjid;  the  Garden of Grapes  and the Fish  Pavilion or Water Garden  all add to its beauty. Within  the fort are a number of exquisite  buildings including the Moti Masjid,  Diwane-i-Am,  Diwane-i-Khas and  Musamman   Burj. Tragically, Shajahan spent the last years of his life here as a prisoner of his own son, gazing across the river at his noblest creation, the Taj Mahal as he lay dying. Jahangir’s palace Khaas Mahal and the Sheesh Mahal are the other important   monuments inside the fort.

The Amar Singh Gate to the south is the sole entry point to the fort and is open from sunrise to sunset daily (free admission only on Friday).

The Tomb of Itemad-ud-Daula: On the opposite bank of the Yamuna, north of the fort, is the exquisite Itemad-ud –Daula-the tomb of Mirza Ghiyas Beg. It stands in the centre of a Persian garden. It is an architectural jewel, elegantly designed and exquisitely finished. Nur Jahan the brilliant queen of Jehangir   built it for her parents. A precursor  of the Taj  this small garden tomb reflects  the taste  and sophistication  of the gifted  queen. This is the Mughal structure totally built from marble and the first to make extensive use of pietra dura. The warm yellow  marble  inlay  and the lacey  pierced marble  screens and rich jewel-inlaid  mosaics have  a delicate feminine  quality  that is purely  enchanting it admitting   decorative   shafts  of light  to the interior and the surface of the tomb  is exquisitely  patterned. Open daily sunrise to sunset.

Akbar’s Tomb, Sikandra: Named after the Afghan ruler Sikander Lodi, Sikandra is better known today as the last resting place of Akbar. Following  the Timurid  tradition, the emperor  began  to build his  own  garden mausoleum  during  his lifetime, a red  sandstone  monument  in a Chahar-Bagh  or 4-square formal  garden. A magnificent  marble  inlaid  gateway  leads up  to the open, airy, four-tiered  structure which is topped  by a white marble  cenotaph  and screen  enclosure  is laid  out in the Charbagh  style with the mausoleum at the centre. Shajahan who completed the mausoleun after his father’s death added this. This ornate tomb is considered a precursor of the Taj Mahal.

Radhaswamy Samadhi, Dayalbagh: This highly ornate memorial to the founder of the Radhaswamy sect has been in the making for several years and is still being worked upon. It is entirely in marble upon which every manner of ornamentation has been applied. Another Radhaswamy temple known as Hazuri Bhavan is in Peepal Mandi  locality. Open 8.30 am 5.30 pm

Jama Masjid: Fatehpur Sikri’s beautiful mosque, known as Dargah   Mosque contains elements of Persian and Hindu design and is said to be a copy of the mosque at Mecca. Of specific  importance due to its assimilation  of Iranian  architectural  elements  Emperor  Shahjahan’s  daughter  Jahanara  Begum  built it in  1648  A.D. The main entrance is through the impressive 54 mts. High Buland Darwaza (victory Gate) constructed to commemorate Akbar’s victory in Gujarat.

Mariyam’s Tomb: (13 kms.) Built by Emperor Akbar’s Goan wife Mariyam in 1611 A.D., the tomb has exceptional carvings finished in red sandstone.

Shaheed Smarak (Martyrs’ Memorial):
This  memorial  on  Mahatma  Gandhi Road  is built  at the place where freedom  fighters were  imprisoned  during  the British  rule. There is a museum containing literature pictures and statues of freedom fighters. Fountains and garden have increased its  attraction.

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