Travel

Majestic Agra-City Of Culture

Places Of Interest:

1.UNESCO World Heritage Monuments:
A.The Taj Mahal: This white marbled mausoleum on the bank of the river Yamuna at Agra has become the epitome of a man's love for a woman.A wonder of the World , the Taj Mahal is undoubtedly the epitome of India tourism. India travel is incomplete without experiencing the Taj Mahal. It is one of the New 7 Wonders of the world, and one of three World Heritage Site in Agra, the others being Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. The Taj Mahal was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as the final resting place for his favourite Queen, Mumtaz in 1653AD.Shahjahan invited master craftsmen from as far as Italy and Persia to help design his ambitious tribute to love which took 22 years to complete with the help of an estimated 20000 workers. This perfectly symmetrical monument was built on a marble platform that stands above a sandstone one.The main central dome is a huge one and there are four more domes enclosing the main one. There are four tall minarets on the four sides. The entire building has delicate designs made on it, which are stuffed with precious stones and gems. Verses of the Holy Koran are inscribed on it and at the top of gate 22 small domes, signifying the number of years the monument took to build.The Taj Mahal overlooks a well decorated garden and can be observed from the Agra Fort from where Emperor Shah Jahan stared at it, for the last eight years his life as a prisoner of his son Aurangzeb. After his death Shah Jahan's tomb was erected next to hers by his son Aurangzeb.
Opening Times: 6 A.M. to 7.30 P.M. (closed Fridays).
B.The Agra Fort: Another UNESCO World Heitage site the Agra Fort (sometimes called the Red Fort), was built by Akbar in 1565, although additions were made till the time of his grandson Shahjahan. Agra Fort worked both as a military strategic point as well as the royal residence Of Akbar. The fort is also known as Lal Qila, Fort Rouge and Red Fort of Agra. Built in red stone, the Agra fort stretches almost two kilometres on the bank of the Yamuna . It is about 2.5 km northwest of its much more famous sister monument, the Taj Mahal. The fort can be more accurately described as a walled palatial city.A huge wall that stands 69 ft in height encircles the crescent shaped fort. With only two main gates built to enter the fort, the impregnable stature of the fort becomes amply clear. The two gates are named the Delhi gate and the Lahore Gate ( also called Amar Singh Gate). Tourists enter via the Lahore Gate. Lahore Gate is named so because it faces Lahore, now in Pakistan. Part of the fort is still in use by the Indian Army and are not accessible to the public, but there's still enough left to get an insight on the way the Mughals lived in the 16th century. The fort has a semi-circular plan, its chord lying parallel to the river. Once inside the Agra Fort, one comes across a number of mosques and palaces, most of them are built in white marble and red stone during the rein of Akbar, Jehangir and Shah Jahan.
- Jehangiri Mahal: Akbar built this as a private palace for his son, Jehangir. Jehangiri Mahal located north of the Amar Singh Gate is a mix of Central Asian and Hindu architecture. The Jehangiri Mahal is considered one of the important buildings constructed by Akbar. Nearby is the palace of Jodha Bhai, the Hindu wife of Akbar.
- Sheesh Mahal (The Glass Palace): The Royal dressing room of the royal ladies it is divided into large halls and its walls feature tiny mirror-like glass-mosaic decorations.
- Khas Mahal: In the Khas Mahal enclosure (built by Shahjahan), later Mughal architecture comes of age. The Khas Mahal is an airy edifice, overlooking the specially laid Angoori Bagh (grape garden; a simple formal Mughal garden). Windows closed with jali (intricately perforated decorative stone screens) present fabulous view of the riverfront.
- Angoori Bagh: 85 square, geometrically arranged Formal Mughal gardens or the Grape Gardens.
- Diwan-i-am(Hall Of Public Audience): Was used to speak to the people and listen to petitioners and once housed the Peacock Throne.
- Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audience): Was used to receive kings and dignitary, features black throne of Jehangir.
- Golden Pavilions: The two copper-roofed pavilions built in the Bengali traditions(with roofs shaped like the roofs of Bengali huts) were meant for prominent ladies of the harem.
- Macchi Bhawan (Fish Enclosure): Grand enclosure for harem functions, once had pools and fountains.
- Musamman Burj: Musamman Burj a large, octagonal tower with a balcony facing the Taj Mahal is the most romantic, ornamental pavilion wherein lived two most beautiful and powerful Mughal queens-Nurjahan and Mumtaz Mahal. The quality of pietra dura decoration is fabulous and perfect. Here Shahjahan spent his last few years as a captive held by Aurangzeb. Shahjahan languished and dies looking at the Taj Mahal.
- Mina Masjid (Heavenly Mosque): Tiny mosque it is closed to the public.
- Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque): A private mosque of Shah Jahan.
- Nagina Masjid (Gem Mosque): Mosque designed for the ladies of the court, featuring the Zenana Mina Bazaar (Ladies Bazaar) right next to the balcony, where only female merchants sold wares.
Agra Fort should not be confused with the much smaller Red Fort at Delhi. The Mughals never referred the Red Fort as a fort; rather, it was referred as the 'Lal Haveli', or the Red Bungalow.
C.Fatehpur Sikri: This UNESCO World Heritage site lies 26 miles from the city of Agra in Uttar Pradesh, India.It was the political capital of India's Mughal Empire under Akbar's reign, from 1571 until 1585, when it was abandoned, probably due to lack of water.According to legends Akbar initially did not have any heirs.He went to a Sufi saint, Sheikh Salim Chishti who lived in a city called Sikri. His blessing gave Akbar 3 sons. As a gesture, Akbar built a whole new city in Sikri in 1571.
Built in Red Sandstone, quarried from the same rocky outcrop on which it is situated, the buildings within Fatehpur Sikri are a unique blend of different architectural traditions. Though the general layout and concept of the buildings conform to the Islamic style of architecture, the actual buildings (mainly palaces), their ornate columns, arches, carving style, etc., show a strong Hindu style in general. Some of the important buildings in this city, both religious and secular buildings, are:
- Diwan-i-Am(Hall of Public Audience): It is an enclosed space surrounded by colonnades and has a large open area where petitioners and courtiers once stood in attendance. On the western face of this building is the pavilion where the emperor sat in honour surrounded by his courtiers to meet the general public.
- Diwan-i-khas(Hall of Private Audience): This was used for serious, confidential, diplomatic, and religious discourses-is just behind. The Diwan-I-Khas is famous for its central decorated pillar consisting of 36 elegantly carved brackets in the Gujarati style-heavy and ornate, and sprouting in shape.
- Jodha Bai’s Palace: Jodha Bai (Jodha Bai was Akbar's Rajput queen) has the most distinctively Gujarati and Rajasthani architectural features. A strong portal guards this place, which was the residence of Akbar's prominent queens.It is built around a courtyard, with special care being taken to ensure privacy.
- Buland Darwaza: Called the 'Gate of Magnificence' and one of the gateways to the Jami masjid, it is a stupendous piece of architecture from the outside, gradually making a transition to a human scale in the inside. This gate can be approached from the outside by a 13-metre flight of steps which adds to its grandeur. The gate erected in 1602 AD to commemorate Akbar’s victory over Deccan is the highest and grandest gateway in India and ranks among the biggest in the world.
- Jami Masjid: One of the largest mosques in India, Jami Masjid was built in 1571 AD.Constructed with liwans (aisles) around a central courtyard. A distinguishing feature is the row of chhatris (small domed pavilions) over the sanctuary. It is entered through the eastern entrance known as the Buland Darwaza.
- Naubat Khana: Drum house near the entry, where important arrivals are announced.
- Panch Mahal: The most intriguing building in Fatehpur Sikri is the Panch Mahal (five-tiered palace), which is a five-storied pavilion of winds. The first two floors are of equal size, while the next two are graded. On top is a single kiosk or open pavilion. Each of the floors is supported on pillars. Originally, jali screens stood between the pillars. The pavilion was originally used by the women of the royal household and ladies of the harem. The bottom floor has 176 intricately carved columns.
- Tomb of Salim Chisti: A white marble encased tomb within the Jama mosque's courtyard.
- Raja Birbal's house: The house of Akbar's favourite minister, who was a Hindu. Notable features of the building are the horizontal sloping sunshades and the brackets which support them.
This newly built city was deserted and remains in a pristine state, with the beautiful carvings and latticework on the buildings retained in their original state of preservation.

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