Agra

With a past reaching back more than 400 centuries, Agra is a cultural revelation and an architectural wonder. The Mughal influence can be felt everywhere in Agra’s cuisine, shops, architecture as well as the music. Home to one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal, Agra is also renowned for its amazing variety of precious stones.

Agra in terms of ambiance is still associated with its Mughal period. The Mughals besides being great rulers were also great builders and they preserved their best architectural wonders for Agra & its neighborhood. It has many wonderful monuments and the Taj Mahal, the greatest of them all, is a masterpiece of Mughal architecture at its best.

Agra Highlights

Taj Mahal
The most extravagant monument constructed by one man to show is love to his departed wife. The Taj Mahal is on many people lists of must sees when visiting India. Built by Shah Jahan in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal who died giving birth to their 14th child, Taj Mahal has indeed placed Agra on the world map. The construction of the Taj lasted over two decades, involving an army of 20,000 workers assembled from across the country. Open every day except Fridays.

Agra Fort
The Agra Fort, shoring the now polluted Yamuna, was the seat of the Moghul Empire for a long time. The three Mughal emperors, Akbar, Jehangir and Shah Jahan, contributed to its construction. This massive complex should be visited for its magnificent architectural styles reflected in the Diwan-e-Am, the Diwan-e-Khas, the Pearl Mosque, the Nagina Masjid, the Palace of Mirrors and more.

The Emperor and his clergy enjoyed the cool breeze at the Royal Pavilions while they went fishing at the Macchi Bhavan. Nagina Masjid was built by Shah Jahan for the ladies of the harem. Zenana Meena Bazaar was the shopping place for the queens while Diwan-e-Khas was where the Emperor dealt with his dignitaries. Musamman Burj, a little distance away from here, is the spot where Shah Jahan caught a last glimpse of the Taj before he died.

Akbar’s Tomb at Sikandra
Sikandra, the sandstone and marble tomb of Akbar, the greatest of the Mughal emperors, lies in a peaceful garden 4 km north-west ofAgra. Its construction was begun by Akbar himself but completed by his son Jahangir in 1613.The southern gateway, the most impressive part of the complex, is made of red sandstone inlaid with abstract patterns in white marble. The tomb itself has four stories, three of red  sandstone and the fourth of marble. True to Akbar’s philosophy of a single unifying religion, his tomb shows a blend of motifs and styles of various religions.

NEAR AGRA

Fatehpur Sikri
Fatehpur Sikri, a mere half-hour by road from Agra (34 km), is a must-see. Built by Akbar in 1568 as his capital, the town’s palaces, courts and other monuments are a perfect example of the fusion of Hindu and Mughal architectural styles. According to one account, the red sandstone city was abandoned 14 years later due to water scarcity. Salim Chishti’s dargah or tomb in the Royal Mosque is another major draw; it continues to attract pilgrims in large numbers who come here to have their wishes fulfilled.