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Agra Tourism

Taj Mahal Agra, Uttar Pradesh

Agra is globally renowned as the city of the Taj Mahal. But this royal Mughal city has, in addition to the legendary Taj, many monuments that epitomize the high point of Mughal architecture and culture. In the 16th and 17th centuries, when the Mughal dynasty reigned the Indian soil, Agra was the capital of India. It was here that the founder of the royalty, 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 which are still immortal with their glory and will be so in the future.

The crowning glory of the city is obviously the Taj, a monument of love and imagination, that represents India to the world. But as you enter in the city you will discover some more hues of the city whose flavour reminds the glorious heritage of the Mughals in every step you take. Be it the sweet delicacy of 'Petha' (a sweet made of pumpkin) or the spicy Mughlai dishes, Agra is still dipped into the heritage. Agra shopping is something which seems to be a never ending affair where you can't help but having the exquisite miniature marble replica of the Taj or stylish Persian Carpets that too give Agra a world wide fame. The Government handicraft emporia in Agra are the best places to have these items.

Prime Attractions of Agra are

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. Shahjahan spent the rest of his life looking wistfully at his wife`s final resting place, just across the river, after he was deposed and brutally imprisoned in the Agra Fort, by his son Aurangzeb. The Taj remains a symbol of eternal love where the heart-broken Shahjahan was subsequently buried and re-united finally with his beloved Mumtaz.

Among the other monuments that 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, 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.