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Agra
Interesting places in Agra:Agra pronunciation (help·info) (Hindi: °¾, Urdu: aMgfr+a+), (IPA: A:Qr@) is a medieval city on the banks of the Yamuna River in India. It was founded by Sultan Sikandar Lodi in the year 1506. It lies currently in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It achieved fame as the capital of the Mughal emperors from 1526 to 1658 and remains a major tourist destination because of its many splendid Mughal-era buildings, most notably the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri, all three of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Agra's top two sights by far are the incomparable Taj Mahal and Agra Fort.
When planning your sightseeing, take heed of the convoluted entry fee system: for Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Itmud-ad-Daulah, Sikandra and Fatehpur Sikri, you must pay a Rs. 500 levy to the Agra Development Authority in addition to the prices mentioned below. Once paid, the levy is valid for all sights, but .
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is an immense mausoleum of white marble, built between 1631 and 1648 by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favourite wife. Taj Mahal means "Crown Palace"; one of the wife's names was Mumtaz Mahal, "Ornament of the Palace". The Taj is one of the most well preserved and architecturally beautiful tombs in the world, one of the masterpieces of Indian Muslim architecture, and one of the great sites of the world's heritage.
The Taj has a life of its own that leaps out of marble, provided you understand that it is a monument of love. The Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore called it "a teardrop on the cheek of eternity", while the English poet, Sir Edwin Arnold, said it was "Not a piece of architecture, as other buildings are, but the proud passions of an emperor’s love wrought in living stones." It is a celebration of woman built in marble and that’s the way to appreciate it.
Despite being one of the most photographed edifices in the world and being instantly recognisable, its physical presence is awe-inspiring. Not everything is in the photos. The grounds of the complex include several other beautiful buildings, reflecting pools, and extensive ornamental gardens with flowering trees and bushes, and a small gift shop. The Taj framed by trees and reflected in a pool is amazing. Close up, large parts of the building are covered with inlaid stonework.
There is an apocryphal tale that Shah Jahan planned to build an exact copy out of black marble on the opposite side of the river. His plans were foiled by his son, who murdered three elder brothers and overthrew his father to acquire the throne. Shah Jahan is now buried alongside his wife in the Taj Mahal.
If you're taking a camera, beware that because the Taj is white your camera may underexpose your photos. If it's a film camera you won't find out until it's too late. Overexposure by 1 or 2 stops is recommended.
The Taj is open from 6 AM to 7:30 PM every day except Friday. Entry costs Rs. 250 (plus levy) for foreigners and Rs. 20 for Indians. Get there as early as possible to beat the crowds, and plan to visit the Taj at least two different times during the day (dusk and dawn are best) in order to experience the full effect of changing sunlight on the amazing building. It is also utterly stunning under a full moon.
The Taj is located pretty much in the middle of town. Expect a line to get into the grounds. There are three gates. The western gate is the main gate where most tourists enter. A large number of people turn up on weekends and public holidays and entry through the western gate may take hours. The southern and eastern gates are much less busy and should be tried on such days.
Security is tight, so leave behind any pocketknives, as well as chewing gum, cigarettes, or anything that could mark the building. Cell phones are not permitted inside the main enclosure area: you have to check them in first at a booth nearby. Do this before you get into the long line to get in.
There are night viewing sessions on the nights of a full moon and the two days before and after (so five days in total). Exceptions are Fridays (the Muslim sabbath) and the month of Ramadan.
Agra Fort
The fort is similar in layout to the Red Fort in , but considerably better preserved, as much of Delhi Fort was razed by the British after the Mutiny. As much as palace as a defensive structure, it is also constructed mainly from red sandstone.
Emperor Akbar, king at 14, began consolidating his empire and, as an assertion of his power built the fort in Agra between 1565 and 1571, at the same time as Humayun's Tomb in Delhi. Emperor Shah Jahan added to the fort and ended up a prisoner in it. The fort has a beautiful view of his masterpiece, the Taj Mahal, on a clear day.
You can get to the fort by a cheap city shuttle bus from the north gate of the Taj. You can recognize the right bus among the many private ones by asking bystanders which one it is, and avoiding the ones they direct you to. Entry to the fort is Rs.250 (plus levy).
Other sights
- Akbar's Tomb, Sikandra . The tomb of Akbar lies here in the centre of the large garden. Akbar started its construction himself but it was completed by his son, Jehangir who significantly modified the original plans which accounts for the somewhat cluttered architectural lines of the tomb. Four red sandstone's gates lead to the tomb complex: one is Muslim, one Hindu, one christian and one is Akbar's patent mixture. Akbar's mausoleum is open from sunrise to sunset.
- Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb. Empress Nur Jehan built Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb, sometimes called the Baby Taj, for her father, Ghias-ud-Din Beg, the Chief Minister of Emperor Jahangir. Small in comparison to many other Mughal-era tombs, it is sometimes described as a jewel box. Its garden layout and use of white marble, pietra dura, inlay designs and latticework presage many elements of the Taj Mahal.
- Mariam's Tomb, west from Akbar's Tomb on Agra-Delhi highway. Constructed by Jahangir in the memory of his mother Mariam Zammani a title bestowed upon her,. The grave is made of white marble. Though this building is in a ruined condition, yet it has in its vicinity, a Christian Mission School and a church. It is also said; Akbar himself made that it in the memory of his Christian wife.
- Jama Masjid. A large mosque attributed to Princess Jahanara Begum, built in 1648 during the reign of the father Shah Jahan. Notable for its unusual dome and absence of minarets.
- Chini Ka Rauza. A memorial dedicated to the Prime Minister of Shah Jahan, Allama Afzel Khal Mullah Shukrullah of Shiraz, notable for its dome of blue glazed tiles.
Gardens
- Soami Bagh, 10 km north of Agra. The white marble samadhi of the Radah Soami religion is currently under construction. It was started in 1904 and is nor expected to be completed until sometime next century. You can see pietra dura inlaid marblework actulally being worked on. Soami Bagh is 2km north of Agra and can be reached by bus or cycle.
- Ram Bagh. The first Mughal gardens, built by the first Mughal Emperor Babar, 500 m North of the Chini Ka Rauza.
- Mehtab Bagh, directly across the Yamuna River from the Taj Mahal. These botanical gardens give you an opportunity to view the Taj at a remove from the crowds of tourists. The trip takes about 30 minutes from the center of town by autorickshaw and will cost about Rs 200. Entrance to the park is Rs 100 for foreigners. Alternatively, walk past the entrance and straight to the sandy banks of the river: the view of the Taj is every bit as lovely (perhaps more so, since the barbed wire fence surrounding the gardens will be behind you), although you may have to deal with aggressive touts.
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India - Taj Mahal - dove
Made by PhotosByCarolyn
I was on a day tour from Delhi to see the Taj Mahal and pretty excited. However, my tour group was moving very fast and all I wanted to do was linger and take photos. At this point I actually got left behind a bit which kind of unnerved me because there were throngs of people everywhere. However, that panicky feeling quickly left as I noticed the view...my first glimpse of the Taj Mahal. As I was approaching this very famous memorial I noticed the archway framed it just so. I liked how the people were all in silhouette and gave an anonymous feel to it. So of course, even though I wasn't sure where my group was any longer, I took a quick snap. I was also VERY lucky to have caught that dove in the shot because I only had one chance at the picture because I had to race to catch up to my tour group who were already way ahead and mad that I was holding them up!
First Look at the Taj Mahal
Made by ~faiz
Shah Jehan ordered the building of the Taj, in honor of his wife, Arjumand Banu who later became known as Mumtaz Mahal, the Distinguished of the Palace. Mumtaz and Shah Jehan were married in 1612 and, over the next 18 years, had 14 children together. The Empress used to accompany her husband in his military campaigns, and it was in 1630, in Burhanpur, that she gave birth to her last child, for she died in childbirth. So great was the Emperors' love to his wife that he ordered the building of the most beautiful mausoleum on Earth for her.
India_479_06-10-06
Made by Kelly Cheng
Passageway at Agra Fort. Agra Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage site located in Agra, India. The fort is also known as Lal Qila, Fort Rouge and Red Fort of Agra. 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. It is the most important fort in India. The great Mughals Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jehangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb lived here, and the country was governed from here.
Jehangiri Mahal - Red Fort, Agra
Made by foxypar4
Built by Emperor Akbar between 1565 and 1571. The Jehangiri Mahal was built for Akbar's son, Jehangir. This is one of the few remaining original buildings within the fort, others having been demolished and replaced by marble rather than sandstone. My first picture to make EXPLORE according to the comments below!
Cool kid on Moti Bagh (Yamuna Bridge)
Made by greenwood100
Yamuna Bridge is a Raj era built crossing over the Yamuna river in Agra, India. It's the only way over the water from the centre of town so its bumper to bumper all the way. Spot the CDs used as reflectors on the back of this cycle rikshaw. Also the fashion and world cup writing on his jeans.
The Road To Agra
A short documentary exploring the culture-shock of competitors arriving in Agra, India, for Microsoft's Imagine Cup 2006. Our task was to create a completely new
Agra
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Wedding in Agra, India
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India, Uttar Pradesh, Agra, Rooftop view near Taj Mahal (2)
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Agra Shave
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India, Uttar Pradesh, Agra, Behind the Taj Mahal
India, Uttar Pradesh, Agra, Behind the Taj Mahal, between it and the river....India Agra Taj Mahal
Agra, Amritsar and Dhramsala
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Agra Jaipur
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Agra to Benares Train in India
Second Class Hard Sleeper Overnight Train from Agra to Varanasi. These are World War Two British Troop Transports. http://www.arctictropic.com will
Train Back From Agra
The train back from Agra was even more torturous. Dear Shiva, WHY!!???...india train agra delhi travel fun pain
Agra 2006
Our trip to Agra in the summer of 2006. Starring Adi, Shivam, Samir with special guest appearences by Charlotte and Bella...Agra Shivam Samir Adi
Train to Agra
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adidas Kevin Garnett tour of India - Taj Mahal, Agra.
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IL-78 Landing at Agra
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Agra india and the Taj Mahal
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Agra - Tacmahal
Agra - Tacmahal...Agra Tacmahal
Nearest places of interest:
| Pachkiyuan Qabristan Waqf Idgah Colony chitla bazar Jama Masjid (Agra) | City Station Road St. Peters College Agra Sikandra Crossing Sikandra part |
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