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AGRA
ATTRACTIONS
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Agra is globally renown 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. In the Mughal period, in the 16th and 17th
centuries, Agra was the capital of India. It was here that the
founder of the dynasty, 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.
The crowning glory of the city is obviously
the Taj, a monument of love and imagination, that represents
India to the world. |
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Taj Mahal
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. The construction of the Taj commenced in 1631, and
was completed in 1653. Workers were gathered from all over the country
and from Central Asia, and about 20,000 people were recruited to
translate this wild dream into a reality.
The main architect was Isa Khan, who was brought all the way from
Shiraz in Iran. After he was deposed and brutally imprisoned in the
Agra Fort, by his son Aurangzeb, Shahjahan spent the rest of his life
looking wistfully at his wife's final resting place, just across the
river. The Taj remains a symbol of eternal love where the heart -
broken Shahjahan was subsequently buried, re-united finally with his
beloved Mumtaz.
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Agra Fort
Agra Fort was 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,
baths, 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. |
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Bharatpur National Park
Situated in eastern
Rajasthan, about 176 km. away from Delhi, and 50 km west of Agra, is
the Keoladeo Ghana or Bharatpur National Park, one of
the most spectacular bird sanctuaries in India, nesting indigenous
water- birds as well as migratory water birds and water side birds. It
is also inhabited by sambar, chital, nilgai and boar. More than 300
species of birds are found in this small park of 29 sq. km. of which
11 sq. km. are marshes and the rest scrubland and grassland.
Keoladeo, the name
derives from an ancient Hindu temple, devoted to Lord Shiva, which
stands at the centre of the park. 'Ghana' means dense, referring to
the thick forest, which used to cover the area. While many of India's
parks have been developed from the hunting preserves of princely
India, Keoladeo Ghana is perhaps the only case where the habitat has
been created by a maharaja.
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Itmad-ud-daulah tomb
The Itmad-ud-daulah
tomb stands in the centre of a grand Persian garden, an
architectural gem of its times. It is the tomb of Mirza Ghiyas Beg,
Emperor Jehangir's wazir, or Chief Minister, and also his
father - in- law.
The structure was
built by Empress Noorjehan, between 1622 and 1628 and is very similar
to the tomb she constructed for her husband, near Lahore in Pakistan.
This splendid garden
tomb is believed to be the precursor of the magnificent Taj Mahal, and
was the first Mughal structure to be built entirely of marble, and the
first, again, to make use of pietra dura, the inlay marble work
that came to be typical of the Taj. Near the Agra Fort, is Jami
Masjid, built by Shahjahan in 1648. An inscription over its main
entrance indicates that it was built in the name of Jahanara, the
emperor's daughter, who was imprisoned with the hapless emperor by
Aurangzeb.
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Fatehpur Sikri
40 kms from Agra, the
city of Fatehpur Sikri served as the capital of the Mughal empire
between 1570 and 1586. But as abruptly as it had been built, it was
abandoned. A popular legend is attached to the city's conception.
According to it, Emperor Akbar was without a male heir, and therefore,
made a pilgrimage to seek the blessings of the powerful saint Sheikh
Salim Chisti. His prayer was fulfilled, and soon, a son was born to
him. In honour of the saint, Akbar named the prince Salim, and decided
to found a new city to celebrate his birth. And thus, the magnificent
Fatehpur Sikri, the new capital, came into being.
The city was intended to embody the
noble ideals, and the humanitarian bent of this dynamic emperor.
Although a Muslim, Akbar was famous for his incredible tolerance
towards other religions, and he is said to have indulged in a great
deal of study and discussion in this field, in his new capital. He
also created a new religion, Deen - e - Elahi which attempted to fuse
positive aspects of all the major religons into one composite whole.
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Akbar's Tomb
Named after the Afghan
ruler Sikander Lodi, Sikandra is the final resting place of Emperor
Akbar. Akbar's mausoleum lies here. It is a combination of Hindu,
Muslim and Persian architecture. Akbar began the construction of his
own garden mausoleum during his lifetime. |
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Information Provided by Government of India Tourist Office
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