I have visited Agra on many occasions, and I have spent a cumulative of around 2 weeks in the city. In 1975, my parents took me and my two elder sisters there. As a two year old, I was more interested in chasing squirrels than in seeing Taj Mahal! In 1992, I went to Agra with three of my very close buddies, two from my neighbourhood and one from my college. It was a morning-evening trip from Delhi, and we went on a guided tour in a coach. In 1996, my work in sales and distribution took me to Agra. In 2003, my work again took me to Agra and I also managed to visit Taj Mahal with a colleague and close friend. In 2006, my company had a sales conference in Agra, and we stayed in luxury at ITC Mughal. In 2007, I drove down to Agra with my elder sister and her German friend who was visiting from Bremen; my sister and she had been in college together years earlier. We stayed at Trident Agra, and we explored the city quite thoroughly.
In 2011, my then girlfriend, who I went on to marry later that year, took me to Agra without telling me where we were going or what her plan was. She just told me she was whisking me away for two days, and she had secretly planned out a lovely weekend there. We stayed in regal style at The Oberoi Amarvilas and we saw Taj Mahal on a full-moon night! In 2013, my wife and I again visited Agra to tie up with The Oberoi Amarvilas for our souvenir products. We drove down from Delhi-NCR on the world class Yamuna Express Highway, which got us to Agra in the flash of an eye. We stayed at Wyndham Grand Hotel, and saw sights of Agra well beyond the few sights that most people end up seeing, including some that were new for me. So Agra is certainly not just about Taj Mahal and there is undoubtedly a lot more to savour in this historic city, which was the capital of the Mughal Empire for many years!
After the death of Aurangzeb in 1707,
the Mughal
Empire went into gradual decline. The Marathas took over the city. It then
became a part of the British Raj in 1803. Apart from a brief period during the
1857 rebellion against the British, Agra remained a part of the British Raj
until India got its independence in 1947.
Taj Mahal was
commissioned in 1632 by Emperor Shahjahan to
house the tomb of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. It was completed in
1653. Shahjahan was deposed by his
son Aurangzeb in 1658. After his death in 1666, Shahjahan was also buried there. Taj Mahal is a white marble
mausoleum. It lies in a 42 acre complex which has a mosque, a guest house and a
sprawling garden. In 1983, Taj Mahal was made a UNESCO
World Heritage Site.
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| Taj Mahal |
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| Entrance Gateway, Taj Mahal |
The dome of Taj Mahal has a height of 35
meters. Each of the four minarets surrounding the mausoleum has a height of 40
meters. The main hall has copies of the tombs of Mumtaz Mahal and Shahjahan. The actual tombs
are at a lower level.
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| Entrance to the Tomb, Taj Mahal |
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| Koranic Verses, Taj Mahal |
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| Floral Motifs, Taj Mahal |
Agra
Fort is an ancient fort.
When Sikandar Lodi shifted his
capital from Delhi to Agra in 1504, he constructed some structures inside it.
After the Battle of Panipat in 1526, the fort
came under the control of the Mughals. In 1530, Humayun was crowned Emperor
inside the fort. Agra Fort underwent major changes during the reign of Akbar,
which lasted from 1556 to 1605. Akbar made Agra his capital in 1558. The
refurbished Agra Fort was completed in 1573.
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| Khas Mahal and Angoori Bagh, Agra Fort |
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| Khas Mahal Interior, Agra Fort |
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| Jahangir's Palace, Agra Fort |
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| Jahangir's Hauz, Agra Fort |
Agra Fort is spread over an area of 94 acres and has a
semi-circular plan. Some of Agra Fort’s notable landmarks include Jahangir’s Hauz (a monolithic tank
used for bathing), Musamman Burj (an octagonal
structure used for sun worship), Jahangir’s Palace, Diwan-i-Aam, Khas Mahal, Nagina Masjid, the Black Marble
Throne of Jahangir, the White Marble Throne of Jahangir and Roshanara Mahal (named after Shahjahan's daughter).
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| Musamman Burj, Agra Fort |
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| Interior of Nagina Masjid, Agra Fort |
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| Jahangir's Throne made of Black Marble, Agra Fort |
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| Roshanara Mahal, Agra Fort |
Fatehpur Sikri lies
just outside the city of Agra and was founded as the capital of the Mughal Empire by Akbar in
1571, and served that role till 1585. It was completely abandoned in 1610.
Highlights of Fatehpur Sikri include Bulund Darwaza (a 55 meter tall
gateway to the complex), Jama Masjid (a congregational
mosque), Tomb of Salim Chishti (the renowned Sufi
saint) and Tomb of Islam Khan (the grandson of Salim Chishti).
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| Bulund Darwaza, Fatehpur Sikri |
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| Jama Masjid, Fatehpur Sikri |
The town of Fatehpur Sikri has a population of
just over 32,000 (as per the 2011 census) and it lies about 35 km west of Agra.
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| Tomb of Salim Chishti, Fatehpur Sikri |
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| Tomb of Islam Khan, Fatehpur Sikri |
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| Graves, Fatehpur Sikri |
Akbar’s
Tomb is situated in Sikandra, a suburb of Agra.
Akbar died in 1605. His son and heir, Jahangir, had the tomb built between 1605
and 1613. It is built on 119 acres of ground. The south gate is the largest and
most imposing of the mausoleum’s gates. The building is made from red sandstone.
The hall has a copy of Akbar’s tomb. The real tomb lies in the basement.
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| Akbar's Tomb, Sikandra |
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| Entrance of Akbar's Tomb, Sikandra |
Akbar’s Tomb was ransacked and looted by the Jats
during the reign of Aurangzeb. The Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon, had extensive
repairs and renovation done, which were completed in 1905, and this restored
the mausoleum to its former glory.
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| Motifs at the Gateway of Akbar's Tomb, Sikandra |
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| Interior of Akbar's Tomb, Sikandra |
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| Replica of Akbar's Grave at Akbar's Tomb, Sikandra |
Tomb
of Itmad-ud-Daulah is
the final resting place of Mirza Ghiyas Beg, also called Itmad-ud-Daulah. He was the father
of Jahangir’s wife, Nur Jehan. He died in 1622 and
the mausoleum was completed in 1628. The white marble mausoleum with detailed
inlay work is considered a draft of Taj Mahal. It is often called
“Jewel Box” because of its shape.
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| Itmad-ud-Daulah |
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| Window, Itmad-ud-Daulah |
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| Floral Motif, Itmad-ud-Daulah |
Roman
Catholic Cemetery is
a cemetery for British residents who lived in Agra. Many prominent British
residents were buried here, including John Hessing, a
military officer who served with the Maratha Empire and died in 1803. The tomb
is a smaller, red sandstone version of Taj Mahal.
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| Hessing's Tomb, Roman Catholic Cemetery |
St
John’s College was
established in 1850. It is a Christian college and is one of India’s most
prestigious colleges. The structure is a beautiful one. The college is a part
of Agra University and offers both undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
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| St John's College |
The
Oberoi Amarvilas is a luxury hotel
situated less than 1 km from Taj Mahal. It has Mughal palace designs,
consisting of fountains, lawns, pools and pavilions. There are great views of Taj Mahal from the property.
Guests can be taken to see Taj Mahal by golf cart. Food and Beverage
options include Bellevue
(for Italian food), Esphahan (for Mughal food), The Bar (for
alcohol and spirits) and The Lounge (for tea).
It is one of the most luxurious and exquisite hotels in India, and is a part of the palatial Vilas properties run by the Oberoi Group, along with Rajvilas in Jaipur, Udaivilas in Udaipur and Vanyavilas in Ranthambore.
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| Pavilion, The Oberoi Amarvilas |
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| Chandelier, The Oberoi Amarvilas |
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| Elephant Statue at the Entrance, The Oberoi Amarvilas |
Trident
Agra is situated about 1.5
km from Taj Mahal. The hotel has an
outdoor pool, a business centre, a beauty salon, and restaurant and bar
facilities. The hotel has a lot of beautiful artefacts on display near the
lobby area.
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| Trident Agra |
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| Buddha Head, Trident Agra |
Wyndham
Grand Agra is built on a large
18 acre property. The architecture has been inspired by the architecture of the
Mughal era. The hotel has Mughal, Indian and
continental dishes on offer at its various restaurants. It also has a spa and
spa.
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| Wyndham Grand Agra |
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| Lobby Chandelier, Wyndham Grand Agra |
Agra also has some other top hotels.
ITC Mughal is spread over 35 acres of land. It has multiple dining options, including Peshawri, a world famous reataurant specializing in food from the North West Frontier Province. It also has an outdoor pool and a spa.
Taj Hotel and Convention Centre Agra has a spa, an infinity pool and multiple dining options, including Dawat-e-Nawab (known for its Indian delicacies) and The Latitude (for all day dining).
Tajview boasts of an outdoor pool, a fitness centre and a spa. GAD Coffee Shop has Indian and international cuisines, Jhankar has traditional Indian meals, as well as live dance and music performances.
Very few cities in India can boast of the kind of history and heritage monuments that Agra has. Taj Mahal is certainly Agra's biggest attraction and draws millions of Indian and international visitors every year, but Agra has so much to offer by way of its other heritage monuments. Some of the hotels in Agra rank among India's best. Agra is also famous for its pethas (which are a local sweet), marble replicas, leather products and handicrafts. The monuments and hotels in Agra are maintained beautifully, but large parts of Agra are overcrowded, the city is notorious for its traffic jams and cleanliness levels need improvement. Despite its problems, Agra is one of India's most fascinating and splendid cities and is a must-see place for anyone visiting India.
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