Introduction
About Agra Agra
is synonymous with monument of love, The Taj Mahal, which sits on the bank of
Yamuna river.
The Mughal emperor Babur established his capital here
in 1526 and for next few years Agra witnessed a remarkable spate of architectural
activity as each monarch tried to out do the grandiose monuments built by his
predecessor.
Agra is the one of the prominent destinations of the World
Tourism map with three heritage monuments - The Taj Mahal, Red Fort & Fatehpur
Sikri. It is more just a dacadent city of graveyards and stones, but it is a vibrant
centre of Culture, Art and Religious philosphies that have enriched mankind and
shaped humen thought over centuries.
Agra is famous as being home to
one of the seven wonders of the world-the Taj Mahal. The architectural splendour
of the mausoleums, the fort and the palaces is a vivid remainder of the mausoleums,
the fort and the palaces is a vivid reminder of the capital in the 16th and early
17th centuries.
While its significance as a political centre ended with
the transfer of the capital to Delhi in 1634 by Shah Jahan, its architectural
wealth has secured its place on the international map.
A pleasant town
with comparatively slow pace, Agra is known for its superb inlay work on marble
and soastone by craftsman who
are descendant of those who worked under the Mughals. The city is also famous
for its carpets, gold thread embroidery and leather shoes.
Agra was once
the capital of the Mughal empire and even today it seems to linger in the past
. Not surprising , for the Mughal emperors with their passion for building, endowed
the city with some of the finest structures in the world . It is very easy to
slip away here through the centuries into the grandeur and intrigues of the Mughal
court .
Agra is an old city and it is said that its name was derived
from Agrabana, a forest that finds mention in the epic Mahabharata.
In
more recent times Agra came into prominence when Sikandar Lodi made it his capital
city in 1501 . The Lodi rule was to end very soon and Agra passed into the possession
of the Mughals .
It was during the time of the third emperor Akbar that
Agra came into its own . He embarked on the construction of the massive Agra Fort
in 1565. Though Akbar was diverted into building a new capital at Fatehpur sikri
not far away.
Agra continued to retain its importance and Shah Jahan,
Akbar's garndson ornamented the city with that masterpiece of Mughal architecture
- the Taj Mahal and built several other beautiful buildings within the Agra fort
.
Places of Interest :
Taj Mahal : The crowning jewel of Indo-Islamic architecture, the Taj
Mahal is one of the world's most beautiful and beloved structures. The monument
was built for Mumtaz Mahal, the favorite wife of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. Construction
began in 1632 and employed more than 20,000 laborers for 20 years. During the
reign of Shah Jahan the structure was known simply as the rauza, the tomb. Later,
the mausoleum would be called the Taj Mahal, a derivative of the name Mumtaz Mahal.
Sheer poetry in marble. Majesty and magnificence, unrivalled. The Taj Mahal, the
one and only one of its kind across the world. The monumental labour of love of
a great ruler for his beloved queen. The ultimate realisation of Emperor Shahjahan's
dream. One of the wonders of the world. From 1631 A.D., it took 22 years in the
making. An estimated 20,000 people worked to complete the enchanting mausoleum,
on the banks of the Yamuna. For a breathtaking beautiful view of the Taj Mahal,
see it by moonlight.
Agra fort :Agra fort is another dimensions
in the city. Built in Red stone it is a combination of different architectural
styles. For instance, the Jahangiri Palace built by Akbar is a good blend of Islamic
(Persian) and different local Hindu styles.
Other buildings either have a mixed style or conform predominantly to the Islamic
style. The construction of the Agra fort was started around 1565 when the initial
structures were built by Akbar. Shah Jahan replaced most of these with his marble
creations. Some however survived, among them are - Delhi Gate., Amar Singh Gate,
Akbari Mahal and the Jehangir Mahal. The fort is crescent shaped, flattened on
the east with a long, nearly straight wall facing the river. It has a total perimeter
of 2.4 km, and is ringed by double castellated ramparts of red sandstone punctuated
at regular intervals by bastions. A 9 mt. Wide and 10 mt. Deep moat surrounds
the outer wall. An imposing 22 mt. High inner wall imparts a feeling of invincible
defensive construction. The route through the Amar Singh Gate is dog-legged. The
layout of the fort was determined by the course of the river, which in those days
flowed alongside. The main axis is parallel to the river and the walls bridge
out towards the city.
Sikandra Fort: Welcome to Sikandra, a supurb
of Agra, only 13 km. from the Agra Fort, the last resting place of the Mughal
emperor Akbar. Akbar was the greatest of the Mughal emperors and one of the most
secular minded
royalties
of his time. He was the heir to a long tradition of oriental refinement, a great
patron of the arts, literature, philosophy and science. A visit to Akbar's monument
opens before one, the completeness of Akbar's personality as completely as the
Taj Mahal does of Mumtaz Mahal's. Akbar's vast, beautifully carved, red-ochre
sandstone tomb is set amidst a lush garden. Akbar himself planned his own tomb
and selected a suitable site for it. To construct a tomb in one's lifetime was
a Tartary custom which the Mughals followed religiously. Akbar's son Jahangir
completed the construction of this pyramidal tomb in 1613.
Fatehpur
Sikri: A royal city perfectly preserved, Fatehpur Sikri provides a marvellous
escape into the past. Akbar embarked on the construction of a new capital here
when a prophecy of the birth of a male royal heir, by the Sufi Saint Salim Chisti
of Sikri, came true. Imposing gateways and light- hearted palaces were built in
red sandstone within this fortified city only to be abandoned a few years later.
Among its many architectural game are the places for his queens - Jodha Bai, Mariyam
and his Turkish sultana, built in varying styles, each perfect in itself.