Travel and Tourism

AGRA

About Agra• Also known as “The city of Taj”, the city is

located on the banks of the river yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India.

• It is located at the banks of river Yamuna, 363 kilometres (226 mi) west of state capital, Lucknow and 200 kilometres (124 mi) south from national capital New Delhi.

• With a population of 1,686,976 (2010 est.), it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most populous in India.

•  Agra can also refer to the administrative district that has its headquarters in Agra city.

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How to Reach?• By AirAgra airport is about 12.5 km from city center.• By train• Agra is on the main train line between theDelhi-Mumbai

and Delhi-Chennai routes, and many trains connect Agra with these cities every day. 

• The Luxury train - Palace on Wheels stops at Agra on its eight day round trip of tourist destinations in Rajasthan and Agra.

• By road• From Delhi: NH2, a modern divided highway, connects

the 200 km distance from Delhi to Agra. The drive is typically 4-5 hours.

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What to see?

• Agra's top three sights by far are the incomparable Taj Mahal ,fatehpur sikiri and Agra Fort.

• 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.

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TAJ MAHAL…

• Completed in 1653 A.D., The Taj Mahal built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as the final resting place for his favourite Queen, Mumtaz. Finished in by Marvel, it is perhaps India most fascinating and beautiful monument. This perfectly symmetrical monuments took 22 years (1630-1652) of hard labour and 20,000 workers, Masons and Jewellers to built and is set amidst landscaped gardens. Built by the Persian architect, Ustad Isa,

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• The Taj Mahal the bank of the Yamuna river. It can be observed like a Mirage from the Agra Fort from where Emperor Shah Jahan stared at it, for the last eight years his life as a prisoner of his son Aurangzeb.

• It is a masterpiece of symmetry, Seeming to be floating in the air from a distance, and each revealed as an illusion experienced as one enters through the main gate.

• The verses of Holy Koran as inscribed on it and at the top of gate 22 small domes, signifying the number of years the monument took to built.

• The Taj Mahal has been built on a Marvel Platform that stands above a standstone one.

• The most elegant dome of the Taj, with diameter of 60 feet, rises 80 feet, over the building and directly under the dome is the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan's tomb has been erected next to her by his son Aurangzeb. Fantastic Inley works using semi-precious stones decorate and interiors.

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FATEHPUR SIKIRI

• Fatehpur Sikri is an epic in red sandstone. A city of yeasteryear, today lost in the mists of time. Fatehpur Sikri was built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar during 1564 A.D.. Mughal Emperor Akbar had no heir. He visited holy men to  enlist their prayers for his son.

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• When he visited Sheikh Salim Chishti who was living at the village of Sikri the saint foretold the emperor that he would be blessed with a son. 

• When is son was born, he is gratitude, constructed his capital city and named it Fatehpur Sikri.

• Later, due to sortage of water and unrest in North-West, Akbar has to abandon this city.

• The beautiful marvel tomb of Sheikh Salim Chishti still attract thousands who seek blessings of the revered saint.

• Other renowned places are Dewane-e-Am, Dewane-e-Khaas, Buland Darwaja, Panch Mahal, Jodha  Bai Palace and Birbal Bhawan. Fatehpur Sikri is about 39 K.M. from Agra.    Open Time : Sunrise to Sunset.

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Agra Fort• The great Mughal Emperor

Akbar commissioned the construction of the Agra Fort in 1565 A.D., although additions were made  till the time of his grandson Shah Jahan.

• The forbidding exteriors of this fort hight an inner pardise. The fort is crescent shaped, flattended on the east with a long, nearly straight wall facing the river.

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• It has a total perimeter of 2.4 k.m., 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 surround the outer wall.

• There are number of exquisite building like the Moti Masjid-a white marvel mosque akin to a perfect pearl, Diwan-e-Am, Diwan-e-Khaas, Jehangir's Palace, Khaas Mahal, Shish Mahal and Musamman or Samman Burj-where Shahjahan was held captive in 1666 A.D.

•  Open Time : Sunrise to Sunset.

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Where to stay?

• The main number of the budget hotels is situated around Taj Mahal. One can stay and have all the facilities around it .Staying nearby saves time and energy. So people prefer to stay where all the things are accessible .

• These are names of some of the hotels in budget.......

• Hotel Amba Inn,  • Col Lamba Indian Home Stay • Dayal Lodge • Hotel Jaiwal

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Other Specialities• Chaat. Agra is a heaven for any Chaat lover. Chaat can

be of various types but there is one thing common among them all is that they are spicy and you will find crowd outside virtually every chaat stall, especially popular places like Double Phatak (near Sikandra) for Mangores

• Sweets. There are quite a few good sweets shops all round the city. The best stores for buying the famous petha of Agra are at Hari Parwat, a short ride from Agra Fort. Amongst the well-known stores are Panchi's , Bhimsain BaidyaNath and The Pracheen Petha store. 

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• Agra has many shops selling various stone products, from jewellery to small boxes and plaques with inlay work resembling that on the Taj. The best of these are wonderful, and even the run-of-the-mill ones are rather pretty. Agra is also famous for its leather goods. Consider spending time in Sadar Bazaar for some shopping and enjoying cheap food.

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Thank You!

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