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Taj Mahal-Agra, India |
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Location : Uttar pradesh
Nearest Access : Agra, Delhi
Distance :
200 Kms from Delhi
230 Kms from Jaipur
119 Kms from Gwalior
Getting there:
Air/Rail Daily Flights to Delhi, Khajuraho and
Varanasi
Shatabdi Express and Taj Express
Places to Visit Taj Mahal, Fort, Itimad-Ud Daulah, SikandraDayal
Bagh
Day Excursion Fatehpur Sikri, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Mathura and
Brindavan,Gwalior
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Area : 62 Square KMs
Famous As : 7th Wonder of the world
TajMahal, Built By : Taj Mahal Was Built By Mughal Emperor Shahjahan
In The Memory Of : Taj Mahal Was Built In The Memory Of Mumtaz Mahal
Main Attaraction : Taj-Mahal, Forts
Altitude : 169 Meters
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About Agra
Located at the city of Agra in the State of Uttar Pradesh, the Taj
Mahal is
one of the most beautiful masterpieces of architecture in the world.
Agra,
situated about 200 km south of New Delhi, was the Capital of the
Mughals
(Moguls), the Muslim Emperors who ruled Northern India between the
sixteenth
and nineteenth centuries. The Mughals were the descendents of two of
the
most skilled warriors in history: the Turks and the Mongols. The Mughal
dynasty reached its highest strength and fame during the reign of their
early Emperors, Akbar, Jehangir, and Shah Jehan.
It was Shah Jehan who 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
Emperor love to his wife that he ordered the building of the most
beautiful
mausoleum on Earth for her.
Although it is not known for sure who planned the Taj, the name of an
Indian
architect of Persian descent, Ustad Ahmad Lahori, has been cited in
many
sources. As soon as construction began in 1630, masons, craftsmen,
sculptors, and calligraphers were summoned from Persia, the Ottoman
Empire,
and Europe to work on the masterpiece. The site was chosen near the
Capital,
Agra on the southwest bank of the River Yamuna. The architectural
complex is
comprised of five main elements: the Darwaza or main gateway, the
Bageecha
or garden, the Masjid or mosque, the Naqqar Khana or rest house, and
the
Rauza or the Taj Mahal mausoleum. The actual Tomb is situated inside
the
Taj.
The unique mughal style combines elements of Persian, Central Asian,
and
Islamic architecture. Most impressive are the black and white
chessboard
marble floor, the four tall minarets (40 m high) at the corners of the
structure, and the majestic dome in the middle. On closer look, the
lettering of the Quran verses around the archways appears to be
uniform,
regardless of their height. The lettering spacing and density has been
customized to give this impression to the beholder. Other illusionary
effects have been accounted for in the geometry of the tomb and the
tall
minarets. The impressive pietra dura artwork includes geometric
elements,
plants and flowers, mostly common in Islamic architecture. The level of
sophistication in artwork becomes obvious when one realizes that a 3 cm
decorative element contains more than 50 inlaid gemstones.
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| Attractions & Places to Visit in Agra
Taj Mahal India Even as the world is caught in the skirmishes of War & peace, Nuclear
and
Non-Nuclear; Taj has stood as the epitome of love. This extravagant
monument
of love is one of the most visited and most photographed places in the
world. Taj Mahal was built by Shah Jahan in the memory of his beautiful
wife
Mumtaz Mahal. Taj Mahal was the culmination point of Indo-Persian
architecture. The Mughals Emperor were always fond of constructing
monuments. Perhaps they knew that they would be gone but these
structures
will remind the world of their grandeur.
Agra Red Fort Agra which lies on the west bank of river Jamuna became one of the
principal
cities of the Mughal Empire after the death of Ibrahim Lodi at Panipat
in
1526. When Akbar choose Agra as his capital he laid the foundation of
the
Fort of Agra. After Taj this was one of the most important group of
buildings. The construction was started in 1565 and was completed in
about
eight years at a cost of thirty five lakh of rupees under the
superintendence of Qasim Khan Mir Barr-u-Bahr. This fort was just one
of the
many large fortified residences that the emperor wanted to have at
various
strategic points of his empire. According to contemporary chroniclers
like
Abul Fazal the fort contained over five hundred buildings. But later on
Akbar's descendants added new buildings, mainly in marble to the fort
and
demolished the old ones.
Fatehpur Sikri 37 kms from Agra is built a city predominantly in Red Sandstone called
Fatehpur Sikri. This town was built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. He had
planned this city as his capital but shortage of water compelled him to
abandon the city and within 20 years the capital of Mughals was shifted
to
Lahore. Fatehpur Sikri was built during 1571 and 1585. The city is a
fine
example of culmination of Mughal and Hindu architecture. Any visitor to
Agra
must have a go at Fatehpur Sikri. Fatehpur Sikri mosque was said to be
built
in lines of the holy mosque in Mecca. Entrance to the mosque is through
the
Buland Darwaza that is 54m high.
Akbar's Mausoleum, Sikandra Four kilometer from Agra is the mausoleum of Akbar. Construction of
this
beautiful monument was started by Akbar himself . This structure has a
perfect blending of Hindu, Christian , Islamic, Buddhist, Jain motifs.
Jama Masjid Or Jami Masjid Built by Shah Jahan in 1648, the main gate of this mosque has
inscription
written on it that it was built by Jahanara Begum. She was the favorite
daughter of Shah Jahan and was imprisoned with him. The absence of
minarets
and the shape of the dome give sit a distinguished character.
Chini-Ka-Rauza A tomb of glazed tiles is a memorial dedicated to poet-scholar and
later the
Prime Minister of Shah Jahan, Allama Afzel Khal Mullah Shukrullah of
Shiraz.
Dayal Bagh Temple 15-kms from Agra, Dayal Bagh, also known as Soamibagh, houses the
samadhi of
the founder of Radha Swami faith, 'Swamiji Maharaj'. The main structure
is a
majestic building, 110-feet in height, built of pure white marble. The
belief here is that construction work should never end, making it into
a living monument, hence it is under construction for almost 100 years.
Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb This tomb belongs to the father of Nur Jahan, Ghias-ud-Din Beg. He was
the
Wajir or the Chief Minister of Emperor Jehangir. This white marble tomb
was
built by Nur Jahan between 1622 and 1628. The tomb may not be as
mammoth as
the Taj but the inlay designs and carvings are no less than Taj if not
more.
The delicate marble latticework in the passages allows the light to
enter
the interiors. A similar tomb was built by Nur Jahan for Jehangir in
Lahore.
This tomb was the first complete marble Moghul structure.
Mariyam Tomb This tomb is dedicated to the wife of Akbar. The red sand stone tomb
was
built in 1611 and is on the Delhi- Agra highway. The carvings on the
tomb of
Mariyam-us-Zamani are worth giving a closer look.
Ram Bagh When Babur came to India he laid the first Mughal gardens 500 m North
of the
Chini Ka Rauza. This well laid gardens are not even a fraction of what
they
used to be. It will need lots of imagination to picture how these
gardens
must have looked in 1558.
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Weather in Agra
The climate of Agra is extreme and tropical. Summers are extremely hot
and
the maximum temperature can be as high as 45 degree Celsius, while
winters
are cold and foggy. Heavy rains and high humidity mark the monsoon
season.
Agra can be visited throughout the year, but one must avoid the extreme
hot
summers (April-June) and rainy season (July-Sept). The most suitable
time to
visit Agra is in winters.How to Reach Agra:
The nearest International Airport from Agra is Delhi, 200 Kms away.
Agra
well connected with rest of indian major cities by train and road
network.
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Hotels & Resorts in Agra
The Indian city of Taj Mahal Agra is dotted with Five Star Hotels,
four-star
hotels, three star hotels, Government approved hotels, and other
hotels. The
various hotels of Agra are replete with modern day facilities. The
services
offered by the hotels in Agra are efficient. The luxury hotels of Agra
promise you a time of your life in Agra. Most of the Agra Hotels are
located
close to its landmark the Taj Mahal. The leisure travelers and tourists
in
Agra usually prefer hotels near Taj Mahal. For the business travelers
Agra
Hotels offer well-equipped business centres and meeting rooms. The
government approved hotels, and other hotels of Agra cater to the
accommodation needs of the budget travelers. The honeymoon hotels in
Agra
are heaven on Earth for the honeymooners. The Airport hotels in Agra
are
strategically located near the airport in Agra. |
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