Agra, the City Of Monuments and Vibrant Colours

The moment you think about Agra, the gorgeous picture of Taj Mahal comes into your mind. The city which is located in the state of Uttar Pradesh holds the fine architecture of Taj Mahal in a white marble
. It is the chief tourist attraction of the vibrant city of Agra. Taj Mahal is not the only attraction of Agra, the Mughal dynasty have left behind them a magnificent fort and fascinating tombs and mausoleums, while the charming Yamuna River adds a perfect flavour to these attractions of Agra. In the beginning of the Mughal intervention in this region, Emperor Babur first made this place the capital of the Mughal dynasty in 1526 and from then this exquisite city of Agra witnessed a chain of architectural construction as each emperor tried to outdo the other one by building another spectacular monument. There are many historic and equally beautiful attractions in the city of Agra for which you have to arrange for a considerable time in order to explore all these enthralling destinations.

History

Even if Agra is largely known because of the Mughal Empire, legends say that it had been mentioned in the renowned Hindu epic, Mahabharata, as the forest of Agra located nearby Mathura, which is much before the Mughal came to this region. In the year 1475, Badal Singh founded the city and Sikandar Lodhi made Agra his capital city. Later, Babur conquered the place and thus the long association of the place with the Mughal Empire began. The Mughal’s fascination of architecture made the construction of stunning monuments possible, like the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri and Sikandra. The city reached to its peak glory during the time of Emperor Akbar, Jehangir and Shah Jahan. Where Akbar was responsible for turning the place into the centre of art, culture, commerce and learning, Shah Jahan was the one who saw the region blooming. It was Akbar who laid the foundation of the modern city and till now one can find the scrumptious Mughlai cuisine and the skilled craftsmen in the narrow streets of the city as a reminiscent of the bygone era.

Culture

Like every other city in India, Agra too holds a mixture of cultures related to diverse religions like the Hindu, Muslim, Christianity and many others. With the influence of an entire era of Mughal rule and the various exquisite monuments and the tourists from all the parts of the world have had a considerable influence on the culture of this city. Due to its rich legacy and fine architecture, tourists frequently visit the place as the place has developed its own taste of culture. Tourists from across the globe as well as domestic tourists come here to witness one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Taj Mahal. On top of this, the locals of Agra are very hospitable people who consider their guests as equivalent to god.

Climate

The climate of Agra involves gentle winters, hot and dry summers and a monsoon season. During the monsoon season the place does not experience heavy rainfall unlike other regions of the country which leads to a semiarid climate as contrasting the humid subtropical climate.

Chief Attraction

No other monument in the world can be compared to the magnificence of Taj Mahal. It was constructed during the period of 17^th century by Shah Jahan, the 5^th Mughal emperor, who had structured this spell binding monument in the memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The emperor wanted to immortalize his love for his wife by building this monument. Every international tourist visiting India do not want to miss the opportunity to visit this fine illustration of love.

Other Attractions of Agra

Agra Fort

This fort was built by Akbar during 1565 AD. It is one of the rare monuments you will come across in your lifetime.  The fort holds a number of beautiful buildings, such as the Moti Masjid, Diwane-E-Am, Diwani-E-Khaas and Musanman Burj, and it also is the place where Emperor Shah Jahan died during his imprisonment, as he was imprisoned here by his own son Aurangzeb.  

Sikandra

It is a mausoleum located on the fringes of Agra. Sikandra holds the mortal remains of the Mughal Akbar, who had structured this tomb during his lifetime with a gorgeous garden surrounding the place. The topmost part of mausoleum was constructed in marble by Akbar’s own son, Jahangir.

DayalBagh

The place is also popularly known as the "garden of the Supreme Lord", situated at a distance of around 15 km from Agra. The place is considered as an important pilgrimage centre as it is the headquarters of the Radhasoami religious sect, which was founded by a holy saint, Shri Shiv Dayal Singh in the year 1861. This particular religion combines the elements of Hinduism, Christianity, Sikhism and Buddhism.

Fatehpur Sikri

This architectural splendour was structured during the Built during the second half of the 16th century by Akbar, and was declared as the capital of the Mughal Empire for around 10 years. The complex of this fascinating monument also holds one of the largest mosques in the country, Jama Masjid.

Shopping and Food

There is an endless scope of shopping in this city, as apart from its renowned monuments, the place is chiefly popular for its stunning handicrafts. In fact all most every shop in this city, especially the ones located near the historic monuments holds a wide range of crafted items made out of marbles and sandalwood, rosewood along with many other alluring items like jewelleries and embroidery works. Expensive leather items like shoes, belts and bags are also very famous among the tourists.

As for the food available in Agra, the restaurants and other eateries of this city offer some of the best Mughlai dishes. Some of the specialities of this place are the kebabs, chicken curries and few others.

Transportation

The nearest airport is Kheria Airport which is just a distance of 6 km from the city. Regular flights from here will get you connected with other top cities of India like Delhi and Mumbai. As for the transportation through rail, the chief station, Agra Cantt is located within the city which connects you to Delhi, the capital city and other parts of the country. Agra is well connected with other parts of the country through roads also. Delhi is the main city located near Agra which is connected through a well established highway.