Agra is a small city located in Uttar Pradesh. It is the budding place for tourists and travelers from around the world. The city of Taj is special in its own way. Every rock and stone of the city, every blow of the wind and every walls of Agra have some history to tell.
Situated in the banks of river Yamuna, it is believed that the golden age of the city began with the Mughals specially under Mughal emperor Akbar. It was the capital of Mughal dynasty from
1556-1648.
Being the centre of attraction of the tourists, Agra has a well network of transport system. A good range of trains and buses travel to Agra daily from Kolkata, Delhi, Lucknow and some other major cities. Agra also has an airport, 7km from the city centre.
Hotels of different ranges are available in Agra serving the interest of every tourists.
Being the city of the Mughals, Mughal cuisines have a separate fan base here. Besides this, there are lots of restaurants serving Indian, continental and Chinese dishes at pocket friendly price.
Undoubtedly the most important centre of attraction in Agra is the Taj Mahal. Carved from white
marbles, this wonder of the world is built by Shahjahan in 1631 on the memory of his wife
Mumtaz Mahal. The beauty of the Taj cannot be expressed unless it is witnessed. It is said that Taj Mahal looks more mesmerizing in moonlight and seems like pearls rolling down the Taj. The
beauty of Taj Mahal casts some magical spell and the whiteness of the marbles will blur your
eyes.
To be noted: Shoes are not allowed inside the Mahal and plastic shoe covers are available there
to restrict dirt from entering inside.
Next place of visit is the Agra Fort. This was the main residence of the Mughal emperors until
1638, when the capital was shifted to Delhi from Agra. It is an UNESCO world heritage site and is a great piece of architecture. Agra Fort offers an amazing Light and Sound show giving a glimpse of history in a oddly beautiful way. Every night, after sunset the show takes place inside the fort and commentaries are available in Hindi and English. If you are in Agra then don’t give it a miss!
Situated 36km from Agra, Fatehpur Sikri is another major tourist spot. Built by Akbar, this place
has great historical importance. The five storey Panch Mahal, Diwan-E-Khas, Jodha Bai’s Palace(built with a blend of Hindu and Mughal styles) are some of the notable buildings of Fatehpur Sikri. Beside this, there is the Jama Masjid mosque. The huge Buland Darwaza provides the entrance to this mosque. Nearby is the marble Tomb of Salim Chisti. Like Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri is also an UNESCO world heritage site and it’ll take an entire day for sightseeing.
If you have some more days in hand, then you can visit Mathura Brindavan from Agra.
Though a small city, Agra has its own charm. It will take you on a journey back to history.
By Payal Roy
