Agra, the former capital of Hindustan,
is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar
Pradesh, India.
Timings:
|
6:00 AM to 7:30 PM (Taj Mahal
remains closed on Friday)
|
Entrance Fee:
|
Rs. 750 (Foreign Nationals)
|
Rs. 20 (Indians, during daytime)
|
|
Rs. 110 (Indians, during sunrise and
sunset)
|
Distance from Delhi: 204 KMs (approximately)
Best Time to Visit: October to March (Winters)
Agra Fort built by Akbar in Red Sandstone when he was through with the consolidation of his power after accession to power in 1654, Agra Fort worked both as a military strategic point as well as the royal residence.
The fort contains splendid palaces both in red sandstone and white marble built by two generations of prolific builders Akbar and later Jehangir and Shahjahan. Of the nearly 500 Akbari buildings built in the Bengal and Gujarati traditions only a few have survived, arrayed in a band on the riverfront.
Some of the exquisite structures that deserve a mention are:
Indians: INR Rs 20/-
Open on all Days
Indians: Rs 50/-
Open on all days
Indians: INR Rs 20/-
Open on all Days
Indians: Rs 50/-
Open on all days
Entrance Fee:
Rs. 10/- per head as Toll Tax (Agra Development Authority)
Rs. 10/- per head as Toll Tax (Agra Development Authority) (Fridays free entry by ADA)
Rs. 500/- ticket of ADA is valid for the monuments of Agra Fort, Itimadi-ud-daula, Akbar Tomb, Sikandara and Fatehpur Sikri.
(Free entry to children up to 15 years)
Rs. 10/- per head as Toll Tax (Agra Development Authority) (Fridays free entry by ADA)
Rs. 500/- ticket of ADA is valid for the monuments of Agra Fort, Itimadi-ud-daula, Akbar Tomb, Sikandara and Fatehpur Sikri.
(Free entry to children up to 15 years)
The cenotaphs and walls of the ground floor
contain inscription in Persian. The wall inscriptions are from Quran and other
holy texts, while the cenotaph inscriptions are stating the name and title of
those interned.
Indians: INR Rs 10/-
Children below 15 years of age are allowed free entry.
Open on all Days
Children below 15 years of age are allowed free entry.
Open on all Days
It is 363 KMs (226 mi) west of the state capital, Lucknow, 200 KMs
(124 mi) south of the national capital New Delhi and 125 KMs(78 mi)
north of Gwalior . 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. It is a major tourist
destination because of its many splendid Mughal-era buildings, most notably the Tāj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpūr Sikrī, all three of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Agra is included on the Golden Triangle tourist circuit, along with Delhi and Jaipur.
Monuments
in Agra
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is the epitome of Mughal art and one
of the most famous buildings in the world. Yet there have been few serious
studies of it and no full analysis of its architecture and meaning. Ebba Koch,
an important scholar, has been permitted to take measurements of the
complex and has been working on the palaces and gardens of Shah Jahan for thirty years and on the Taj Mahal
itself—the tomb of the emperor's wife, Mumtaz Mahal—for a decade.
The
tomb is the representation of the house of the queen in Paradise, and its
setting was based on the palace gardens of the great nobles that lined both
sides of the river at Agra
India. You will explore the entire complex of the Taj Mahal
with an explanation of each building and an account of the mausoleum's urban
setting, its design and construction, its symbolic meaning, and its history up
to the present day.
Taj
Mahal was
built in 22 years (1631-1653) with the orders of Shah Jahan and it was
dedicated to Mumtaz Mahal (Arjumand Bano Begum), the wife of Shah. 20,000
workers labored and 32 crore rupees were spent during the construction of the
monument and it was built according to Islamic architecture. It is one of the
UNESCA world heritage site.
City: Agra, On the Banks of River Yamuna
Red Fort
Agra Fort is a
UNESCO World Heritage site located in Agra, India. The fort is also known as
Lal Qila, Fort Rouge and Red Fort of Agra. It is about 2.5 KMs northwest of its
much more famous sister monument, the Taj Mahal. The fort can be more
accurately described as a walled palatial city.
Ever since Babur defeated and killed Ibrahin Lodi at Panipat in 1526, Agra
played an important center of Mughal Empire it was in a ruined condition and
Akbar decided to make it his capital and arrived in Agra in 1558 Akbar had it
rebuilt with red sandstone. Architects laid the foundation and it was built
with bricks in the inner core with sandstone on external surfaces. Some
1,444,000 builders worked on it for eight years, completing it in 1573.
At the end of his life, his son, Aurangzeb, in the fort, a punishment that
might not seem so harsh, considering the luxury of the fort, imprisoned Shah
Jahan. It is rumored that Shah Jahan died in Muasamman Burj, a tower with a
marble balcony with an excellent view of the Taj Mahal.
Sheesh Mahal - Literally meaning 'Glass Palace' it was the royal dressing room
adorned by tiny mirror-like glass-mosaic decorations on the walls.
The Diwan-i-Am - Which was used as a communications ground between the public and the
aristocracy and once housed the Peacock Throne.
Diwan-i-Khas - A hall of private audience, it was used to welcome kings and
dignitaries.
The Anguri Bagh - It houses 85 square, geometrically arranged lush gardens.
Khas Mahal - An immaculate white marble palace.
Mina Masjid - Literally meaning 'Heavenly Mosque' it is a tiny mosque closed to the
public.
Nagina Masjid - Literally meaning 'Gem Mosque' it was designed exclusively for the
ladies of the court.
Musamman Burj - A large, octagonal tower with a balcony facing the Taj Mahal.
Open from sunrise
to sunset
Entrance Fee:
Foreigners: Rs 520/-
Fatehpur Sikri
The name Fatehpur Sikri evokes a nostalgia of history amongst Indian
minds. The richest period of history can be attributed to the Mughal period,
Akbar being one of the emperors who shone the brightest for his deeds. And
Fatehpur Sikri stands for all the architectural wonder that this emperor’ time
could conjure up.
This is officially a city and a district but in reality, this historical
façade is a mere ghost town of the past though it has a present day population
of 28804 as per census data. The façade of Fatehpur Sikri remains a historical
monument – deserted – though it was built to support a sprawling ancient city.
Entrance Fee: Foreigners: Rs 485/-
Sikandra
Sikandra is
the mausoleum of Akbar. Akbar himself started construction of this beautiful
monument. This structure has a perfect blending of Hindu, Christian, Islamic,
Buddhist, Jain themes. Sikandra is named after Sikandar lodi, the Delhi ruler
who was in power from 1488 to 1517.
Sikandra Fort is located in the western periphery of the city at a distance of
about 10 kms from the city center. Sikandra 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
This is a must visit place for all those who want to experience an environment of ultimate serenity
and peace. The outlaying garden which is laid out in the Char Bagh style is yet
another attraction of the place. The tomb of Mariam, Jehangir's mother, is also
located close to the imposing red sandstone building.
Best Time to Visit
Winter is the best time to visit, when days are
warm and sunny and ideal for sight seeing.
Ticket
Open from sunrise to sunset.
Citizens of India and visitors of SAARC (Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka,
Pakistan, Maldives and Afghanistan) and BIMSTEC Countries (Bangladesh, Nepal,
Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar) - Rs. 5 per head.
Others: US $ 2 or Indian Rs. 100/- per head (ASI)
Itmad ud Daula
The Itimad-ud-Daula’s Tomb is situated on the left bank of
river Jamuna next to Chini-ka-Rauza. Itimad-ud-Daula was the title given to
Mirza Ghiyath Beg, father of Nur Jahan. He held the post of Lord of treasure of
the empire and later rose to the dignity of wazir under Jahangir. Nur Jahan
completed the construction of the building of the Tomb of her father in 1628
AD, nearly 7 years after his death.
The tomb is located at the centre of a quadrangle with
gardens laid out on the Char Bagh pattern surrounding it. The structure stands
over a raised sandstone terrace measuring 149 feet square and 3 feet and 4
inches high from the ground. The tomb building consists of a central hall,
which houses the tomb of Wazir and his wife. Small chambers in which the tombs
of other family members are located surround this hall. A sandstone staircase
leads to the first floor, where elegant oblong dome is found surmounting a
pavilion over the central hall, topped with pinnacles. This pavilion also
contains cenotaphs of plain marble but without any inscriptions. At the corners
of the top of the building stand four round towers approximately measuring 40
feet in height, which are surmounted by marble kiosks.
Entrance Fee:
Foreigners: Rs 110/-
Soor Sarovar
Soor
Sarovar Wildlife Sanctuary lies in a sprawling 15-acre green expanse, 17 km
from Agra District, Uttar Pradesh. Established in 1991, the sanctuary has an
area of 4 sq km. Local and migratory birds, jackal, mongoose and hares roam the
sanctuary.The Soor Sarovar wetland at Keetham, Agra, is 175 km from Delhi. It
is a place of natural beauty. The place inspired poet Soordas to compose the
"Bhakti Kavya", one of the finest pieces of devotional poetry ever
written.
Open
from sunrise to sunset
About PRABISH BISHUNGKHE
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