When you are on a tour of North India it cannot be completed unless and until you
visit Agra and eventually Taj Mahal a pride of India. Away from India when someone
speaks about India the first reference comes out to be Taj Mahal. It is so much
popular among tourists as well as local population. Agra formerly known as Akbarabad
is situated on the banks of Yamuna River. It is the third biggest city in Uttar
Pradesh which was the capital of India during the Mughal era. According to the mythology
Agra was also famous with the name of Arya Griha at time of Aryans. It’s a city
of rich heritage of art, culture and architecture. The finest quality of Indian
culture is evident in art, architecture, music, dance and drama of this city. Agra
forms the third apex of the Golden triangle tour along with Delhi and Jaipur. Agra
is an awesome place to visit because of its rich heritage and value. The most famous
talk of the city is obviously the Taj Mahal, which was built by “King Shah Jahan”
in memory of his beloved wife “Mumtaj Mahal”. It is now one of the seventh Wonders
of the world and one of three World Heritage Sites, the others being Agra Fort and
Fatehpur Sikri. Agra came into limelight during the rule of Afghan King Sikandar
Lodhi who had made it the capital of his empire. Later in 1526 A.D., the Mughal
Emperor Babar took upon himself the task for rendering Agra, a unique character
and beauty of its own. The visionary that he was and a great patron of the arts,
Emperor Babar brought in a change in the culture and life-style among the people
of Agra, which then brought forth some of the finest craftsmen, artists, statesmen,
warriors and nobility, this part of India had ever witnessed. The golden age of
Agra's history, thus began to set in. The next few hundred years of Agra witnessed
the rise of the pageantry of three great Mughal monarchs - Emperor Akbar, Jehangir
and ShahJahan all of whom lavished on this fabled city, their love and riches immeasurable
to transform the land into one of the great centres of art, culture, learning and
commerce. Much of the city's impressive past lives in evidence even today, in the
hunting presence inside the monuments, the majesty of the buildings, the exquisite
arts and crafts and not to forget, the lure of an exceptional cuisine all, cherished
as priceless legends of a nostalgic past. The older city of Agra has impressively
retained much of its resplendent history captivating every visitor with fond memories
to take back home. Today, luxury and modern convenience also exist adjacent to tradition
luxury hotels, shopping malls and plazas, wide avenues and a superb choice of venues
for recreation, business, sports, pleasure, education and the arts.
Apart from the Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Sikandra and Itmad-Ud-Daulah are the main attractions
of the city. Fatehpur Sikri is 36 kilometers from the city and well connected by
road. This Mughal architecture of the city is a great experience for everyone. The
main attractions of the city are Mughal Monuments, lying everywhere in the town.
The history of the city says the glory of monuments of Agra began during the time
of Babar but reached at its height during the regime of the great mughal ruler Akbar.
Located in the rich alluvial plains of the Ganga and Yamuna Rivers in western Uttar
Pradesh, it lies about 200 km southeast of Delhi. The city was a symbol of Mughal
power and aspiration, but it was also their residence and they filled it with gardens
and elegant palaces, settled their families and set up their spaces of leisure and
devotion. Hindi is the most popular language of the city but Urdu and English are
also spoken by mass. Agra, also known as the city of The Taj Mahal, is a part of
the huge state of Uttar Pradesh. This city is considered romantic because of the
great monument of Taj Mahal’s history that graces it with its presence. City of
Agra standing on the banks of river of Jamuna is famous for its delicacies on offer
at Agra are a variety of cuisines to travellers besides the Mughlai cuisine, which
saw its birth in this region, Agra is well known for the other palaces and forts
that were mainly built in the Mughal era.