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MUMBAI
"One of the finest
metropolitan" |
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AGRA |
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ABOUT
AGRA |
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Agra is said to be founded
in 1475 during the reign of Raja Badal Singh.
Mughal monarchs transformed the land into one
of the great centres of art, culture, learning
and commerce. Massive monuments, majestic buildings
and still flourishing arts and crafts including
leatherwork and pietra dura marble-inlay work
along with delicious Mughal cuisine have now become
an inseparable part or more, the identity of the
city. Besides Taj, many other magnificent monuments
are a testimony to the zenith and golden period
of the Mughal architecture.
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For water lovers, Goa
is the place to be. With 130 km. of coastline,
Goa has some of the most exotic locations and
best beaches beaches the world over. The clear
sands, the pristine waters, lines of palms and
relaxing tourists, all call for a vacation. Even
though you do not own a cottage in this heaven,
never mind. There are a host of resorts, big and
small to suit your pocket and your interest. So
go ahead and enjoy your vacation. One should take
a look at each place in great details for each
province holds something to attract the tourists.
Goa enjoys a stable climate without much variation
throughout the year. The tourist season continues
round the year although the best season to visit
is from October and February. |
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Agra City |
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India's
top tourist attraction, Taj Mahal is the ultimate
requiem of love, from a great Mughal Emperor to
his beloved. Made up of white marble, this mausoleum
has immortalized Agra as the City of the Taj. Agra
had been the chosen city of Mughals for years as
it was close to Delhi. However, the history of Agra
is much more older than the times of Mughals. The
great Hindu epic 'Mahabharat' refers to 'Agraban'
as an integral part of the Brij Bhumi or the land
of Lord Krishna. It is claimed that this was the
region of Agra, covered by forests then. There is
Agra Fort and Itmad-ud-daulah that are gems of Mughal
architectural style. Babur laid out the first formal
Persian garden here on the banks of the River Yamuna.
Sikandra, just outside Agra, is the beautiful garden
mausoleum of Akbar. Hardly, any tourists go back
from India without visiting Agra, if only for the
seventh wonder, Taj Mahal. |
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Monuments
of Agra |
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Shahjahan built Taj
Mahal, the seventh wonder of the world, in memory
of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving
birth to their 14th child. Itmad-ud-daulah is
the tomb of Mirza Ghiyas Beg, Emperor Jehangir's
father - in- law. Standing in the centre of a
luxurious Persian garden, it is an architectural
jewel of its times. 10 km from the city centre
of Agra, the mausoleum of Akbar, Sikandra, is
a perfect amalgamation of Hindu, Christian, Islamic,
Buddhist, Jain architectural styles. 40 km from
Agra, the city of Fatehpur Sikri was built in
the honor of the Sufi saint Sheikh Salim Chisti
by Emperor Akbar. The city was intended to embody
the noble ideals, and the humanitarian bent of
this dynamic emperor. The finest monuments within
this area are the Diwan - i - Am, Diwan - i -
Khas, Panch Mahal, Jama Masjid, Panch Mahal, Buland
Darwaza and the tomb of Saint Sheikh Salim Chisti.
There are several monuments at Agra but the most
important ones have been covered below:
1. Taj Mahal,
2. Itmad-ud-daulah,
3. Sikandra, and
4. Fatehpur Sikri. |
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Forts
& Palaces of Agra |
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Agra became
one of the principal cities of the Mughal Empire,
especially, after the death of Ibrahim Lodi at Panipat
in 1526 when Akbar chose it as his capital. He laid
the foundations of the fort of Agra. The construction
was started in 1565 and was completed in about eight
years at a cost of thirty-five lakhs 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. During Akbar's time
Jamuna was a mighty river and it touched the fort.
A large number of ghats were built during Akbar's
period. Some of the ghats were meant for handling
goods and some particularly reserved for use by
the harem inmates. Covered passages were specifically
built for this purpose.
Agra
Fort - On the shores of River Yamuna,
to the northwest of the Taj Mahal, Emperor Akbar
started a majestic fort, which gained Jehangir and
Shah Jahan as its future benefactors who added rose-red
sandstone and marble buildings to it respectively.
Within 2.5- km-long and 20 feet high fortified walls,
the premises of the fort houses many visionary palaces,
such as the Jahangir Palace and the Khas Mahal,
audience halls, such as the Diwan-i-Khas; and two
very beautiful mosques.
Agra
Tourism - No trip to India is complete
without a visit to the Taj. One of the most beautiful
places in the world, Taj Mahal is a feast for the
eyes and a pilgrimage to the hearts of the lovers.
It touches new heights of beauty and grace. There
is Agra Fort, whose sheer vastness would have made
up for its significance even without its numerous
pretty buildings and edifices. The city of mausoleums,
Agra has two more remarkable tombs that are worth
beholding - Sikandra, the grand mausoleum of Akbar,
the father of Jehangir and Itmad-ud-daulah, the
tomb of Mirza Ghiyas Beg, the father-in-law of Jehangir.
Fatehpur Sikri is not only for the pilgrims but
is also an important tourist attraction with its
wonderful edifices.
Excursions
in Agra - Mathura and Vrindavan
are two famous places where Lord Krishna was born
and spent most of his childhood. They are the best
places to observe the religious heritage of India.
The holy towns positioned along the shores of River
Yamuna are mentioned both in history and mythology.
The other destination is the ultimate pilgrimage
centre for Hindus, Varanasi (also popularly known
as Benaras or Kashi), which is one of the oldest
living cities in the world. Besides its temples
and ghats, it is also known as a seat of learning,
music and dance. The silk sarees, betel leaf and
gold and silver threadwork of the city is also very
famous. |
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