Travel-India

Agra

Home to Taj Mahal, one of the wonders of the world and three world heritage monuments, Agra Fort, the Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri, agra is one of the most popular and must-visit cities in the itinerary of both Indian and foreign tourists.

Located in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh in India, Agra is a crowded and sultry town today and is best visited in winters.

Situated in the fertile alluvial plains between the rivers Ganga and Yamuna, Agra has a glorious long history, the reflection of which can be seen in numerous magnificent mausoleums, historic Agra fort and royal palaces.

The historic city of Agra is famous for zari (gold thread) embroidery, carpets, leather shoes and ‘petha’.

History of Agra

Agra is believed to be the ‘Agravana’ of the Mahabharata period. Agravana in Sanskrit means paradise. During the period of Pandavas and Kauravas, Agravana was part of Brij Bhoomi. Archaeological excavations and studies found sufficient evidence to support this belief.

However, recorded history of Agra dates back to early 16^th century when Agra was a stronghold of Lodi dynasty and was ruled by Sultan Sikander Lodhi. After Sikanadar Lodhi, his son Ibrahim Lodhi succeeded him and continued ruling from Agra till he was defeated by first Mughal emperor Babur in the first battle of Panipat in 1526 AD. Babur maintained Agra as the capital city and laid out a number of, what became popular later as, Mughal ‘charbagh’ styled gardens.

Agra revelled in the glory of being royal capital under next many successors. Babur’s son Humayun built an observatory and a mosque in the city, however not much of it is left today. Humayun was succeeded by Sher Shah Suri who sent Humayun into 15 years long exile.

Once back, Humayun had hold on both Delhi and Agra. In 1556 AD, Humayun died in Delhi in an accident and his son Akbar was declared as the next emperor at a young age of 14 years.

Akbar constructed many magnificent buildings in Agra but to express his gratitude towards the Sufi saint Salim Chishti who had prophesied the birth of his sons, Akbar constructed a new city and moved his capital from Agra to Fatehpur Sikri, only to abandon it suddenly after 14 years.

Akbar’s eldest son and successor Jahangir was not a great builder. However, his wife Nur Jahan definitely had talent and taste in architecture. Both Jahangir and Nur jahan have left their imprints in form of buildings.

Jahangir’s son Shah Jahan was known to be a great builder and placed the city of Agra on world map by building Taj Mahal, the beautiful monument of love dedicated to his wife Mumtaz Mahal. However, Agra lost political significance when Shah Jahan decided to move his capital from Agra to Delhi.

What To Buy In Agra

Carpets

Leather items or shoes

Zari (gold thread) embroidered fabrics

Petha, a sweet

Must Try

Petha! Agra is famous for its ‘Petha’ and offers umpteen flavours to choose from.

How To Reach Agra

By Air

Nearest Airport: Kheria Airport (6 Km). The airport is well connected to various Indian cities including Delhi and Varanasi.

By Rail

Agra has four major railway stations – Agra Cantonment, Raja Ki Mandi, Agra Fort and Idgah Agra Junction. The city is well connected by rail to almost all important Indian cities.

By Road

Buses ply to and from all major cities.

Getting Around Agra

Getting around in Agra is easy as the city offers various options of public transport to choose from. One can avail any of cycle rickshaw, auto rickshaw, bus or tonga (horse-drawn carriage) or one can even hire bicycles.

Best Time To Visit Agra

Agra has extreme summers and is best visited in winters. Ideal time to visit Agra is from October to March.

Agra Fast Facts

Distance From Delhi: 204 Km

Distance from Jaipur: 238 Km

STD Code: 0562

Pin Code: 282xxx

Spoken Languages: English, Hindi, Urdu