Agra

Agra is easily accessible, especially from Delhi and Jaipur. It has its own domestic airport, which is just 5 km from the city and also doubles up as the military airport. It is also well connected by a network of trains to almost all the major destinations throughout the country and some of the super-express trains that pass through it include the Rajdhani Express and the Shatabdi Express. Both the government and private buses and deluxe coaches run to and from Agra to all the nearby major destinations within and outside Uttar Pradesh.

Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal, AgraThe epitome of love, the elegy in marble, Taj Mahal is one of the most graceful and extravagant monuments in India. The seventh wonder of the world, it attracts thousands of tourists every year. A symbol of endless love and devotion of Emperor Shah Jehan to his beloved queen Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj is a befitting tribute to so romantic-a-love story and so divine an emotion that binds two souls forever. A visit to Taj Mahal, the mausoleum of Mumtaz, is a rare experience. It has become a signature monument of Indian architecture and someone has rightly said that Taj jas been designed like a palace and finished like a jewel.

The pure white marble structure, Taj acquires different shades at different times of the day and with changing seasons. The soft pink color of the dawn and fiery shade that it acquires at dusk are all bewitching. Though, the light that presents it in the best possible manner is perhaps that of full moon, when it shines with pristine white and silver glory. Taj seems to be as fanciful as the love story it represents of an all-mighty prince and a simple girl hawking silk and glass beads in the market and their marriage that seems so much like a fairy tale. The faithful wife marched with the prince, who was later crowned the emperor, on his every expedition and bore him fourteen children. On her deathbed, she made the emperor to promise to make a lovely monument unlike any other in the world as the tribute to their loving moments that were a treasure for her. The emperor kept the promise faithfully and thus, Taj was conceived.

Agra Tourist Attractions

Ram Bagh in AgraAgra has a number of monuments ranging from the world known structures such as Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri complex to the lesser known tombs such as Sikandra, Mariam's tomb, Itmad-ud-daulah's tomb and Chini ka Rauza to the ones that are not even known to the locals and their remnants lie helter-skelter and no attention being paid to them. Ram Bagh and Swami Bagh Temple at Dayal Bagh, may not be so famous but have an indelible impression in the hearts of the natives of the city with their own history.

Ram Bagh
The first Mughal gardens laid by Babur in 1558, half a km from Chini Ka Rauza, were planned carefully in Persian style. They were then named as Bagh-i-Gul Afshan. Later, Jehangir renovated them and named them as Bagh-i-Nur Afshan. Neglected for centuries, these gardens have now turned into wilderness and are known as Ram Bagh. Set to the south of Sarai of Nur Jehan, Babur introduced three-terraced garden here for the first time. The river-drawn water was made to look like a spring, as it artificially descended from one terrace to another through a network of canals, tanks and water chutes that had stairs on both sides ended in a red sandstone pond. The gardens were beautified using 'Chhatris', platforms, pathways and a conglomeration of plants that were cultivated in a landscaped manner. Jehangir had also built two beautiful suites on the two sides of the main terrace and a Mahtab or island platform in the centre, which was connected with the main water system. Ram Bagh symbolizes the erstwhile Mughal pleasure garden that hasn't aged gracefully unlike other legacies of that time.

Dayal Bagh Temple
Swami Bagh Temple at Dayal Bagh is 10 km to the north of Agra. Started in 1904, it is still under construction even after 100 years! The white marble Samadhi of the Radha Swami, the founder of a unique religion that seeks to being all religions under one umbrella and preaches unity of mankind, the construction of this temple is not expected to be completed until sometime next century. If you want to witness the Pietra Dura inlaid marble work, you must visit the temple and walk to its sides to see the artisans at work. The aim of this structure is to build a temple for Hindus, a church for Christians, a gurudwara for Sikhs and a mosque for Muslims, each on a separate floor, in the same building, to symbolize brotherhood and unity in mankind. The artistic work here is wonderful and has an outstanding visual appeal. However, locals believe that perfect harmony between all the religions at once is impossible, so the building symbolizing it would never be complete and will be damaged anytime, it is close to being complete.


Shopping in Agra

Shopping in AgraA shopper's paradise for those who love to buy specialties of the place as souvenirs and keepsakes or as gifts for their loved ones, Agra offers mini Taj replicas in various sizes for the tourists. This white-marble Taj is often used as decorative items in the homes and are considered to bring good luck for the lovers. However, the 'marble' can be actually the fake - a stone called 'Talk', which looks like marble, with the exception that it is not opaque like the real one. It is quite cheaper too. So, one should be careful about the quality while buying the Taj replica and pay only the right price. Leather items at Agra are famous for their quality. These include leather sandals, purses, bags and decorative items.

Fairs and Festivals in Agra

Taj Mahotsav, AgraAgra district has many rural areas that are greatly influenced by the religious and sentimental attachment to the surrounding areas of Mathura and Vrindavan to Lord Krishna and Radha. Most of the fairs and festivals organized in the region are either temple festivals, religious festivals or cattle and village fairs based on Krishna's life such as Dauji ka mela, Kans lila, cattle fair Jat Devi, cattle fair Kund Mela, cattle fair Gwal Balba, Meta ki Puja Jat Devi, Holi Milap, Mata-ka-mela, Shitla Mela, Parikrama of Shivji, Kailash Mela, Janamashthmi, Dussehra, Kali-ka-mela, Ram lila, Urs Sufi Sahib and Bateshwar cattle fair. However, we have brought you the most famous of these fairs and festivals of the region.

Taj Mahotsav
Much famous and beloved cultural festival of Agra, Taj Mahotsav is organized annually for ten days during February. Shilpgram (the Crafts Village), the chosen venue for this fair is close to Taj. Here, one can find extensive display of arts, crafts and culture of India along with classical dance and song performances. 'Mushairas' and 'Ghazal' programmes by the well-known Indian artists. Children love to ride on camels and elephants in the vene while one can taste traditional Indian delicacies at the luring stalls here. The colorful celebrations welcome the Spring with a fiesta of Indian cuisine, dance and music, cultural displays and exhibition of arts and crafts.

A brainchild of Uttar Pradesh Tourism, Taj Mahotsav is an event to lure the tourists and acquaint them with the legendary skills of Indian master craftsmen and the finesse of Indian fine arts. It also showcases the rich heritage of India. It commences with a splendid Mughal-style procession highlighting bedecked elephants, richly adorned camels, drumbeaters and folk artists. Taj Mahotsav is best play to witness marble inlay work, wood carvings from Saharanpur, brass wares from Moradabad, handmade carpets of Badohi, the blue pottery of Khurja, the Chikan work of Lucknow and the silks of Banares, all at one place. The Crafts Fair and the Food Festival of Taj Mahotsav have their own charm. The folk dances such as Dundelkhand and 'Nautanki' of Uttar Pradesh, 'Sapera' dance of Rajasthan, the dance of snake charmers and Lavani of Maharashtra have always captured the attention of tourists.

Bateshwar Fair
Bateshwar is just 70 km from Agra and is names so after the presiding deity of the region, Bateshwar Mahadeo. It is an important spiritual and cultural centre boasting of 108 temples of the various gods and goddesses of Hindus. Bateshwar Fair is organized here annually during the months of October or November in the honor of Lord Shiva for a month. Thousands of devotees visit the venue to take holy dips in River Yamuna and participate in the Livestock and Cattle Fair, which is famous in the nearby areas.

Ram Barat
The special marriage procession of Sri Ram, held annually at Agra, is known as 'Rambarat' and precedes Dussehra. It is a part of 'Ramlila', the staging of life of Rama that ends with killing of Ravana, on the day of Dussehra. Its specialty lies in the beautiful 'jhankis' of the deities and the special set of the palace arranged at the chosen venue as 'Janakpuri', the palace of Raja Janak who was the father of Goddess Sita. A major fair is organized in the locality and thousands of people visit the venue to see the fair and attend the elaborate royal wedding of the divine deities. The procession starts from Lala Channomalji Ki Baradari for the Janakpuri venue and passes through different parts of the town. Special chariot covered with silver leaves is used as the mount of Ram while his brothers mount the elephants. The elaborate and heavy headgears look stunning. Teenaged boys play the female characters of the drama.

Kailash Fair
Held at Kailash temple in the honor of Lord Shiva, 12 km from Agra, Kailash fair is celebrated to commemorate the appearance of Lord Shiva in the form of a stone lingam here in the monsoon months of August and September. The major fair attracts devotees from all the nearby areas.