Agra
Amidst the hustle and bustle of the busy city, lies one of the most visited and photographed monument of the world. Yes, I am talking about none other than the Taj Mahal. The symbol of love, Taj Mahal is located in the historical city of Agra that lies just 200 km from Delhi.
And though I have visited there twice, I will visit the city again (and then I will post better pics). I always knew
Agra was a centre of power during the time of Mughal rule, after reading a book
recently on Mughals I realized a lot of politics and power revolved around Agra
and hence this post.
The 197 km Delhi- Agra expressway is
a smooth and easiest way to reach Agra from Delhi. In 2 hours we reached Agra
and that too was a comfortable and pleasurable drive with two halts in between.
Though most of the times I prefer a journey from train, this expressway is recommendable
for a road journey.
Our first destination in Agra was
Agra Fort. Personally I felt the magnificent Agra fort is quite underrated. I
loved the fort more than Delhi’s Red fort. This architectural beauty was built
by Akbar between 1565 and 1574, who chose Agra as his capital. Built of red-sandstone
fort, on the bank of the Yamuna River it is spread in 2.5 kilometers. This fort
houses number structures and masjids. There is a city within a city in this
fort. Diwan-Khas, Diwae-e-Aam, Moti Masjid, Nagina Masjid, Sheesha Mahal are
some names that I remember. Most of them are made of red sandstone or marble,
and has beautiful carvings on it. If you are fond of Mughal architecture like
me then you are going to love this fort. There is serenity, calmness and most
importantly the royalty in this fort, which makes it worth visiting.
Though there are versions of stories
told by guide there, only few sounded real. So, I would suggest all the
visitors not to trust the guides there. The only real story told by our guide
was of Musamman Burj and Khas Mahal, the magnificent white-marble octagonal
tower and palace where Shah Jahan was imprisoned for eight years until his
death in 1666, and from where he could gaze out at the Taj Mahal, the tomb of
his wife. When he died, Shah Jahan’s body was taken from here by boat to the Taj.
The now closed Mina Masjid, set back slightly from the eastern edge, was his
private mosque. This version of story is believable as I have read this in two
of the books on Mughals.
The fort is huge and it will take
half of your day if you want to visit this fort properly. Moreover, you have to
be rough and tough to visit this fort as it requires too much f walking. I was
quite tired after the visit, hence it took a break had lunch and then headed to
The Taj Mahal.
The Taj Mahal is just 15 minutes from
the Agra Fort. Do not get surprised by the entrance of the The Taj Mahal as you
have to cross sloppy roads, lack of traffic management system and hoards of
shops before entering this beautiful mausoleum. But as soon as you will enter here you are
bound to be lost in its beauty.
Built by Emperor Shah Jahan in
the loving memory of his wife, Arjumand Bano better known Mumtaj Mahal, this is
an epitome of love. It is said that it took over 20,000 skilled workers from
across the country, working day and night, for 22 years for this architectural
wonder to be created. Though with the passage of time and pollution the
whiteness of the marble is reduced, still is a perfect example of grace,
symmetry and beauty.
As I get nearer to the tomb my
appreciation deepened; from a closer vantage point, the fact that the entire
building is made out of white marble becomes more and more apparent and the way
it’s intricately designed is simply spectacular.
The most interesting fact that
our guide told us is about the four minarets. These four minarets are perfectly
symmetrical to each other and they are constructed slightly outside the
platform so that in case of natural calamity like earthquake the minarets will
fall away from the tomb and there by leaving the main complex unaffected. Such
was the farsightedness of the constructor.
The walls of the tomb are
beautifully carved with calligraphy and inlaid design of flowers. I just sat at the e back side of the Taj Mahal
where river Yamuna flows, and let the cool breeze refresh me from the day’s tiredness.
By this time the sun was already setting
the whole ambience just let me forget that I was tiered. The whole feeling was
simply rejuvenating.
To the west of the Taj Mahal is a
Masjid built by Isa Muhammed and plays an important part in the overall design.
It is made from red sandstone and very serene. The design of the floor of the
mosque is in the shape of prayer mats. And to create a symmetrical effect, a guest
house, which is of similar proportions and appearance to the mosque, was built
to the east of the Taj Mahal tomb. The main difference in the guest house and
Masjid is the interior of the Masjid that has Mihrab and Minbar. The Mihrab
is a niche which indicates the direction of Mecca and the direction in which Muslims
face to perform their prayers or salah. Circling the Mihrab are calligraphic
inscriptions taken from Sura 91, The Sun, from the holy book of the Qur'an. Sitting
by the Masjid near the Yamuna makes marveling the Taj a jaw-dropping
experience.
Though I wanted to stay there
longer, just wanted to relax and enjoy the cool breeze, the visiting time was
getting over. So, with heavy heart and a determination that I will come here
again I left the tomb.
Just to sum up the whole experience,
there are few words of caution while visiting Agra.
- Be ready of the dirt and shoddy roads
- Beware of pickpockets
- The roadside sellers are very pushy and it is quite difficult to shake them off.
- Remember to always bargain and slash the price as low as possible, because the prices quoted have been inflated many times
- Do not give your valuables to guide
