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Hari Ananta Subhesh |
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Ah! Agra! |
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Posted on 4/19/2012 |
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AH! AGRA
I will always remember my visit to Agra and hope to visit it again. It was during our visit to Delhi, we decided to visit Agra. Agra is well connected to Delhi by train but as my brother was an infant we decided to travel by car. I read about its famous Taj Mahal and Agra Fort and was very eager to see it. I was counting the time as to when I will reach Agra.
At last we arrived and I was excited beyond words. I at once fell in love with this beautiful city.
Though Agra's history is largely recognized with Mughal Empire, but the place was established much longer before it and has linkages with Mahabharata period and maharishi Angira in 1000 BC. It is generally accepted that that sultan Sikandar Lodhi, the ruler of Delhi founded Agra in 1504. After the sultan's death the city passed on to his son Sultan Ibrahim Lodhi. He ruled his Sultanate from Agra until he fell fighting in the first battle of Panipat fought in 1526.
The city of Agra surprises every time with its bouquet of offering. The alluring beauty of Taj Mahal is legend now and has been beckoning tourists to cross borders. But if you think, Agra is all about Taj Mahal then you are mistaken and we are sure that the grandeur of Agra Fort, Jami Masjid and Sikandar will tempt you alike as it mesmerized us.
With the tragic end of Mumtaz Mahal began the beautiful architectural history of India. With the last wish of Mumtaz Mahal, Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned this magnificent tomb after her death in 1631 after giving birth to their 14th child. Two tombs lie below the Taj Mahal that of the emperor and his wife. Shah Jahan was a passionate man with great sense of building and architecture. A refined Muslim ruler, who made art a living agenda on people’s mind, had vowed to build a monument that the world has never seen in memory of his wife. He selected the site along the Yamuna River. An epitome of love and respect, Taj Mahal is the standing example of what your eyes could behold. In 1983, Taj Mahal became a World Heritage Site under the UNESCO list.
Near the gardens of the Taj Mahal stands the important 16th century Mughal monument known as the Red Fort of Agra. This powerful fortress of red sandstones encompasses, within its 2.5km-long enclosure walls, the imperial city of the Mughal rulers. Agra Fort was also the place where Shah Jahan remained fortified by his son until his death. We need to walk a lot if you want to explore the fort well. I was so full with enthusiasm that I wanted to explore every bit of Agra. While mom took rest with my kid brother in some places, dad and I explored to our heart’s satisfaction.
Apart from its historical monuments, Agra offers options for shopping. Sadar Bazaar located in the cantonment area is one of the major markets of Agra where we did most of our marketing. The city is well known for its shoe industry, leather products, carpets and marble works.
We were lucky to be in Agra during “Taj Mahotsav”. It is a 10 day extravaganza characterized by a wide variety from shopping to fun rides, cultural shows, art exhibition and celebrity music-dance-drama performances.
Agra is definitely a place to be visited once in your life. I left Agra with a heavy heart but promised to go again in the future.
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Report: Hari Ananta Subhesh
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