Agra is an ancient city on the banks of Yamuna River. The epic Mahabharata refers to it as Agravana, meaning Paradise in Sanskrit. Sikandar Lodi (1487-1517 AD) was the first Sultan of Delhi to shift his capital from Delhi to Agra. After his death, his son Ibrahim Lodi held the fort for 9 years until he was defeated and killed in the Battle of Panipat in 1526 AD.
After Humayun’s defeat at Bilgram in 1540 AD, Sher Shah of the Sur Dynasty occupied the fort and garrisoned it. It was the capital of the Mughal Empire in the 16th and early 17th century.
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It witnessed the rise of the pomp and pageantry during the rule of the great Mughal kings Akbar and Jahangir but reached its pinnacle of glory during the reign of Shah Jahan.
Agra Fort
Agra’s importance as a political centre ended with the transfer of the capital to Delhi, but its architectural wealth secured it a place on international map.
Agra is a treasure trove of historic monuments which are a reminder of the opulence of the Mughal Empire. A must see place on any tourist’s bucket list is the Agra Fort – one of the most robustly built magnificent masterpieces of the Mughals.
Akbar arrived in Agra in 1558 AD. He commenced the construction of the Agra Fort in 1565 AD in red sandstone on the right bank of river Yamuna, on the remains of an ancient site known as Badalgarh and got it completed in 8 years.
Shah Jahan raised white marble palaces and three marble mosques in it – Moti Masjid (the Pearl Mosque), Nagina Masjid and Mina Masjid. Aurangzeb imprisoned Shah Jahan in the fort for 8 years until he died in 1666 AD and was later buried in the Taj Mahal.
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After Shah Jahan’s death Agra lost its grandeur and Aurangzeb died in 1707 AD. The 18th century history of Agra Fort is a saga of sieges and plunder during which it was held by the Jats and the Marathas and finally the British captured it from the latter in 1803 AD.
The fort is crescent shaped, flattened on the east with a long, nearly straight wall facing the river. It has a perimeter of 2.4 km and is ringed by double castellated ramparts of red sandstone punctuated at regular intervals by huge bastions.
A 9m wide and 10m deep moat surrounds the outer wall. An imposing 22m high inner wall imparts a feeling of invincible defensive construction.
After passing through the massive interior gates, the tourist is attracted towards the Jahangiri Mahal. Jahangiri Mahal has an impressive façade decorated with geometrical designs inlaid with white marble on a red sandstone background.
Khas Mahal
The private pavilion meant for relaxation and leisure – Khas Mahal – is ranked amongst the most beautiful creations of Shah Jahan. It consists of three pavilions. The pillars and arches of the central hall are elaborately carved.
The southern and northern pavilions were the residences of his two daughters Jahan Ara Begum and Roshan Ara Begum.
The Jasmine Tower (Musamman Burj or Octagonal Tower) is a miracle of marble filigree work inlaid with colourful semi-precious stones, the excellence of which is very admirable.
The 40 pillared Diwan-i-Aam (Hall of Public Audience) was built to the orders of Shah Jahan and it was completed in 40 days in 1627 AD.
The Mausoleum of Itimad’ud Dauala
The Mausoleum of Itimad’ud Dauala (tomb of Mirza Ghiyas Baig) marks an important transitional phase in the study of Indo-Islamic Architecture and provides a ‘connecting link’, between the robust red sandstone buildings of Akbar and delicate marble-palaces of Shah Jahan.
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Ghiyas Baig was a Persian who had obtained service in Akbar’s Court. His mausoleum was built by his daughter Mehrunnisa (Nur Jahan), the Queen of Jahangir in 1628 AD.
The main mausoleum is placed in the centre of a four-quartered garden on a plinth of red sandstone. Octagonal towers are attached to the corners of the square building. The interior is composed of a central hall housing the cenotaphs of Nur Jahan’s mother Asmat Begum and father Itimad’ud Daula.
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Marble screens of geometric lattice work permit soft lighting of the interiors. The profuse and lavish embellishment abounds in flowing designs consisting of cups, winevases, flower vases, human and bird-motifs. Peacocks, fish, dogs and lions are also depicted. Semi precious and rare stones are used in decoration of its marble surfaces and the tomb is a forerunner of the Taj Mahal.
John Hessing Tomb
John Hessing (1739-1803 AD) was a Dutch Soldier who served in the troop of the Marathas in Agra, and was given the command of Agra fort by Daulatrao Scindia in 1799 AD. The British Army attacked the Agra Fort in 1803 AD and John Hessing was killed in the battlefield trying to defend the fort.
His wife Ann Hessing commissioned a red sandstone tomb – on the design of the Taj Mahal in the memory of her husband. It is housed within a Roman Catholic cemetery called Padretola or Padresanto. Also known as Red Taj, John Hessing’s tomb is a hidden gem worth a visit by all means.
The Taj Mahal is a shining jewel in the crown of Agra and marks the pinnacle of glory of Mughal Architecture. It overlooks the Yamuna River on the northern side.
Shah Jahan built it in memory of his beloved queen Arjumand Banu entitled Mumtaz Mahal. It houses the tombs of both Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. Its construction began n 1631 AD and was completed in 1653 AD.
The Taj Gate admits the tourists into the Taj Garden which is divided into four equal quarters by means of two shallow canals running from north to south and east to west. At the meeting point of the two canals, stands a large ornamental lotus pond, sunk into a white marble raised platform in the centre.
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The main tomb of the Taj stands on a raised plinth and is basically a square with chamfered corners. Four detached minarets facing the chamfered angles provide a perfect balance to the tombbuilding. The Taj is exactly as wide as it is high (55 m) and the height of the domes is the same as the height of its arcade façade.
A red sandstone mosque on the western side and a mehman khana on the eastern side impart an aesthetical colour contrast and balancing effect for the whole scheme.
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The Taj Mahal has some wonderful specimens of polychrome inlay art all around, both in the interior and exterior. Delicate carvings in marble vie with gorgeous Pietra Dura for attention.
The Taj presents a different picture and ambiance in different timings of the day. The color of the translucent marble keeps changing from dawn to midnight giving it a magical allure in keeping with Shah Jahan’s vision that the tomb and garden should represent Paradise on Earth.
Though Agra is famous as the City of Taj, there is more to it than the Taj itself. Other monuments worth a visit in and around Agra are Jami Masjid, Ram Bagh, Chini Ka Rauza (the tomb of Afzal Khan), Akbar’s Mauseoleum and Tomb of Mariyam Zamani at Sikandra. Not to be missed is a visit to Fatehpur Sikri, the capital city of Akbar, 40 kms from Agra.
