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Agra The land of Taj Mahal
Agra Travel Guide - The land of Taj Mahal
Agra, or the city of the Taj, as it is known all over the world, forms
the first destination on the itinerary of most travelers coming into
India. Forming part of the famous 'Golden Triangle' (Delhi-Jaipur-Agra),
it is placed on the western bank of the Yamuna. The magnificent Taj
Mahal which is the pride of this city is set around a Charbagh or
'four garden' plan, which is split by watercourses - a reflection
of the Persian style.
The Taj Mahal itself is not set within the Charbagh but is located
towards the far end of the enclosure near the bank of river Yamuna.
The tombs of Mumtaz Mahal and Shahjahan are located in the basement,
while their replicas are placed directly above in the upper hall.
Besides the Taj Mahal, Agra is also home to some of the finest
monuments of the Mughal period - Agra Fort, Diwan-I-Am, Diwan-i-Khas,
Musamman Burj, Jehangir's Palace, Shish Mahal, Jama Masjid, Tomb
of Itmad-ud-daulah, Akbar's Mausoleum, and the Mariyam's Tomb, to
name a few. The Mughal love for nature can be seen at Agra in the
form of Ram Bagh, one of the earliest gardens, laid by the Mughal
ruler Babur, in 1528 AD.
Agra was once the capital of the Mughal empire and even today it
seems to linger in the past . Not surprising , for the Mughal emperors
with their passion for building, endowed the city with some of the
finest structures in the world . It is very easy to slip away here
through the centuries into the grandeur and intrigues of the Mughal
court .
Much of Agra's impressive past lives in evidence even today. The
older city of Agra has impressively retained much of its resplendent
history captivating every visitor with fond memories to take back
home. The old part of the city that includes the main marketplace
(Kinari Bazar) is northwest to the Agra fort. It has several distinct
areas whose names are attached with the Mughal period, although
they don't always bear relation to what is being sold here today.
To quote a few examples, the Loha Mandi (Iron Market) and Sabzi
Mandi (Vegetable Market) are still operational, however the Nai
ki Mandi (Barber's Market) has attained the new role of a market
famous for textiles. The area to the south of the Taj is known as
Taj Ganj - comprising of congested alleyways, today it contains
most of Agra's budget hotels.
Besides being a historic city, Agra has shades of modernity as
is typical of any Indian city. Today, luxury and modern convenience
also exist adjacent to tradition - luxury hotels, shopping malls
and plazas, wide avenues and a superb choice of venues for recreation,
business, sports, pleasure, education and the arts.
Agra The land of Taj Mahal,
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