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| Agra
Heritage Tours |
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| Agra is situated
on the banks of the Yamuna River, Agra with
its crowed alleys and predatory rickshaw riders,
is much like any other north Indian city,
once you are away from its imposing Moghul
monuments. It is possible to take a day trip
to Agra from New Delhi (there are many excellent
train services making this eminently practicable). |
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When someone says Agra the first thing comes
in our mind is the "Taj Mahal". The
most expensive dream of the world. One the tourist
said on his visit of the Taj Mahal that the Taj
Mahal is a poem in the marble. Agra is the destination,
which attract all the tourists who want to visit
India and it is because of the Taj Mahal.
This most famous Moghul monument was constructed
by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz
Mahal, the 'the Lady of Taj'. It was described
as the most extravagant monument ever built for
love, for the emperor was heartbroken when Mumtaz,
to whom he had been married for 17 years, died
in 1629 in childbirth, after giving birth to 14
children.
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| Construction of the Taj began
in 1631 and was not completed until 1653. Workers
were recruited not only from all over the India
but also from the central Asia, and in total 20,000
people worked in the building. Experts were even
brought from as far away as Europe - the Frenchman
Austin of Bordeaux and the Italian Veroneo of Venice
had a hand in its decoration. The main architect
was Isa Khan, who came from Shiraz in Iran.
The most unusual (but almost certainly
apocryphal) story about the Taj is that there
might well have been two of them. Shah Jahan,
it is said, intended to build a second Taj as
his own tomb in black marble, a negative image
of the white Taj of Mumtaz Mahal. Before he could
embark on this second masterpiece he was deposed
by his son, Aurangzeb. Shah Jahan spent the rest
of his life imprisoned in the Agra Fort, looking
out along the river to the final resting place
of his wife.
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| The Taj Mahal is
definitely worth more than a single visit
as its character changes with the different
lights during the day. Down is a magical time,
and it is virtually deserted.
The Taj Mahal has inspired painters, writers,
photographers, critics and poets; in more
recent years it has been filmed, televised
and profusely photographer. But nothing
can equal the unforgotten experience of
seeing such beauty and perfection for oneself.
In the last 300 years there have been many
so moved by the Taj Mahal that they have
recorded their impress at length. Some have
described what they found most beautiful
about the mausoleums; others, while doing
so, have also revealed the various activities
that took place there.
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Other thing, which attracts the visitors, is
the Agra Fort. Construction of the massive Agra
fort was begun by the Emperor Akbar in 1565, and
addition were made up until the time of his grandson,
Shah Jahan. While in Akbar's time the fort was
principally a military structure, by Shah Jahan's
time it had become partially a Palace. A visit
to the fort is an Agra 'must' since so many of
the event, which led to the construction of the
Taj, took Place here.
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| Getting there : Agra is a
major airport of the region. The railway station
is well served. Agra has two train stations, one
is Agra Fort and another one is Agra cantt. Agra
fort station nearby is the busiest railway junction
in India. Agra is well connected with all the touristy
area, like New Delhi and Agra.
Climate : Hot summers, chilly winters
and heavy monsoon rains (July to September). Winter
months are pleasant (October to March).
Further Connections: Jaipur, New Delhi,
Khajuraho and Varanasi.
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