Taj mahal the white wonder

Taj Mahal - The White Wonder

The Taj Mahal is widely recognized as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage"

1 of 13

Built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj Mahal is one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage

Say “Agra” and the first image that flashes in your mind is the mesmerizing Taj Mahal.

The Taj is undoubtedly Agra’s crowning glory but not the only gem in the crown. Agra is home to some of India’s greatest monuments, which are living proof of the path-breaking art and architectural progress made by the Mughal emperors in the middle Ages.

A favourite destination for both domestic and foreign tourists, Agra attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.

Built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj Mahal is widely appreciated and recognized as “the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world’s heritage”.

Less

By Air: The Agra Airport is situated at military airbase 12.5 kms away from the city. Taxis/Buses are available to reach the main city.

By Train: Agra Cant is the main railway station and is located near Sadar Bazar. The city is located en route Delhi to Mumbai. It is a major junction and this makes Agra easily reachable by train from almost anywhere in India. Bhopal shatabdi is the train from Delhi taking almost 2hrs to reach Agra.

By Road: Agra is 204 km away from Delhi and is on the crossroads of NH2, 3 and 11. Taxis/Buses are available from Delhi to Agra. Driving to Agra is also an easy and comfortable option with new Yamuna expressway from Greater Noida.

Getting Around the City: Rental AC/Non AC Taxis are there to travel in and around the city. If you want to explore the city then, it is the best. Autos, tongas and rickshaws are available, at negotiable rates.

Accommodation should not be a worry when traveling to Agra, as the city offers ample choice of Hotels of all ranges,having facilities comparable to the best in the World. Besides stay solutions these Hotels also offer a wide variety of entertainment for the Tourists. Activities like camel rides to the Taj Mahal, Magic shows, Folk Dances, Puppet shows, Mock Marriages (Traditional Indian style), Theme Dinners and also Fireworks display are the add ons. So plan your hassle free stay accordingly.

Luxury Hotels
Clarks Shiraz
Trident Hilton
Man Singh Palace

Budget Hotels
Hotel Amar
Hotel Regency
Hotel Taj Regency

Taj Mahal – A historic Wonder of the World, the Taj Mahal stands proudly as a “Symbol of Love”. A tomb made of white marble, by Shah Jehan for his wife, Arjuman Banu Begum, the structure has amazing symmetry in design and intricate inlay work on the walls, floors and ceilings. The subtle play of light on the white marble dome creates its own moods. The romanticism and sheer majesty of the structure is unbelievably true!

Fatehpur Sikri - The royal city, situated 85km from Agra is popularly known as a World Heritage Site. The Buland Darwaza, Panch Mahal and Palace of Five Storeys showcase the finest works of Mughal architecture and hence this place becomes a must visit destination.

Sikandra - The mausoleum of Emperor Akbar representing his philosophy and secular outlook. It combines the best of Hindu and Muslim architectures that too in a superlative fusion. Sikandra is one of the well preserved monuments.

Mehtab Bagh - Located on the Yamuna bank opposite to the Taj Mahal the garden complex is a huge square and in straight alignment with the Taj Mahal. The place was once an oasis of beautiful and colourful flowers, fountain jets and shaded pavilions.

Dayalbagh- The headquarters of the Radhasoami Satsang sect has sprawling lawns and a peaceful ambience.

Agra has totally different culinary so you get all varieties whether stellar Mughlai food or indeed any world cuisine, so don’t be afraid to experiment.Eating in Agra is as much adventure as the journey itself so if you play it safe you may miss out on rich and memorable culinary experiences. Agra is also famous for its Mughlai cuisine, “petha”,” dalmoth”.The myriad of restaurants in the city maintain good quality standards of the food, service and general hygiene. The streets foods add many more flavors.

Mughals were great patrons of art and crafts and hence Agra is being considered as the hub of handicrafts, made of marble and soft stone inlay work. Other attention grabbing areas are brassware,leatherwork, carpets, jewellery and hand embroidery work. Agra is also well known for its sweets like ‘petha’ and 'Gajak' and snack 'Dalmoth. The main shopping centers are Kinari Bazar, Sadar Bazar,Sanjay Place , Shilphaat and the Taj Mahal Complex.

Taj Mahotsav: One of the most popular festivals held every year between the 18th to 27thFeb in Shilpgram in Agra. The theme of the festival is based on Mughal Era. Artists from all over India perform their best .Camel and elephant rides are other activities to enjoy.

Ram Barat: Part of the Ramlila week, depicting the life stages of Lord Rama.Literally Ram Barat means marriage procession of Shri Ram.

Kalilash Fair: Held in the Kalilash temple 12 kms away from Agra, is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The fair is celebrated on the monsoon months at August/September.

Aroop Banerjee

Founder and Partner of the Avyudaya Centre for Transformation Visit my Blog

Taj mahal the white wonder

Walkways running along the reflecting pool

Taj mahal the white wonder

Leave a Reply Cancel reply