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Agra is a city in northern India’s Uttar Pradesh state. It's home to the iconic Taj Mahal, a mausoleum built for the Mughal ruler Shah Jahan’s wife, Mumtaz Mahal (who died in childbirth in 1631). The imposing main building features a massive dome and intricately carved white marble inlaid with precious stones.

It's home to the iconic Taj Mahal, a mausoleum built for the Mughal ruler Shah Jahan’s wife, Mumtaz Mahal (who died in childbirth in 1631). The imposing main building features a massive dome and intricately carved white marble inlaid with precious stones. This is set behind a reflecting pool inside a courtyard defined by 4 minarets.

Agra is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India.It is 378 kilometres (235 mi) west of the state capital, Lucknow, 206 kilometres (128 mi) south of the national capital New Delhi and 125 kilometres (78 mi) north of Gwalior. Agra is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh, and the 24th most populous in India.

Agra is a major tourist destination because of its many splendid Mughal-era buildings, most notably the Tāj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpūr Sikrī, all three of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.Agra is included on the Golden Triangle tourist circuit, along with Delhi and Jaipur; and the Uttar Pradesh Heritage Arc, tourist circuit of UP state, along Lucknow the capital of the state and Varanasi. Agra falls within the Braj cultural region.

The city was first mentioned in the epic Mahābhārata, where it was called Agrevaṇa.Legend ascribes the founding of the city to Agre Jat clan, Agra is named after Agre or Agr Jat.

However, the 11th century Persian poet Mas'ūd Sa'd Salmān writes of a desperate assault on the fortress of Agra, then held by the Shāhī King Jayapala, by Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni.It was mentioned for the first time in 1080 AD when a Ghaznavide force captured it. Sultan Sikandar Lodī (1488–1517) was the first to move his capital from Delhi to Agra in 1506. He governed the country from here and Agra assumed the importance of the second capital. He died in 1517 and his son, Ibrāhīm Lodī, remained in power there for nine more years and several palaces, wells and a mosque were built by him in the fort during his period. Finally being defeated at the Battle of Panipat in 1526.Between 1540 and 1556, Afghans, beginning with Sher Shah Suri ruled the area. It achieved fame as the capital of the Mughal Empire from 1556 to 1658.

Climate

Agra features a semiarid climate that borders on a humid subtropical climate. The city features mild winters, hot and dry summers and a monsoon season. However the monsoons, though substantial in Agra, are not quite as heavy as the monsoon in other parts of India. This is a primary factor in Agra featuring a semiarid climate as opposed to a humid subtropical climate.

History

Although Agra's history is mainly associated with Mughal Empire, the place was established much before it and has linkages since Mahabharat period so Mahirshi Angira in 1000 BC.It is generally accepted that Sultan Sikandar Lodī, the Muslim ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, founded Agra in the year 1504. After the Sultan's death, the city passed on to his son, Sultan Ibrāhīm Lodī. He ruled his Sultanate from Agra until he fell fighting to Mughal padshah (emperor) Bābar in the First battle of Panipat fought in 1526.

The golden age of the city began with the Mughals. It was known then as Akbarabād and remained the capital of the Mughal Empire under the padshahs (emperors) Akbar, Jahāngīr and Shāh Jahān. Akbar made it the eponymous seat of one of his original twelse subahs (imperial top-level provinces), bordering (Old) Delhi, Awadh (Oudh), Allahabad, Malwa and Ajmer subahs. Shāh Jahān later shifted his capital to Shāhjahānabād in the year 1649.

Since Akbarabād was one of the most important cities in India under the Mughals, it witnessed a lot of building activity. Babar, the founder of the Mughal dynasty, laid out the first formal Persian garden on the banks of river Yamuna. The garden is called the Arām Bāgh or the Garden of Relaxation. His grandson Akbar the Great raised the towering ramparts of the Great Red Fort, besides making Agra a centre for learning, arts, commerce and religion. Akbar also built a new city on the outskirts of Akbarabād called Fatehpūr Sikrī. This city was built in the form of a Mughal military camp in stone.

His son Jahāngīr had a love of gardens and flora and fauna and laid many gardens inside the Red Fort or Lāl Qil'a. Shāh Jahān, known for his keen interest in architecture, gave Akbarabād its most prized monument, the Tāj Mahal. Built in loving memory of his wife Mumtāz Mahal, the mausoleum was completed in 1653. Shāh Jahān later shifted the capital to Delhi during his reign, but his son Aurangzeb moved the capital back to Akbarabād, usurping his father and imprisoning him in the Fort there. Akbarabād remained the capital of India during the rule of Aurangzeb until he shifted it to Aurangabad in the Deccan in 1653.

Places to visits

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  Taj Mahal

  The Taj Mahal looks like a fairy story from the banks of the Yamuna River.

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  It has a well-off history dating back to 1630 AD and is in fact a crypt that has the body of Mumtaz Mahal, the wife of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. He had it built as an ode to his love for her. It is made out of marble and took 22 years and 20 000 workers to complete.

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  Agra Fort

  Agra Fort is one of the premium Mughal forts in India.

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  Originally, a clan of Rajputs held a brick fort. However, it was then emprerored by the Mughals and rebuilt by Emperor Akbar, who decided to alter his capital there in 1558. There are many buildings inside, including mosques, public and private audience halls, palaces, towers, and courtyards.

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  Jama Masjid

  It was built to preserve symmetry.

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  It was built to preserve symmetry. To the left of the Taj is a mosque made up of red stonework. It is a ordinary put into practice to construct a mosque next to a tomb, as it sanctifies the region and provide for a place of worship. This mosque is still used for Friday prayers.

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  Fatehpur Sikri

  Fatehpur Sikri is located just about an hour west of Agra and is a popular side trip.

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  Fatehpur Sikri is located just about an hour west of Agra and is a popular side trip. This now abandoned city was once the proud capital of the Mughal Empire in the 16th century, and is one of India's top historical destinations. Its occupants abandoned it after only 15 years due to insufficient water supply.

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  Itimad-ud-daula's

  Tomb

  Often referred to as the "Baby Taj Mahal", the tomb of Itimad-ud-daula is a Mughal mausoleum and is often regarded as a copy of the Taj Mahal.

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  This is the first tomb in India made entirely of marble. It is the tomb of Mir Gheyas Beg, who was a minister in the court of Shah Jahan. Visiting this tomb is like taking a step back in time into Agra's history. Itimad-ud-daula's Tomb marks the transition from the first phase of the Mughal architecture to the second. This was the first structure to make use of pietra dura and the first to be built on the banks of the Yamuna River. It basically consists of Indo-Islamic architecture, with the use of arched entrances and octagonal shaped towers.

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  Akbar's Tomb

  Akbar's Tomb is a mausoleum which house the mortal remains of the great emperor Akbar.

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  It is an important Mughal architectural masterpiece, built in 1605-1613. It is situated in Sikandra, the outskirts of the Agra city and is spread over 119 acres. According to Tartary tradition, which stated to start the construction of one's tomb during one's lifetime only, Akbar himself commenced the construction of this tomb. The tomb of Akbar was completed and built by his son Jahangir. Akbar selected the site for the tomb and started the construction, while after his death Jahangir completed it. About 1 km away, lies the tomb of the wife of Emperor Akbar, the Mariam-Uz-Zamani.

Food

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  Petha

  You’ll start seeing signs for petha the minute you enter Agra. Closely associated with the city’s train stations, where it used to be the platform snack of choice

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  You’ll start seeing signs for petha the minute you enter Agra. Closely associated with the city’s train stations, where it used to be the platform snack of choice, it’s a centuries-old sweet made from ash gourd—also called white pumpkin or squash—cooked in sugar syrup, and it comes in many varieties: plain (white); kesar (saffron); with nuts; in colorful shades of pineapple, coconut, mango; in small balls or rectangular hunks; served dry or in some syrup. It can be very soft and a bit syrupy inside, or harder and chewy, but it’s always sweet and usually rather floral in taste. Its sugary crystallization reminds us a little of cotton candy—although unlike the latter, petha is believed to have medicinal qualities, benefiting blood pressure, hydration, brain growth, and more.

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  Paratha

  A staple of Mughlai (and therefore North Indian) cuisine, paratha, or parantha, is a pan-fried unleavened flatbread made from wheat flour.

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  The Belanganj location is a bit difficult to find, down a narrow, congested lane that’s both overwhelming and ideal for people- and animal-watching. Let’s just say it’s an experience! Also, there is no English menu at this location, so have a translator handy or know what to ask for. We were told that there’s an easier-to-manage location just off the Agra-Delhi highway.

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  Jahanpanah

  The Jahanpanah restaurant aims to serve the best of Awadhi cuisine; enjoy developing your senses by tasting these yet undiscovered flavours.

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  Their legendary dishes include tasty lucknawi biryanis, galawat kababs, and kakori. Authenticity is key to the restaurant’s philosophy: ingredients all come from Lucknow and all chefs are trained according to Awadhi cuisine practices. They all learn to master the dum style, cooking over a slow fire.

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  Mughlai Food

  Back in the 16th century, the Mughals made Agra the capital of India and constructed all those world-famous monuments you might have heard of.

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  So it’s no surprise that the Muslim empire left indelible imprints on Agra’s cuisine as well, much like it has in Delhi and other parts of North India. You may already know its trademarks: creamy, boldly flavored curries; lots of ground and whole spices, dried fruits and nuts; roasted meats. (Some of these qualities were adapted by Punjabi cooks, so the demarcation between the two is a bit blurry.) It’s a rich cuisine fit for a king.

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  Jhankar

  Jhankar restaurant serves traditional Indian food while offering live entertainment with music and dances all night long.

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  The place itself is very charming and elegant. Their menu includes many of the most mouth-watering Indian dishes including their specialty, the aloo dum chutneywale, potatoes with herbs and dried fruits in a coriander and mint sauce. Another delicious treat is Agra’s delicacy, the magazi murgh korma, chicken in yogurt, cashews, and poppy seeds, garnished with rose petals and melon seeds. What also makes it an even better experience is that the herbs and vegetables come straight from the restaurant’s kitchen garden.

Agra

Home to one of the 7 wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal, Agra is a sneak peek into the architectural history with other structures such as Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri and hence makes for a must visit for anyone living in or visiting India.

When you talk about Agra, one thing has to stand out - yes, the Taj Mahal. Agra is host to the only one of the Seven Wonders of the World in India, Taj Mahal, which makes the whole country proud. But that's not the only thing Agra has to boast of. Agra has three UNESCO World Heritage sites and Taj Mahal features in the 50 most popular tourist destinations in the world.

Places

Agra which is almost the lifeline of Indian tourism. History fanatics as well as architecture buffs can have a ball here with the sheer expanse of the Mughal art and culture on display.

History fanatics as well as architecture buffs can have a ball here with the sheer expanse of the Mughal art and culture on display. Apart from its monuments, the city also has some exciting stuff for foodies - including the famous Agra ka Petha and amazing chaat and Lassi.

Food

Another equally delicious item is the Chaat here. Agra has varieties of Chaat available including Aloo Tikki, Pani Puri, Papri Chaat, Samosa, Kachori etc all over the city. Another popular snack here is Dalmoth, which is a spicy lentil mix.

Whether you love the spicy chaats or you have a sweet tooth, Agra never ceases to fascinate. Petha, a soft candy made from ash gourd is almost synonymous to Agra's cuisine and is a specialty which you just cannot miss. There are various new flavors and innovative presentations of this ever popular sweet dish from Agra. Panchi petha is the most popular shop in Agra, and there are so many of these that you won't even have to think where to get it from.