Amazing Fact about AGRA

Amazing Fact about AGRA

Taj Mahal

Agra is defined by the presence of the Taj Mahal on its soil. Also well known is the monument's ode to true love, as professed by its builder Shah Jahan for his wife Mumtaz Mahal. The pillars around the final resting place of this couple are built slightly tilted outwards. In case of an earthquake, the structure would collapse away from the tombs. Also visit the Agra Museum in the gardens here. It displays plates that allegedly shatter when used to serve poisoned food!

Taj Ganj

People gasp at the idea that the artisans who made the Taj Mahal from scratch eventually lost their arms, so the gorgeous structure would never be replicated. Maybe if you travel around here, the congested network of homes where the labourers of the Taj allegedly set up home, you could find someone to validate the horrific story!

Agra Fort

Tourist sites in the city like the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri have been titled as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. The fort is spectacular in conception and build. Possibly why it made a special appearance in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes mystery called 'The Sign of the Four'!

Tomb of Akbar the Great

Mughal ruler Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar was a very interesting figure in Mughal history. Although he was dyslexic, he surrounded himself with the best of writers, musicians, artists and learned men. The Navratnas who were part of his elaborate darbar included the fabled musician Tansen and nobleman Birbal. He also founded a religion called Din-e-Ilahi, that combined Islamic and Hindu teachings to create an ethical way of living. Don't miss visiting his elaborate tomb if you're in town.

Itmad-ud-daulah

While on the subject of tombs, the Itmad-ud-daulah deserves mention. It's the mausoleum of Mir Ghiyas Beg, a minister in the court of emperor Shah Jahan. This was India's very first tomb made completely of white marble, rather than the usual red sandstone seen in Mughal monuments. This possibly gave it the nickname 'Baby Taj'. Still need more reasons to check it out?

Chini ka Rauza

Which is India's first building exclusively decorated using glazed tiles all over its surface? Oddly, its a mausoleum in Agra, built by the man himself before his death! Mulla Shukrullah Shirazi, Prime Minister during Shah Jahan's reign and also a famous poet, built his tomb in 1639 in stunning Indo-Persian style of architecture. While not maintained as it should be, it still retains the royal past in its faded exteriors.