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Conference Destination -
Agra - Sightseeing |
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Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal Sheer poetry in marble. Majesty and magnificence, unrivalled. The
Taj Mahal, the one of its kind across the world. Described as the most
extravagant monument ever built for love, it was constructed by Mughal
emperor Shah Jahan as a memorial to his queen Mumtaz Mahal, made out of
white marble took 22 years to complete (1630-1652 AD). An estimated 20,000
people worked to complete the enchanting mausoleum, on the banks of the
Yamuna. |
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Ustad Ahamad Lahori, a Persian Architect, is said to be the main
designer and planner for this magnificent memorial. On full moon nights, the
glory of the Taj is at its best.
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The Agra
Fort
The great Mughal Emperor Akbar commissioned the construction of the Agra
Fort in 1565, A.D. although additions were made till the time of his
grandson Shah Jehan. The forbidding exteriors of this fort hide an inner
paradise. In Akbar's time the fort was principally a military structure, but
during Shah Jaha regin it had partially become Palace. It is an imposing
strcture with walls of red sandstone almost three kilometers long. Entered
through the Amar Singh Gate, the eastern part of the fort contain palace,
audience hall and mosques built by three emperors. The fort presents a good
sampling of their favoured architectural styles. Akbar drew on Islamic and
Hindu traditions and the result is eclectic. |
By Shah Jahan's time the style
had become so homogenized that it is impossible to seprate the Hindu and
Muslim strands. The Diwan-i-Am (public audience hall), the beautiful
Diwan-i-Khas (private audience hall) and the magnificent Moti Masjid (Pearl
Mosque) were also added by Shah Jahan.
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Sikandra
The site of Akbar's mausoleum, Sikandra was begun by Akbar and completed by
his son Jehangir in 1613 AD. It reflects the fusion of Hindu and Muslim art
and architecture which characterised the era. The tomb is situated in the
centre of a large garden and four identical red sandstone gates lead to the
tomb complex. The building, with three-storey minarets at each corner, is
built of red sandstone with white marble polygonal patterns inlaid. Sikandra
is named after Sikandra Lodi, the Delhi ruler who was in power from 1488 to
1517.
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Chini Ka Rauza
The Chini ka Rauza was built in 1635 and is the tomb of Allama Afzal Khan
Mullah of Shiraz, a scholar and poet who was the Prime Minister of the
Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. The tomb gets its name from the colorful tiles (chini)
that cover the walls of the tomb, the structure clearly depicts the Persian
influence in architecture. The tomb is built in a rectangular shape and is
topped with a bulbous dome. |
The tomb itself is made of a brown colored stone. The colorful enamel tiles
in blue, green and yellow, that give the tomb its name can be seen on its
walls. The walls and ceiling of the tomb are also decorated with
inscriptions and inlay work.
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Ram Bagh
One of the earliest Mughal gardens, it was laid out by Emperor Babar - the
founder of the Mughal dynasty. It is said that Babar was temporarily buried
here before being permanently interred at Kabul in Afghanistan. The garden
is laid out in the charbagh pattern, with four main divisions made by paths
and waterways. Water is an important part of the Mughal gardens, since water
is considered the source of life. Water from the Yamuna River, flows over 3
terraces in a series of cascades. Stairs on either side of the water
channels, fountains, an island platform and two pavilions on either side of
the main water channel, are added attractions of the Rambagh Gardens.
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Itmad-ud-daulah
The tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah is located about 1½ Kilometers from the Taj
Mahal. The marble building contains the tombs of Mirza Ghiyas Beg and his
wife Asmat Begum, parents of Queen Nur Jahan, the wife of the Mughal Emperor
Jahangir. After Mirza Ghiyas Beg's death in 1622, the Empress Nur Jahan,
completed this beautiful mausoleum to house his grave. |
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by her father before his death. It follows the charbagh pattern
and is a white marble structure surrounded by green lawns. A similar pattern
is reproduced in the Taj Mahal on a much larger scale. Marble lattice
screens let sunlight into the central chamber containing the tomb of
Itmad-ud-Daulah. You're sure to feel transported back to Mughal times when
you see the tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah. It was here that 'Pietra Dura' the
inlay work on marble - so characteristic of the Taj - was first used. |
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