Agra, 
the
city of the Taj Mahal and
once the capital
of the Mughal empire, has several monuments which display the splendour
of Mughal architecture. It was here that Babar, the founder of the dynasty,
had the first formal Persian garden laid out on the banks of the river Yamuna.
Akbar, his grandson, raised the towering ramparts of the great Red Fort, within
whose walls Jahangir built rose-red palaces, courts and gardens, and which Shahajahan
embellished with marble mosques, palaces and pavilions of gem-inlaid white marble.
Agra is mentioned in the ancient epic Mahabharata as Agraban, the sister city
of the more prominent Mathura. Agra was established in 1475 by Badal Singh and
came into its own when Sikander Lodhi of the Lodhi dynasty chose it for his
capital bec ause of its proximity to the Yamuna. Babur defeated the Lodhis to
capture not only Agra but also to lay the foundation of the Mughal empire.
In the mid-16th and earlier 17th centuries, Agra witnessed a frenzied building
activity and it was during this time that the symbol of love, the Taj Mahal,
was built. The buildings made during this era
were
purely in the contemporary Mughal style and of very high quality. Besides the
monuments, Agra is worth a visit for the masterpieces of craftsmen recreating
the glory of the Mughal period and for the Mughlai cuisine, the aroma of which
fills the narrow lanes of Agra.
Banks of Yamuna
On the banks of river Yamuna, rises the crescent-like Agra Fort. Designed and
built by Emperor Akbar in 1565 A.D., the fort is surrounded by a 70 foot high
wall. It houses the beautiful Pearl Mosque and numerous palaces including the
Jahangiri Mahal, Khas Mahal, Diwan-i-Khas, Diwan-i-Am, Machihi Bhawan and Moti
Masjid. The fort has four gates and is enclosed by a double battlemented wall
of red sand stone.
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