Visit to Agra

[Continued from My Trip to Delhi] Agra is one of the most popular tourist places of India. The main attraction of Agra is the Taj Mahal. Every year thousands of tourists from India and abroad come to Agra to see the Taj. Agra is also famous for the Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. All these three main attractions of Agra has been given the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Taj Mahal

We boarded the Sriganganagar-Howrah Toofan Exp from New Delhi railway station at around 7:30 am and disembarked at Agra Fort at around 1:00 pm. From there I took a cycle rickshaw and searched for hotels. We booked a room in Hotel Amba Inn. That day evening we took rest in the hotel. The following day we went to see the Taj Mahal. It was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj has three gates - East, West and South. River Yamuna flows to the north of the Taj.  It remains open on all days from 6 am to 7 pm except Friday. We entered the courtyard through the South gate. For security reasons we had to leave some food which we were carrying in the cloakroom before entering the complex. On seeing the Taj we became mesmerized. The majestic structure made up of white marble left us spellbound. I wondered how this structure was built with so much perfection and accuracy. We entered the Taj Mahal. Inside the Taj, intricate designs were curved on the walls. Also there were intricate screens or jalis which allowed light to enter the mausoleum.

Agra Fort

After spending some time at the Taj Mahal we went to see the Agra Fort. Situated on the banks of the river Yamuna, the construction of this massive fort was started in the year 1565 during the era of the Mughal emperor Akbar. The fort is enclosed with a marvellous 21.4 m high red sandstone walls. Inside the fort we saw many palaces and monuments namely Jahangiri Mahal, Shah Jahani Mahal, Sheesh Mahal, Diwan-I-Aam, Diwan-I-Khas and Pearl Mosque. Then we came back to our hotel. In the evening we went for shopping at the nearby market. There we saw many sellers selling mini Taj replicas. Also there were many shops selling leather items such as purses, bags and sandals. I bought a Taj replica. Inside the replica was a blue coloured light. It looked very nice. I also bought leather sandals and bags as a gift for my relatives. After having dinner at a restaurant we went back to our hotel.

Fatehpur Sikri

The next day we went to the Fatehpur Sikri. Built during the later part of the 16th century by the Mughal Emperor Akbar, Fatehpur Sikri was the capital of the Mughal Empire for only about 10 years. The complex hosts a large number of monuments and religious structures. Inside the complex we saw the Jama Masjid (Friday Mosque), Diwan-I-Aam (Hall of public audience), Diwan-I-Khas (Hall of private audience), Panch Mahal, Birbal Bhawan and some other structures. One of the most important of these structures was the Buland Darwaza which commemorates the Mughal Emperor Akbar's victory in Gujarat. After that we came back to our hotel. We boarded the 13007 Udayan Abha Toofan Express from Agra Cantt. railway station at around 3:30 pm and reached New Delhi at 20:30 pm.

Continued to A Visit to Shimla

How to Reach :

Many trains are available from Delhi to Agra. 13008 Udyan Abha Toofan Express departs from New Delhi at 07:35 hrs and reaches Agra Fort at 13:00 hrs. 12138 Punjab Mail departs at 05:20 hrs and reaches Agra Cantt. at 08:50 hrs. 12280 Taj Express departs from Hazrat Nizamuddin at 07:10 hrs and reaches Agra Cantt. at 10:07 hrs.

Nearest Airport - Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi

Where to Stay :

There are lots of hotels in Agra. Here are some of them.
1. Holiday Inn
2. Amar Yatri Niwas
3. The Gateway Hotel
4. Ajay International Hotel
5. Taj Plaza Hotel
6. Siddhartha Hotel
7. Hotel Amba Inn

Places of Interest :

Major tourist spots in Agra are the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. Other places of interest include the Buland Darwaza, Mehtab Bagh, Birbal Bhawan, Tomb of Akbar and the Sur Sarovar Bird Sanctuary.

For more information please contact :

Directorate of Tourism, Uttar Pradesh
Rajarshi Purshottam Das Tandon Paryatan Bhavan
C-13, Vipin Khand, Gomti Nagar