Of Love, History, Old World Charm And … Pethas!
Whether
a romantic or not, it’s a dream come true for every Indian to catch a glimpse
of Taj Mahal, one of the country’s most prized possession, at least once in a
lifetime. And I’ve been lucky to visit Agra, the quaint little city that hosts
this legendary symbol of love and one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.
Exuding the old world charm, Agra is almost synonymous with Taj, but, if you
ask me, this place has much more than what meets the eyes.
So, here’s a quick photo recap of our journey to Agra… the journey of love, history, old world charm and… wait for it… pethas and dal moth! :P
Thanks to Yamuna Express Highway, for travellers on wheels Delhi-Agra can now be covered in just 3-4 hours. The clutter-less 4 lane roads cutting across beautiful corn fields make the journey more of a cake walk, compared to the National Highway filled with gutters and pot holes that literally send “pain” down the spine. The highway is equipped with facilities like public toilets (surprisingly clean ones), restaurants, petrol pumps, workshops and more at intervals to help travellers enjoy a worry free drive.
This
is a highly recommended road trip route, if you are visiting Delhi and vice versa.
A day’s trip is good enough to cover the popular tourist attractions in Agra,
but a night’s stay is much recommended and you’ll get to know why.
Note* On reaching Agra and exiting from the express highway, remember to take the Taj Link road, which will save you some time and traffic, provided your stay is arranged somewhere close to Taj or Agra Fort.
Agra Fort:
Agra
Fort, clearly shadowed by the fame and marvel of Taj Mahal, is a rare gem you
wouldn’t want to miss. Also called as Agra Red Fort (Lal-Quila), this structure
in red sandstone and white marble is also one among the UNESCO world heritage
sites.
Typical
fort walls welcome you at the entrance and as you move in the wealth and might
of the Mughals begin to unravel.
To
add to its glory, this is the fort where all the early Mughal Emperors lived.
From
the much famed Krishna Mandir that Emperor Akbar built for Jodha Bhai (his
Hindu queen) to the world’s most beautiful jail that Aurangzeb built for Shah
Jahan (when he was kept under house arrest), you will see such stories
come to life, as the guide narrates them to you.
Pathway equipped with rough floor for better grip for horses and elephants. The walls are built so high so as to echo the sound. |
Ceiling of the Krishna mandir built by Emperor Akbar for Jodha Bhai (Hindi queen) resembling Hindu architecture |
What is left of the reading room of emperors! |
Notes* Pay Rs.200-300/- and take an authorized guide, because, you realy want to hear all the stories as you bask in the Mughal glory.
Agra Fort can be covered the same day
evening, post which you could indulge in shopping at Shilpgram Village or Sadar
Bazar.
Taj Mahal
First view - from inside the main gate! |
During school days my textbooks spoke in length and breadth about this classic symbol of love, and for all these years, I’ve imagined how Taj Mahal would look like. Now that I have witnessed this epic architectural wonder (and I thank God in tons for this opportunity), let me tell you, there is no way one can imagine the beauty of this structure than seeing it for real. Nothing, I mean nothing in white would look this picturesque on an untainted white background, the way Taj Mahal looked against the milky white sky!
And the last one against twilight! |
Very interesting post....most of us down south have only read about or seen Taj in books and TV....this time even i wont leave the oppurtunity to witness this beauty ....other aspect that i learnt during my post grad was effect of air pollution on Taj...haven witnessed same on qutub minar....how is the state of Taj? Pics are mesmerizing though...
ReplyDeleteHey Archana, thanks for your comment. Taj is definitely in better shape and they seem to have stopped industries and new construction works are also not allowed within a set diameter. Apart from this, we could see some regular restoration work to ensure the white marble colour is maintained.
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ReplyDeleteNice piece Radzie. Enjoy :-)
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