Agra

Introducing Agra

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agra’s magnificent white marble Taj Mahal stands like a bulbous beacon, drawing tourists like moths to a wondrous flame. Despite the hype, it’s every bit as good as you’ve heard. While Agra itself is a sprawling, bloated and polluted industrial city that few travellers seem to have a good word for, the Taj is not a stand-alone attraction. The legacy of the Mughal empire has left a magnificent fort and a sprinkling of fascinating tombs and mausoleums, while the Yamuna River provides a suitably sacred backdrop. The Mughal emperor Babur established his capital here in 1526, and for the next century Agra witnessed a remarkable spate of architectural activity as each emperor tried to outdo the grandiose monuments built by his predecessors.

The city has a lively but chaotic chowk (marketplace) and plenty of places to stay and eat, but the hordes of rickshaw-wallahs, touts, unofficial guides and souvenir vendors can be as persistent as the monsoon rain.

Many tourists choose to visit Agra on a whistle-stop day trip – made possible by the excellent train services from Delhi. However, Agra’s attractions are much more than can be seen in a day, and if you have the time you can enjoy several days’ sightseeing with side trips to Fatehpur Sikri and Mathura

History

While Agra's heyday was as the capital of the Mughal empire between 1526 and 1658, the city was founded much earlier. The earliest reference to Agra is in the ancient epic, the Mahabharata, while Ptolemy was the first person to call it by its modern name. The recorded history of Agra begins around the 11th century, and over the next 500 years, the city changed hands between various kings, both Hindu and Muslim.

In 1506, Sultan Sikandar Lodi, the ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, moved his capital from Delhi to Agra. His son Ibrahim Lodi was the last ruler of the Lodi dynasty, as he was defeated in 1526 by Babur, the first Mughal ruler, in the battle of Panipat. Agra fell too, and became the capital of the Mughals, whose rule over Agra was uninterrupted except for a brief period between 1540 and 1556. In 1540, Sher Shah Shuri overthrew Humayun became the ruler of much of North India, including Agra. After Sher Shah Suri's death his descendants proved unequal to the task of ruling the kingdom, and Hemu, a Hindu general of Suri became the effective ruler who would later crown himself King Hemachandra Vikramaditya just as the kingdom was facing an assault from the reinvigorated Mughals. In 1556, Hemu would be defeated and killed in the second battle of Panipat, and the Mughals regained Agra.

Mughals were great builders. Babur built the Aram Bagh (garden of relaxation) modeled after the garden of paradise, where he was eventually buried after his death. His grandson Akbar refurbished the Agra fort and built the Fatehpur Sikri, an entire city just on the outskirts of Agra. He also renamed Agra after himself, and the city was known as Akbarabad while it was in Mughal hands. Akbar's grandson Shah Jehan would give Agra its most famous monument, the Taj Mahal, which is the mausoleum of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj is constructed in white marble. It took 20 years to construct, and is now universally known as a monument to love. Legend has it that Shah Jehan wanted a replica of the Taj constructed in black marble that would be his final resting place. There is no actual support for this theory, but even if it were true, it would have been unlikely to be eventuated. His son Aurangzeb was austere and pious, and had no time or inclination for the ostentation of his forefathers, preferring to spend his money on wars in South India. In any case, even during Shah Jehan's reign, which was the period when the Mughal empire was at its height, the construction of the Taj put a strain on the resources of the empire and caused a min-famine around Agra. Shah Jehan was eventually buried in the white Taj, next to his beloved Begum.

Shah Jehan, in addition to giving Agra its greatest claim to fame, was also responsible for beginning its decline, as decided to shift his capital to Shahjehanabad, which we now know as Old Delhi, in 1658. Though Aurangzeb ordered a move back, this too was short lived, as he moved his headquarters down south to Aurangabad to be focus on his wars. Agra declined, and so did the Mughal Empire. The city was eventually captured by the Marathas, who renamed it back to Agra. In 1803, it came under the British, who situated the Agra Presidency there, and when India gained independence, the city was incorporated into the state of Uttar Pradesh, and did not gain even the limited honour of being the state's capital, that distinction going to Lucknow, further east. It is now a tourist town, known for the Taj and a couple of other monuments. 

Literature

Anyone interested in reading a novel based on the remarkable story behind the Taj Mahal's creation should consider Beneath a Marble Sky by John Shors. Beneath a Marble Sky is an international bestseller, has won multiple awards, and is being made into a movie by Hollywood. Other book (historical fiction) is The Taj by Colin De Silva.

Get in

Agra is 200 km southeast from Delhi and is one of the points of the tourist's Golden Triangle of Agra-Delhi-Jaipur. Agra is also very well connected via rail and road with other nearby cities and tourist destinations.

By plane

Service to Agra's Kheria Airport (IATA: AGR ICAO: VIAG) is seasonal. As of November 2008, the city is served by Kingfisher Airlines and Air India Regional, who both fly on the Delhi-Agra-Jaipur tourist triangle route. The flight time to either is less than an hour. Travelers have had trouble with extreme lateness, and for that reason a hired car may be a safer (and probably cheaper) alternative.

By train

Agra is on the main train line between the Delhi-Mumbai (Bombay) and Delhi-Chennai routes, and many trains connect Agra with these cities every day. Some east-bound trains from Delhi also travel via Agra, so direct connections to points in Eastern India (including Kolkata) are also available. There are close to 20 trains to Delhi every day, and at least three or four to both Mumbai and Chennai. Agra and Delhi are notorious for their thick winter fog which reduces visibility to almost zero. If traveling in late December or early January (the fog season), travelers should be aware that, because of the reduced visibility, all trains slow down and travel time goes up. The Bhopal Shatabdi, for example, may arrive in Agra well after 10AM, and might return to Delhi well after midnight. There are three stations in Agra:

Stations

• Agra Cantt (Station Code : AGC) is the main railway station and lies southwest of the Taj and Agra Fort, both of which are a short ride from the station by car, auto-rickshaw, or cycle rickshaw. There is a prepaid taxi stand right outside that charges a flat Rs 150 to any hotel in the city.The station has a pretty good Comesum food court that also sells cheap, hygienic takeaway snacks (sandwiches, samosas, etc).

• Agra Fort station (Station Code : AF) near Agra Fort, is infrequently serviced by the interstate express trains. The station serves trains to the east (Kanpur, Gorakhpur, Kolkata) some of these trains also stop at Agra Cantt.

• Raja Ki Mandi (Station Code : RKM) is a small station. Some of the trains which stop at Agra Cantt also stop here. The station has a laid-back and lazy atmosphere, but springs into life at the arrival of Intercity exp and Taj express.

• Agra City is in the heart of Agra. A relic of the meter gauge era, this station is not particularly useful.

• Idgah Railway Station is the first station if you arrive in Agra from Jaipur. 

Lines

• Delhi to Agra - Close to 20 trains connect Delhi and Agra each day with journey times varying from 2 hours to 5 hours. The best options are the Bhopal Shatabdi Express (departs New Delhi at 0615 arriving Agra Cantt at 0812; departs Agra Cantt at 2030 arriving New Delhi at 2230, daily except Friday) and the Taj Express (departs Delhi Hazrat Nizamuddin at 0715 arriving Agra Cantt at 1007; departs Agra Cantt at 1855 arriving Delhi Hazrat Nizamuddin at 2200, daily).

• Agra to Jaipur - The journey to Jaipur (Station Code : JP) takes around 4 hour by train no. 2988 which leaves Agra Fort Railway Station at 6:25 PM and reaches Jaipur at around 10:20PM.

Also train number 2965 from agra cantonment to Jaipur at 5:40 PM. The train arrives at 10:15 PM. 300 Rs AC chair.

• The Luxury train - Palace on Wheels stops at Agra on its eight day round trip of tourist destinations in Rajasthan and Agra. 

A Day's Excursion from Delhi to Agra

It is easy to visit Agra as a comfortable day trip by train from Delhi. Rise early in the morning and hop on to an AC chair car seat on the Bhopal Shatabdi (6:15AM) at New Delhi Railway Station (conveniently close to the backpacker hangout of Paharganj). Breakfast is served on the train (included in the fare), usually an omelet with a couple of slices of bread and coffee or tea. Arrive refreshed in Agra and, depending on your budget, either rent a car for the day or use rickshaws to get around. A visit to the Taj, followed by Agra Fort does not take a great deal of time. Add a visit to Akbar's tomb and/or itmad-ud-daulah (auto-rickshaw or taxi required), and you will still have time for a comfortable lunch and some r&r before catching the return train at 8:30PM where you can dine in the comfort of your seat (dinner is included in the fare). With a hired car, it is even possible for the hardy soul to swing by for a visit to Fatehpur Sikri for the complete Agra visit!

By bus

A number of buses connect Agra with Delhi. It takes around 4-5 hours to reach Agra by bus. There are basically three interstate bus stands:

• Idgah Bus Stand is the primary bus stand for intercity travel, in the heart of the city, 8 km from the Taj.
• Bijlighar Bus Stand (also called Powerhouse Bus Stand) located near the Red Fort, 6 km from the Taj.
• New Bus Stand at transport nagar, 12 km from the Taj, is only for other state's bus services (i.e. all except U.P. Roadways). 

By road

• From Delhi: NH2, a modern divided highway, connects the 200 km distance from Delhi to Agra. The drive is typically 4-5 hours, a large chunk of which includes navigating the clogged roads around Delhi to get to the highway. The primary access to the highway is along Mathura Road in Delhi but, if coming from South Delhi or Delhi Airport, it is easier to take Aurobindo Marg (Mehrauli Road) and then work up to NH2 via Tughlakabad. While the highway is divided, it is important to keep an eye out for trucks, cars, and bullock carts heading the wrong way!

It is possible to hire a car with a driver (a big car for five persons from/to the Delhi airport costs Rs 3500). But beware! If you need to get from Agra to the airport in order to catch a flight, be sure to allow plenty of time for the trip, as traffic conditions may increase the drive time significantly. Also, it is wise to know your driver. There are situations when he may take over five hours to cover the distance, and you cannot force him to drive any faster than an autorickshaw (tuk-tuk).

• From Jaipur: National Highway 11, a four lane divided highway, connects Agra with Jaipur via the bird sanctuary town of Bharatpur. The distance of around 255 Km can be covered in around 4 hours.

• From Gwalior: A distance of around 120 km, takes around 1.5 hours on the National highway 3 (Agra- Mumbai Highway)

• From Lucknow / Kanpur: NH2, the divided modern highway, continues on to Kanpur (285km, 5 hours) and from there to points East ending in Kolkata. From Kanpur, NH25 heads for the city of Lucknow (90 km, 2 hours). 

Get around

Tongas, electric buses and electric tempos are readily available, and the best way to get to the Taj where no cars are allowed. Auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws are available every where, remember to agree on fares clearly in advance.
The best way to experince the city is to take a walk on the Mall Road (Sadar). The street is full of handicraft and leather goods shops. You will also find plenty of food items quite unique to the city.

By car

Cars are not allowed near the Taj Complex, but the rest of Agra is easily discovered by car. Rental is available from the following companies, Enterprises Car Rental and Hertz.
You can either book a taxi from hotel or directly book one outside the railway station. There is government authorized taxi stand. 950Rs/day for 12 hours. It maybe more costy to book through hotel. It is better to negotiate with the driver directly

See

Agra's top two sights by far are the incomparable Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. When planning your sightseeing, take heed of the convoluted entry fee system: for Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Itmud-ad-Daulah, Sikandra and Fatehpur Sikri, you must pay a Rs 500 levy to the Agra Development Authority in addition to the prices mentioned below. Once paid, the levy is valid for all sights, but only for one day. However, If you are not going to the Taj Mahal or happen to turn up on a Friday, then you do not have to pay the Rs 500 levy but a smaller one if you are going to the other sites. Eg Rs 50 for Red Fort

Do

• Adlabs multiplex. Interactive Theatre, which is the first ever interactive cinema theatre in the world, each viewer holds a wireless remote unit with push buttons and a small LCD screen, enabling them to participate in a trivia game about the theme of the film. The show is called India in Motion, a 25 minute show where the audience will pass through today's India in, or on, a variety of typical vehicles and see the historical events at sites like Mohenjo Daro, Indraprastha and the Taj Mahal, experiencing the bumpy elephant rides with the wind blowing through their hair, or the swaying boat with salty spray on their faces. Before the actual show there is a interactive quiz on various topic relating to India. Rs 150 for a Hindi Show & Rs 450 for a show in English.  

• Taj Mahotsav,. 10 day festival held in February every year at Shilpgram, near the Taj Mahal. It start from 18th of every February and continues till 27th of February. It is a festival of art, craft, culture, etc

Buy

Agra has many shops selling various stone products, from jewellery to small boxes and plaques with inlay work resembling that on the Taj. The best of these are wonderful, and even the run-of-the-mill ones are rather pretty. Agra is also famous for its leather goods. Consider spending time in Sadar Bazaar for some shopping and enjoying cheap food.
Beware of being overcharged. Do not let anyone lead you to a shop, lest the price go up to cover their commission, typically 50%. Be very wary of the promises these people make. Bargain hard. Be prepared to walk away, you can nearly always get the same items in another shop. Also remember that in these globalized times, you can always order stuff you liked in your visit over the internet after you return.
Be careful with the jewels: Lots of stones are fakes and the price is very high!

Eat

Agra specialities are petha, a type of very sweet candy, and Dal Moth, a spicy lentil mix. Both are also popular souvenirs.
Chaat. Agra is a heaven for any Chaat lover. Chaat can be of various types but there is one thing common among them all is that they are spicy and you will find crowd outside virtually every chaat stall, especially popular places like Double Phatak (near Sikandra) for Mangores. You'll find quality Bhallas and Panipuri at Sadar and Belangunj. Samosa and Kachori are found at every sweet shop that flood the city. Some typical chaat items are Aloo Tikki (made by roasting mess made out of boiled potatoes), paneer tikka (cubes of cottage cheese baked in a tandoor with spices), pani puri or golguppa (small round hollow shells filled with a potato-based filling and a spicy sweet blend of sauces), mangores, Samosaes, Chachori etc. If you want to savour the typical Agra Breakfast do remember to have a bite of one of those spicy Berahi and round it off with sweet Jalebies.
Sweets. There are quite a few good sweets shops all round the city. The best stores for buying the famous petha of Agra are at Hari Parwat, a short ride from Agra Fort. Amongst the well-known stores are Panchi's , Bhimsain BaidyaNath and The Pracheen Petha store. There are many types of petha available but, for the authentic experience, try either the plain one (ivory white) or Angoori Flavored (rectangular and yellow pieces soaked in sugar syrup). Other stores in Agra include: Bikanervala, Deviram, Munnalal Petha, Gopaldas, and Ajanta Sweets, Kamla Nagar. Do remember to round off your meal with a Joda(Pair) of Pan unique to the city.
There are several restaurants in the Taj Ganj area, catering for the many tourists staying around the Taj Mahal.

• Treat Restaurant, South Gate Taj Mahal, ☎ 9319697497 (treatagra@yahoo.co.in). breakfast, lunch and dinner. 20-60 for main dish, great Indian food..  

• Silk Route Restaurant, 18-A/7-B Fatehabad Road (Opposite Howard Park Plaza), ☎ 0562 4002786, 

• Only Restaurant, ☎ 0562-2364333 / 2266508, . 600-800 for main dish of 2. 

• Journey's place Taj ganj. Perfect for early breakfast, when you want to wake up early to visit the Taj at 6 Am. 10 Rs Toast, 10 Rs coffee, 15 Rs cornflakes.

• Kamat Hotel Roof top restaurant with view on the Taj. Correct quality. Beer available. 70 Rs for a vegetable curry.

Drink

Most hotel staff will be happy to find you a warm bottle of Indian beer for around 70-100 rs, but there is virtually no nightlife in Agra outside of cultural shows at some of the larger hotels and restaurants. After getting off the streets of Agra and into your hotel, you will not want to go back anyway.

Budget

The main number of the budget hotels is situated around Taj-Mahal. From one point of view it is very convenient, but at the same time it is the most dirty district of the city (with monkeys on the roofs, rats inside the buildings and waiters who can not read and write). While choosing where to stay, be very careful! In the most places there is no hot water (you will get it only by ordering beforehand). It is necessary to check everything, including the presence of bed-linen.

• Hotel Amba Inn, 1/51, Delhi Gate, Near Raja ki Mandi Railway Station (2 mins from railway station), ☎ 91 562 2520779 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              91 562 2520779      end_of_the_skype_highlighting, 91 9412720194,. checkin: noon; checkout: noon. Offers facilities for 22 rooms in total. There are both double rooms, single rooms, as well as facility for an extra bed. All the rooms are air conditioned/air cooled, with television. Single Rs 550-800, double Rs 650-900.  

• Col Lamba Indian Home Stay, 58 Gulmohar Enclave, Shamshabad Rd, ☎ 0562-3298921, . This B&B is run by Col.Lamba, a retired army officer, and his wife. There are 7 rooms which are very clean, airconditioned and with TVs. Home cooked lunch and dinner available on request. Guest Kitchens also present. Highlight of the B&B is the hosts who are very warm and hospitable and will assist you with their local knowledge. Around Rs 700 per person.  

• Dayal Lodge, 25 New Agra, Dayalbagh Road (Towards Dayalbagh), ☎ +91-9219606365 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              +91-9219606365      end_of_the_skype_highlighting, +91-562-2524560 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              +91-562-2524560      end_of_the_skype_highlighting (dayallodge@gmail.com, fax: +91 562 2524560). checkin: 12 Noon; checkout: 12 Noon. Established in the early 60s, with 10 well furnished AC rooms/and Dormitories equipped with basic amenities. 24 Hrs. made-to-order kitchen, in-house laundry facilities, local airport/railway station transfers. Rs 450-750.  

• Hotel Jaiwal, 3 Taj Road, Sadar Bazar, ☎ +91 562 2363153 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              +91 562 2363153      end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Rs 75-325. 

• Hotel Kamal, (by the south gate of the Taj Mahal), ☎ 0091-562-2330126 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              0091-562-2330126      end_of_the_skype_highlighting (hotelkamal@hotmail.com). Rs 300-850.

• Hotel Neel Kanth, Fatehabad Road, ☎ +91 562 2362039 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              +91 562 2362039      end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Rs 100-00.  

• Youth Hostel, Sanjay Place, M. G. Road, ☎ +91 562 2154462 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              +91 562 2154462      end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Rs 50-125.  

• Saniya Palace, Chowk kajziyan, South Gate, Taj Ganj, ☎ +91 (0562) 3270199 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              +91 (0562) 3270199      end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Good budget hotel with some A/C rooms. 24 hr room service. Friendly staff & fantastic views of the Taj mahal from the roof top restaurant. rs 600  

• Shanti lodge South Taj gate. From 400 Rs economic room, non AC. Hot water, TV. Restaurant on the roof top. Be careful with the bed sheets, not very clean. Cloak room available.

Mid-range

• Hotel Mandakini Villas, Fatehabad Road, Purani Mandi, Taj Ganj (Next to Western Gate of Taj Mahal), Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India, ☎ +91 5626453854 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              +91 5626453854      end_of_the_skype_highlighting, [ checkout: noon. 200 meters from the Taj Mahal's West Gate. It offers air-conditioned rooms each with cable TV with 100 channels, broadband Internet connection, private bathroom with cold water and direct-dial phone. You might get a little bit warmer than cold water by requesting it from the reception a few times. It is not possible to sleep without ear plugs in the first floor because of the noise coming from corridor and reception all night. Get a room from higher floors. Rates start at Rs 2,690. 

• Laurie's Hotel, Mahatma Gandhi Road, ☎ +91 562 2364536 (fax: +91 562 2268045). An old colonial hotel from the British era (some say it hasn't been upgraded since!), Laurie's retains some of the charm of traveling in India in days of yore. Rooms with impossibly high ceilings (fans, no aircon), lead off from verandahs with nice lawns outside. A swimming pool from yesteryears graces the lawn (unfortunately closed in the winter). But you can get British era service with 'bed tea', excellent freshly made chicken curry and rice to order, and creaky plumbing. Some people will love it, others hate it, but you can't be indifferent to Laurie's!  

• Hotel Raj. Directly in front of the central entry of the Taj Mahal, simple but clean. About Rs 800. 

Splurge

Thanks to heavy competition, Agra's five-star hotels are pretty good value compared to most other cities in India.

• ITC Mughal, Taj Ganj, ☎ +91-562-4021700 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              +91-562-4021700      end_of_the_skype_highlighting,. Formerly the Sheraton Mughal, this is one of Agra's top hotels, with views of the Taj from the roof viewing pavilion. Large pool. The hotel's age is starting to show, but the rooms are in fine shape. Popular with tour groups Rooms from US$160.  

• Oberoi Amarvilas, Taj East Gate Road, ☎ +91 (562) 2231515 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              +91 (562) 2231515      end_of_the_skype_highlighting, . The best (and most expensive) hotel in Agra. Its is consistently rated among the top 10 hotels in the world

• Trident Hilton, Fathebad Road, ☎ +91 (562) 2331818 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              +91 (562) 2331818      end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Solid Hilton quality, but poor location. Outdoor pool, gym. Rooms from US$89..  

Contact

Agra comes under Uttar Pradesh (west) circle as per TRAI. BSNL ,Airtel  are the two main providers of terrestrial telephone lines in Agra, while BNSL , AirTel  Vodafone  and Idea provide GSM (triband) and Reliance  and Tata provide CDMA services.

Internet

There are several internet cafes / Cyber Cafes from where you can access the internet for sending email or uploading your digital photos.

• Reliance World has broadband connectivity at many location across the city.
• Sify Iway also offers broadband connectivity at different locations spread all over the city.

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