Agra under the rule of the Mughals

• About Agra

Introduction:

Agra is considered as an ancient city which can be traced back to the times of the Mahabharata. The city is mentioned as 'Agraban' or the sister of a nearby ancient city named Mathura in the ancient text of the great epic However, the city originated under the reign of Sikander Lodhi in 1504, Agra rose in prominence only under the rule of the Mughals. During this period a significant cultural as well as social development was seen and Agra witnessed the birth of some of the magnificent buildings and gardens during this time which consisted of the Tajmahal, Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, Jama Masjid, Ram Bagh to name a few.

Facts and Figures of Agra:

Location: 220 kms from Delhi, 250 kms from Jaipur
Architectural Style: Mughal Architecture
Built In: 1551 - 1585
Built By: Mughal Emperor Akbar

Golden days of Agra: Under the reign of Mughal

Agra grew in prominence as almost all of India came under the rule of Mughal empire but Agra reached its top under the rule of Akbar, Shah Jahan and Jehangir. Agra was notable as the leading centre of art, science, commerce and culture during the rule of the great emperor Akbar.


Agra fort Diwan e am

Situated on the banks of Yamuna, Agra was chosen by the emperor Babar as a base for the Mughals. In terms of environment, it is still associated with its Mughal period led by Babur. In the first battle of Panipat in 1526, Babur invaded Agra after killing Ibrahim Lodhi and laid the foundation of Moghul dynasty. After that Humayun, his eldest son and successor, was bestowed with the responsibility to seize the treasury of Agra, which included rare diamonds like the famous 'Kohinoor', presented to him by the king of Gwalior. On May 10, 1526 Babur entered Agra and thus Babur initiated the first Mughal gardens in Agra.


Mughal Garden, Agra Fort

Agra remained the capital of Mughul for generations to come. Agra came under the rule of Sher Shah's representative Brahmajit Gaur after Sher Shah defeated Humayun at the battle of Chausa. The city was recaptured by the Mughals after the decisive battle of the second battle of Panipath in 1556. And thus the golden period in the history of Agra started and it became the center of art, culture, commerce and learning during the reign of Akbar and flourished under the reigns of Jehangir and Shahjahan.

During the reign of Akbar, Agra turned to a new direction in case of arts, and culture. Development of lay man's interest to this sectors encouraged the rulers to pay their best to the general man. The thirty years of Shah Jahan's rule were comparatively peaceful, artful and thus, his passion for architecture came to the fore and the world-famous architectural masterpieces were constructed including the Taj Mahal and the Moti Masjid. Though the glory of the city of Agra gradually faded whith the shif of the capital to Delhi during the rule of Aurangzeb, the city is still remembered as the city of Taj. It was in his time that the disaster started to come to Mughal dynasty and ultimately the whole kingdom went to other community.

Legendary works of Mughals:

The former majestic capital of the Mughals, situated along the banks of the River Yamuna attracts millions of tourists every year from all over the world. Agra is mainly known as the city of the Taj Mahal , the world's most famous monument of love. Besides, Taj, some other influential works by Mughals are as listed below:

• Fatehpur Sikri near Agra
• Agra Fort in Agra
• Jama Masjid in Agra
• Ram Bagh in Agra
• Mehtab Bagh in Agra
• Itmad-Ud-Daulahs Tomb in Agra
• Chini Ka Rauza in Agra
• Soami Bagh Samadh in Agra
• Tomb of Akbar in Agra
• Tomb of Sheikh Salim Chisti in Agra

Khas Mahal, main pavilion, Agra Fort

How to reach there:

1. Road:
   Agra is well connected by road. Bus services are very much convenient from places inside the state as well as outside the state. The state transports have deluxe as well as general bus services for the place. Moreover, conducted tours are also available which take tourist not only to Agra, but the near by tourist spots too. The National Highway passing through Agra is 2,3, and 11.
2. Rail:
   Agra is well inked by rail too from all the places of India. The Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains provide the major facility to the tourists.
3. Air:
   Being one of the popular tourist spots in India, Agra is linked with almost all the major airlines at the Kheria airport.