AGRA
DAY 10: Sunday, 04 Oct 2009 - AGRA
We left the hotel at Jaipur at 0600 and drove to Agra, 230 km away from Jaipur. The Jaipur-Agra highway is wide and clean. We had bread and butter in the car itself, a precaution thanks to yesterday's breakfast at Jaipur Expressway (Parantha and thayir !!).
Skipping Bharatpur, the famous bird sanctuary, our first stop was at Fatehpur at 0900. From the parking lot, one has to hire an auto to reach the Gate. The historical city was constructed by Mughal emperor Akbar beginning in 1570 and served as the empire's capital from 1571 until 1585, when it was abandoned for reasons unclear.
Akbar had inherited the Mughal Empire from his father Humayun and grandfather Babur. During the 1560s he rebuilt the Agra Fort and established it as his capital. With his wife Mariam-uz-Zamani he had a son and then twins, but the twins died. He then consulted the Sufi Saint Salim Chishti from the Chishti Order who lived as a recluse in the small town Sikri near Agra. Salim predicted that Akbar would have another son, and indeed one was born in 1569 in Sikri. He was named Salim to honor the saint and would later rule the empire as Emperor Jahangir. The following year, Akbar, then 28 years old, determined to build a palace and royal city in Sikri, to honor his pir Salim Chishti. The tomb of Salim Chishti, "Salim Chisti Ka Mazar" was built there within the grounds of the Jama mosque. (thanks to WIKIPEDIA)
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
DAY 10: Sunday, 04 Oct 2009 - AGRA
We left the hotel at Jaipur at 0600 and drove to Agra, 230 km away from Jaipur. The Jaipur-Agra highway is wide and clean. We had bread and butter in the car itself, a precaution thanks to yesterday's breakfast at Jaipur Expressway (Parantha and thayir !!).
Skipping Bharatpur, the famous bird sanctuary, our first stop was at Fatehpur at 0900. From the parking lot, one has to hire an auto to reach the Gate. The historical city was constructed by Mughal emperor Akbar beginning in 1570 and served as the empire's capital from 1571 until 1585, when it was abandoned for reasons unclear.
Akbar had inherited the Mughal Empire from his father Humayun and grandfather Babur. During the 1560s he rebuilt the Agra Fort and established it as his capital. With his wife Mariam-uz-Zamani he had a son and then twins, but the twins died. He then consulted the Sufi Saint Salim Chishti from the Chishti Order who lived as a recluse in the small town Sikri near Agra. Salim predicted that Akbar would have another son, and indeed one was born in 1569 in Sikri. He was named Salim to honor the saint and would later rule the empire as Emperor Jahangir. The following year, Akbar, then 28 years old, determined to build a palace and royal city in Sikri, to honor his pir Salim Chishti. The tomb of Salim Chishti, "Salim Chisti Ka Mazar" was built there within the grounds of the Jama mosque. (thanks to WIKIPEDIA)
Diwan-i-khas (Hall of Private Audience)
Salim Chisti Darga (the tomb)
Bulund Darwaza (Gateway of Magnificence)
Jama Masjid
Fatehpur is a World Heritage Site and important historic place. Akbar abandoned it in 1585 and moved his capital to Lahore. We then drove to Agra and Taj Mahal.
Taj Mahal
Emperor Shah Jahan built this most magnificent mausoleum in 1653 in memory of his (third)wife Mumtaz Mahal.
The base structure is essentially a large, multi-chambered cube with chamfered corners, forming an unequal octagon that is approximately 55 meters on each of the four long sides. On each of these sides, a massive pishtaq, or vaulted archway, frames the iwan with two similarly shaped, arched balconies stacked on either side. The marble dome that surmounts the tomb is the most spectacular feature. Its height of around 35 meters is about the same as the length of the base.
There are four minarets, perfectly symmetrical. The minarets, which are each more than 40 meters tall, display the designer's penchant for symmetry. They were designed as working minarets — a traditional element of mosques, used by the muezzin to call the Islamic faithful to prayer. Each minaret is effectively divided into three equal parts by two working balconies that ring the tower. (WIKIPEDIA)
When we reached Taj, we had to face a long line at the ticket counter. Today being Sunday, there was unexceptionally large crowd. And the security checks were extremely tight, particularly in the women's section. Another wait of over 30 minutes. Then, it started pouring. We waited for over 45 minutes for the rains to subside and then walked towards the Taj. Wonderful experience.
We left Taj Mahal by 2-30PM and after lunch we departed back for Delhi.
to be contd - Part 4
rajappa
7PM on 14 Oct 2009
Comments
Post a Comment